NLC Rejects Fuel Price Hike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the recent hike in petrol pump prices, warning that it will exacerbate poverty across the country.

“This will further impoverish citizens as production declines, more jobs are lost, and the ripple effects take hold,” NLC President Joe Ajaero stated in a release.

He urged the government to swiftly reverse the price increase, noting that previous hikes had only worsened people’s living conditions without yielding positive outcomes.

“More importantly, the government should clearly communicate to Nigerians the direction it intends to take the country,” Ajaero added.

Petrol stations operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) adjusted prices on Wednesday in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with outlets in Lagos selling petrol at ₦998 per litre—an increase of about ₦150 from the previous ₦855.

Several independent filling stations followed suit, with some charging as much as ₦1050 per litre in various parts of Lagos.

Ajaero expressed the NLC’s dismay over the latest price hike, accusing the government of focusing solely on fuel price increases without addressing Nigerians’ economic capacity or implementing adequate mitigation measures.

“It is perplexing that a private company (NNPCL) is dictating prices, acting as a monopolistic force in the market,” he remarked.

The NLC urged the government to devise a comprehensive plan for inclusive economic growth and national development, rather than relying on what it termed sporadic, short-term policies and palliative measures.

“The recent increase has once again disrupted the financial calculations of Nigerians, just as they were beginning to adjust to their new realities,” Ajaero concluded.