The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to implement an immediate wage award, cost-of-living allowance, and tax relief for workers following a sharp spike in petrol prices. The union warned that the surge in fuel costs, now ranging between ₦1,170 and ₦1,300 per litre, has placed "unbearable pressure" on ordinary citizens and could trigger severe social unrest.
The union described the situation as a "direct assault on the Nigerian people," noting that the rising costs have made transportation unaffordable and pushed essential commodities beyond the reach of the poor.
In a statement titled "Save Nigerians From This Shock: An Urgent Relief Has Become Necessary," NLC President Joe Ajaero linked the price hike to global oil market instability caused by escalating military tensions in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
The labour center demanded that the government utilise an estimated ₦30 trillion oil windfall, projected by the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) due to the global crisis, to fund social welfare programs. Ajaero insisted that these revenues must be transparently managed and invested back into the people rather than being lost to institutional inefficiencies.
"The government must urgently introduce measures, including wage support and cost-of-living relief, to cushion the devastating impact of the current fuel price crisis," Ajaero stated. He further emphasised that current wages have effectively become "starvation stipends" in the face of triple-digit inflationary pressures on food and services.
Beyond immediate financial aid, the NLC renewed its call for the urgent operationalisation of state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna. The union argued that public sector refining is the only sustainable way to shield the Nigerian economy from the volatile price shocks of the international market.
The NLC maintains that broader fiscal interventions, including tax breaks for low-income earners, are necessary to prevent a total collapse of purchasing power.