The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday rejected the latest hike in petrol prices, warning that it would worsen poverty across the country.
“This increase will further deepen poverty as production slows down, more jobs are lost, and the negative effects multiply,” NLC President Joe Ajaero said in a statement.
He called on the government to immediately reverse the price hike, noting that previous increases had only led to greater hardship for Nigerians. “People are just getting poorer,” he said.
Ajaero also urged the government to be transparent about its long-term economic plans, saying, “The government should have the courage to tell Nigerians where it intends to take the country.”
Retail outlets owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) adjusted petrol prices on Wednesday, with many selling at ₦998 per litre in Lagos and ₦1,030 in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Other filling stations quickly followed, with some charging up to ₦1,050 per litre in parts of Lagos.
The NLC expressed deep concern over the increase, with Ajaero criticizing the government’s reliance on frequent fuel price hikes. “It seems like the only thing this government is known for is raising petrol prices, without any measures to ease the burden on Nigerians,” he said.
Ajaero also questioned the dominance of NNPCL in setting fuel prices, describing it as a “hegemonic monopoly.” He challenged the government to create a comprehensive plan for inclusive economic growth, rather than relying on what he called “ad hoc” measures and temporary relief.
He added, “This latest increase has once again thrown off the calculations of ordinary Nigerians, just when they were starting to adjust to the new realities.”