The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has backed the demand by public sector workers for the reduction of petrol prices to N500 per litre and an increase in the minimum wage to N500,000 monthly.
The workers, under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, also called for the immediate introduction of a wage award for public servants across the federal, state and local governments.
The demands were contained in a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Olowoyo Gbenga.
The council gave the Federal Government until September 30, 2026, to respond to the demands, warning that the worsening economic situation was creating growing tension among workers and Nigerians.
The workers said the recent increase in petrol prices to about N1,430 per litre or higher in some parts of the country had further increased the cost of living and made it difficult for many workers to meet their basic needs.
They also urged the Federal Government to immediately set up a committee to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of January 2027.
According to the JNPSNC, the removal of petrol subsidy three years ago had led to a sharp increase in fuel prices, with the impact spreading across transportation, food, education and other essential areas of the economy.
The council comprises several public sector unions, including the Nigerian Civil Service Union, Medical and Health Workers Union, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives and other affiliated unions.
Other members include the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers, National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers, and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees.
The workers argued that the current economic hardship had made life increasingly difficult for public servants and their families.
They also rejected the continued reliance on food palliatives such as rice, noodles, vegetable oil and garri, describing such measures as temporary and insufficient to address the underlying economic problems.
The council said reducing petrol prices to N500 per litre would have a wider impact because lower transportation and production costs could help reduce the prices of other goods and services.
The JNPSNC stated that an affordable fuel price would provide relief to workers and other Nigerians while also supporting economic activity.
Workers seek government intervention on fuel
The council called on the Federal Government to take steps to stabilise petrol prices and make the product available at a price that Nigerians could afford.
It described the current petrol price of N1,430 per litre or more in some locations as a major contributor to the hardship being experienced by workers.
The workers proposed the establishment of an intervention fund for stakeholders in the petroleum sector to help stabilise fuel prices and gradually bring the pump price down to N500 per litre.
The council said the intervention could be given another name if the government was unwilling to use the term “fuel subsidy.”
It argued that the intervention would benefit Nigerians across the country and have a wider economic impact, particularly on low-income households.
The council also endorsed positions previously attributed to NLC President, Joe Ajaero, on ways of addressing the fuel crisis.
Ajaero had argued that Nigeria, as an oil-producing country, should be able to protect its citizens from severe fluctuations in international oil prices.
He also called for the Federal Government to make crude oil available in naira to local refineries, increase national storage capacity and strengthen measures to deal with energy emergencies.
According to the position cited by the council, such measures could create jobs, generate economic value and contribute to addressing security challenges.
The NLC also maintained that government intervention to reduce the burden on citizens was justified, particularly during periods of severe economic difficulty.
The labour body further raised concerns over the supply of crude oil to local refineries, arguing that local refineries should have access to sufficient domestic crude to support refining activities.
Workers demand N500,000 minimum salary
On wages, the JNPSNC called for an immediate wage award for workers across the federal, state and local government levels.
It also demanded an upward review of the salaries and allowances of public servants to reflect the current economic realities.
Under its proposed 2027 salary structure, the council wants the minimum salary for an officer on Grade Level 01, Step 1, to be N500,000 per month.
The council also called for harmonised salaries across ministries, departments and agencies, while encouraging similar reviews at the state and local government levels.
It urged President Tinubu to direct the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to begin discussions with the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC), JNPSNC and other relevant stakeholders on the proposed wage award and salary review.
NLC backs civil servants’ demands
The Nigeria Labour Congress said it supports the demands of the public servants and described them as realistic and legitimate.
NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, said the demand for a wage award and reduction in petrol prices was overdue because workers’ earnings had failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living.
He said many workers were struggling to afford transportation to work and provide basic necessities for their families.
According to Upah, increases in petrol prices have a direct impact on transportation, food, school fees and other essential expenses.
He stressed that the hardship was affecting not only workers but also other Nigerians, particularly low-income households.
Upah therefore urged the Federal Government to urgently introduce measures that would provide meaningful relief to workers and Nigerians facing the current economic challenges.
The NLC maintained that the workers’ demands should receive urgent attention as the cost of living continues to put pressure on households across the country.
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