The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the federal government to provide urgent tax relief, wage support and other social protections to cushion the effects of the recent spike in fuel prices across the country, TRUETELLS Nigeria reports.
In a statement issued by its president, Joe Ajaero, the labour union urged the government to introduce a cost-of-living allowance for workers and implement a wage award to ease the economic pressure caused by rising petrol prices.
The statement, titled “Save Nigerians From This Shock: An Urgent Relief Has Become Necessary,” stressed that the government must take immediate action to shield citizens from the growing hardship linked to global energy shocks triggered by tensions in the Middle East.
According to the NLC, the surge in petrol prices has worsened the already difficult living conditions for Nigerian workers and their families. The union insisted that the government cannot simply attribute the crisis to international developments but must take decisive steps to protect the welfare of its citizens.
The labour body also demanded the urgent revival and full operation of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, arguing that billions of naira have been spent on turnaround maintenance without delivering meaningful results.
Among its key demands, the NLC called for an immediate wage award and cost-of-living allowance for workers, expansion of the government’s cash transfer programme to support vulnerable Nigerians, and tax relief for low-income earners. It described taxation of minimum-wage earners as unfair and burdensome.
The union further warned that Nigeria’s heavy dependence on global fuel pricing continues to expose the country to external shocks, stressing that the current crisis highlights the fragility of the downstream petroleum sector.
Meanwhile, industry stakeholders say the ongoing Middle East conflict has caused sharp volatility in global oil markets, pushing crude prices above $100 per barrel and triggering rapid adjustments in domestic fuel prices.
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority indicates that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now supplies over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s petrol demand in the deregulated market.
Within two weeks of the geopolitical tensions, the refinery reportedly adjusted its petrol gantry price several times in response to global crude price movements. Prices rose from about ₦774 per litre to as high as ₦1,175 per litre before briefly dropping and climbing again as crude oil prices fluctuated.
The volatility has left many fuel marketers struggling, with some forced to sell products at a loss after sudden price changes.
A former chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Akinrinade Akinade, said the situation has turned fuel trading into a high-risk business, forcing marketers to buy smaller volumes to avoid heavy losses.
Similarly, the president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis‑Harry, warned that fuel prices could continue to fluctuate as long as the Middle East crisis persists.
He added that the federal government should consider establishing a domestic energy bank to provide financial support for operators in the energy sector.
Energy economist Wumi Iledare noted that Nigeria’s deregulated downstream sector now operates fully under market dynamics, meaning fuel prices will continue to respond to global oil prices, exchange rate changes and supply conditions.
He advised marketers to strengthen risk management strategies and improve operational efficiency in order to remain competitive in the evolving petroleum market.
