Middle east war: NLC demands tax relief, cost of living allowance

File: Ajaero leads NLC protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress on Sunday demanded urgent intervention from the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the recent spike in petrol prices, calling for a cost-of-living allowance, a wage award for workers, tax relief, and immediate steps to revive the country’s public refineries.

The labour body said the sharp rise in fuel prices—now selling between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre—has worsened the economic hardship facing Nigerian workers and citizens, warning that the nation risks severe social unrest if urgent measures are not taken.

The NLC also accused the government of leaving Nigerians at the mercy of volatile global oil prices triggered by the escalating Middle East crisis, noting that the situation has exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector and deepened the suffering of workers and their families.

In a statement titled “Save Nigerians From This Shock: An Urgent Relief Has Become Necessary,” signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, the Congress said, “NLC voices the collective anguish of millions of Nigerian workers who are bearing the brutal cost of a global capitalist crisis they did not create. The military escalation involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has sent shockwaves through global oil markets. As a result, petrol prices in Nigeria have skyrocketed to between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre. Punch