ABUJA — The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued an urgent call to action to the Federal Government, demanding immediate intervention to cushion citizens from escalating energy costs as pump prices for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) hit ₦1,500 per litre across major cities following geopolitical escalations in the US-Iran crisis.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the labor center expressed alarm over the rapid spillover of global crude oil price spikes onto domestic retail stations, warning that unmitigated fuel price inflation is pushing millions of working-class families deeper into extreme poverty and crushing small businesses.
The NLC argued that Nigeria’s total reliance on imported refined petroleum products—despite being a major crude oil exporter—leaves the nation’s economy dangerously vulnerable to international shocks, urging the government to immediately revamp state-owned refineries and enforce domestic crude supply obligations to local processors.
Core Demands & Key Labor Statements
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Immediate Stabilization Measures: The NLC called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to temporarily intervene in market pricing mechanisms to cap runaway retail fuel costs.
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Domestic Refining Mandate: Labor leaders reiterated that the long-term solution lies in fully operationalizing state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, while ensuring guaranteed crude feedstock allocations to domestic refineries—including the Dangote Refinery—in local currency (Naira).
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Impact on Transport & Food Inflation: The union highlighted that fuel selling between ₦1,470 and ₦1,500 per litre has triggered an immediate cascading spike in inter-state transport fares, food logistics, and basic cost of living.
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Threat of Civil Action: Reaffirming its commitment to defending worker welfare, the NLC warned that if concrete mitigation strategies are not rolled out, organized labor will mobilize across state councils to demand policy reversals and immediate relief packages.
