Ayo Baje
“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) felt betrayed by the federal government over the “clandestine increases” in the pump price of petrol, without any input from the workers.”
— Joe Ajaero ( NLC President, July 2023 )
Despite the decision made by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to call off its two-day strike following a conciliation meeting with the Dangote Group and the Federal Government, over the agreement by the former to allow its employees to join a union the significant fuel supply disruptions across the country, has added to the preventable pains of the commuters. That serves as a cause for serious concern, for some citizens having to pay over N1,000 per litre, as it took place recently in Enugu, Cross River and Kaduna states. So traumatic it was that many filling stations were closed, leading to higher transport fares and panic buying.
As widely reported in the media, in Enugu, commuters were stranded as most petrol stations shut down by noon. In some areas, the price of fuel from black market vendors soared to as much as N1,500 per litre. This is an anomalous yet preventable situation fuelling anger and discontent in an oil-rich nation as Nigeria.
While it is appreciated that the agreement was signed on September 9, 2025, stipulating that the Dangote Refinery will permit the unionisation of its employees, it has become necessary for decision makers and policy makers in Nigeria, on both the economy and politics bridge the gap between them and the people at the receiving end. Such ever-widening distance between the few leaders and the led majority has not only eroded the key element of Trust in the leadership pedestal but also undermined the expected service delivery.
It is worth noting that the dispute arose after NUPENG accused the Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices and attempting to stop its drivers from joining the union. The union’s president, Williams Akporeha, had insisted on the workers’ right to unionize and stated that the strike was a legitimate tool to ensure employers followed the law. With the strike’s suspension, fuel loading is expected to resume, easing the scarcity felt by Nigerians. Even after fencing the mend between Dangote Group and NUPENG, some pertinent questions remain.
For instance, why has the face-off between government/ private on the one hand and labour organisations become a recurring ugly decimal in the business ecosystem? Why must the disagreements and squabbles degenerate into the workers’ misgivings and malcontent, after which the two would still come to the roundtable for negotiation? That is, after precious time, energy, and resources have been wasted. These questions have become pertinent again because they keep repeating themselves in the socio-economic space from one perilous season to another.
It would be recalled that back in July 2023. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) felt betrayed by the federal government over the “clandestine increases” in the pump price of petrol, without any input from the workers. The labour union, in a statement by its President Joe Ajaero, revealed that organized labour agreed to a N70,000 minimum wage in July based on the government’s assurance that fuel prices would remain unchanged. The union said it accepted the amount despite recognising the wage was inadequate.
In his words, he revealed that:
“We recall vividly when President Tinubu gave us the devil’s alternative to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) or N70,000 (at old PMS rates); we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians. Unfortunately, a month after that gentleman‘s agreement, there was an unexpected delay with the payment of the minimum wage, as agreed. That was back in August 2023..But this is now.
Over the past two years, it has been one freaky issue with the pump price of premium motor spirit ( PMS ) or another between the Dangote Group and the NNPCL. That was despite the union urging the government to reverse the pump price of petrol across the country and retract the 250 per cent tariff hike in electricity. That we as Nigerians are currently battling with survival to feed, to get to and fro work and navigating through the thorny paths of inflation says a lot about the lack of empathy on the part of the government with regards to the consequences of economic policies on the pauperised people. And that is because
As fuel prices soar beyond the reach of the common man, so does the cost of goods and services, contributing to overall excruciating inflation. Also, Nigeria’s dependence on imports for many essential goods means that higher transportation costs have inadvertently had a spin-off effect across a broad spectrum of goods and services.
Worthy of note is that the ICRI reported that the minister of state for petroleum resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited(NNPCL) must sell petrol above the landing cost – at N1,117 per litre – to curb the smuggling of the products to neighbouring countries.
According to Lokpobiri, unless the NNPCL imports and sells petrol at a price above the landing cost, smugglers will continue to move petroleum products to neighbouring countries.
Funny enough, Lokpobiri claimed that fuel smuggling from Nigeria to neighbouring countries was an issue that could not be entirely eradicated. Yet, some reports claimed that NNPCL had increased the price of petrol across its nationwide retail outlets. This scandalous situation triggers the flaming questions.
For instance, how would one explain the statement that the smuggling of fuel to the neighboring countries cannot be stopped? What then is the duty of security personnel across the army, navy and air force? Is it not because the fuel smugglers have some sponsors in high places who have become the untouchables that the crime goes on unabated? Is it not because of impunity that ordinary Nigerians are left to bear the brunt of the greed of the insatiable gods of political and economic powers?
The pain really lies with the fact that Nigeria is an oil-producing country ranking amongst the top ten in the world. So, how do we explain that a farmer blessed with plenty of yams allows his four wives ( refineries )to remain idle while he sends his yams to the neighbours to be made into pounded yam and buys such back at high costs? It does not make any economic sense, does it? Not at all.
To lift the huge cost burden off the lean shoulders of the common man, our political helmsmen who have personal interests in the oil and gas industry should consider the plight of the poor masses. This should serve as a moment for sober reflection for them to eschew the gargantuan greed for personal gains. Such politicians and their acolytes in the oil business sector should climb down from their high horses and wear the tattered shoes of the average Nigerian. They should also muster the political will to identify the masterminds behind fuel smuggling, prosecute them and bring them to speedy justice.
The question the average Nigerian is asking is that we are not at war with any neighbouring country, so why this current hardship, if not because of the unfettered greed of a favoured few. Now is therefore the time for the leaders to deal ruthlessly with the economic saboteurs and show empathy with the long-suffering messes. We need new policies to scale down the high costs of fuel here in an oil-producing country. As one keeps warning, the personalization of political power is telling much on the economically conquered Nigerians. It is destroying the very fabric of nationhood that binds us together.
