NLC Urges Government to Cut Petrol Prices and Raise Wages

On Nigeria's 66th Independence Day, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), under the leadership of President Joe Ajaero, called on the Federal Government to urgently lower petrol prices and initiate discussions for a new national minimum wage. The NLC's statement highlighted the adverse effects of rising fuel prices, transportation costs, and inflation on the purchasing power of workers and citizens.

Petrol prices have reportedly reached N1,430 per litre in major cities, with higher costs in remote areas, exacerbating the financial strain on households. The NLC emphasized that the increase in fuel prices affects not only motorists but also drives up costs for food, education, and healthcare.

The union demanded immediate government action to reduce petrol prices and proposed a nationwide wage award to counteract the erosion of real income due to inflation. Additionally, the NLC criticized the government's failure to implement previous agreements and called for the establishment of a tripartite committee to negotiate a new wage standard for 2027.