NLC DON VEX FOR THE FUEL PRICE WEY INCREASE, SAY DI MATTER NO MAKE SENSE.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) don strongly reject di latest increase for petrol price, wey dem say na something wey government and petroleum industry fit avoid.
Di labour union say di new increase go make life even harder for ordinary Nigerians, especially workers and poor families wey already dey struggle with high transport fare, food price and other daily expenses.
NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, talk say di latest petrol price increase no be something wey Nigerians suppose accept, especially as international oil prices don dey fall and Nigeria get more capacity to refine petrol inside di country.
According to am, government suppose make sure say Dangote Petroleum Refinery get enough crude oil from Nigeria so di refinery fit operate better and produce more fuel for di local market.
Upah question why Nigeria, wey na major crude oil producing country, still no dey provide enough crude for im own local refinery.
He argue say if more Nigerian crude dey available for Dangote Refinery at competitive price, e fit help strengthen local refining and reduce some of di pressure wey dey push petrol prices up.
DANGOTE REFINERY DON INCREASE PRICE THREE TIMES
Di NLC reaction come after Dangote Refinery increase im petrol gantry price from ₦1,200 to ₦1,265 per litre on August 29, 2026.
Dis na di third price adjustment within just eight days.
Before di latest increase, di refinery don first move di price from ₦1,165 to ₦1,185 per litre on August 21, before another increase carry am to ₦1,200 per litre on August 26.
With di three increases together, petrol price for di refinery gantry don rise by ₦100 per litre, representing about 8.6 per cent increase within eight days.
Di effect no stop for refinery gate. Petrol marketers and distributors dey add transportation, logistics and other distribution costs, meaning say pump prices for different parts of Nigeria fit dey higher than di refinery gantry price.
Reports say some filling stations for parts of Lagos and Ogun don dey sell around ₦1,310 per litre, while some locations for Northern Nigeria don see prices around ₦1,350 or even higher.
WHY NLC DEY WORRY
NLC say di latest increase go put more pressure on Nigerians because petrol na important part of di economy.
When fuel price rise, transport operators normally increase fares because buses, cars and commercial vehicles need petrol to operate.
Higher transport cost fit then affect food prices because farmers, traders and distributors need vehicles to move goods from farms and markets to different locations.
Businesses wey dey depend on petrol generators also dey face higher operating costs, and many of dem fit eventually transfer di extra cost to customers.
For workers, di situation mean say salary wey already no dey stretch far go buy fewer things.
Di NLC therefore say government need to look beyond simply allowing petrol prices to continue rising and instead address di structural problems inside Nigeria petroleum sector.
NIGERIA GET CRUDE AND REFINING CAPACITY
One major issue wey di labour union dey raise na di availability of crude oil for domestic refineries.
Nigeria get large crude oil resources, while Dangote Refinery get a stated processing capacity of about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
But according to industry figures cited in recent reporting, di refinery still dey depend partly on imported crude even though Nigeria na crude-producing country.
Data from di Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission also showed say oil producers offered about 68.1 million barrels of crude to Dangote Refinery during di second quarter of 2026, while di refinery requirement was around 63 million barrels. However, di refinery reportedly accepted about 52.6 million barrels.
Dis one show say di problem no only concern how much crude Nigeria produce. E also involve pricing, quality, commercial arrangements, transportation and how di crude dey delivered.
NLC DEMAND ACTION
For NLC, government need to make domestic refining work better so Nigerians fit begin see real benefit from Nigeria’s crude resources and growing refining capacity.
Di labour union say Nigerians don already dey face serious cost-of-living pressure, and another petrol increase fit make things harder for families and businesses.
Di latest development don therefore renew di big question inside Nigeria: If Nigeria get crude oil and now get major local refining capacity, why petrol price still dey increase so often?
As motorists, workers, transport operators and businesses dey adjust to di latest price, NLC dey insist say government need to act and make sure say domestic refineries get enough Nigerian crude.
For ordinary Nigerians, di hope be say local refining and better crude supply eventually go translate into more stable fuel prices and reduce di heavy economic pressure wey households dey experience.