The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to convene a meeting of its organs in response to the recent hike in the pump price of petrol. In a statement released on Tuesday evening by NLC President Joe Ajaero, the labor movement expressed its deep sense of betrayal, accusing the federal government of going back on an earlier understanding.
Ajaero stated, “We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of PMS. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as the national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of PMS would not be increased, even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.”
He further highlighted the difficult choice the union faced during negotiations with the government, saying, “We recall vividly when Mr. President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old PMS rates), we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians.”
Ajaero described the current situation as both “traumatic and nightmarish,” particularly as the government has yet to begin paying the new minimum wage. He emphasized that the union’s actions are guided by a commitment to the country’s sovereignty, integrity, and the welfare of its people. The NLC plans to hold a meeting in the coming days, during which it will determine its next course of action, which will be communicated to the public.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has strongly refuted claims circulating on social media that he directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to inflate petroleum prices by N1,000 above the approved pump price. In a statement issued by the minister’s spokesperson, Nneamaka Okafor, the minister categorically denied these allegations, labeling them as baseless and malicious.
“We categorically condemn these claims as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent,” the statement read. “We challenge anyone in possession of any evidence—be it written documents, audio, or video recordings—that supports these fabrications to make it public.”
The statement further clarified that the NNPC operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) with a fully empowered Board of Directors. “The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not, interfere in the internal decisions of NNPC, including pricing matters,” it stated.
The Ministry emphasized that any suggestion that the minister directed the NNPC to manipulate fuel prices is incorrect and reveals a misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The controversy surrounding the fuel price hike has sparked widespread public concern, with the NLC’s planned response expected to further intensify the debate. The coming days will likely see increased scrutiny on both the government’s actions and the NLC’s strategy as Nigerians await the union’s decision.
