The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday called for an immediate reversal of the recent fuel price hike announced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), arguing that the increase has deepened the suffering of Nigerians. Amid ongoing fuel scarcity, the NNPCL raised petrol prices from ₦568 to between ₦855 and ₦897 per liter, depending on the location.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the move, accusing the Federal Government of betraying the labor movement. “We demand the immediate reversal of the pump price of PMS across the country,” Ajaero said. He also called for the release of individuals detained over recent protests, a halt to arbitrary arrests, and the reversal of the 250% increase in electricity tariffs.
Ajaero criticized the government’s approach, saying it fosters hunger, insecurity, and a culture of fear and deceit. He pointed out that the administration has yet to implement the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000. Ajaero described the government’s policies as “traumatic,” citing an earlier proposal from President Bola Tinubu, which offered a new minimum wage of ₦250,000 in exchange for a petrol price of ₦1,500 per liter—a proposal labor leaders rejected.
He lamented the betrayal by the government, referencing unfulfilled promises by the National Assembly to address the 250% electricity tariff hike. “Instead of a reversal, the rates have increased further, endangering more Nigerians and businesses,” Ajaero concluded.
