NLC Tells Petrol Price Hike: “Not Again!” as Labour Demands More Crude for Nigerian Refineries

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the latest increase in petrol prices, describing the development as avoidable and unacceptable while demanding that more Nigerian crude oil be supplied to local refineries. The labour body’s position comes as petrol prices have climbed across the country, adding another chapter to Nigeria’s seemingly endless fuel-price drama—one where crude oil is produced at home, refined increasingly at home, yet Nigerians still find themselves doing serious mathematics before approaching a filling station.

NLC Questions the Logic Behind Another Petrol Price Increase

NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah said the latest increase would worsen the economic pressure on ordinary Nigerians, particularly workers and low-income households already dealing with rising transportation, food and business costs. According to the labour body, the increase is difficult to justify when Nigeria has growing domestic refining capacity and crude production has improved.

The latest adjustment followed three petrol price increases by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery within eight days, with its gantry price moving from N1,165 to N1,185, then N1,200 and finally N1,265 per litre. Pump prices subsequently moved to roughly N1,310 in parts of Lagos and Ogun and N1,350 or more in some northern locations, with some areas approaching N1,400. At this rate, Nigerian motorists may soon need to check their bank balance before checking their fuel gauge.

NLC Says More Crude for Refineries, Less Pressure on Consumers

The NLC’s central argument is straightforward: Nigeria should make better use of its crude resources to strengthen domestic refining and reduce the pressure feeding into petrol prices. The debate comes amid continuing questions over how much Nigerian crude actually reaches domestic refineries. In the second quarter of 2026, NUPRC reported that 53.7 million barrels of crude oil and condensate were supplied to local refiners under the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation, representing 97.4 per cent compliance.

Yet the supply question remains complicated by pricing, logistics, crude quality and commercial arrangements. Reuters reported in August that the Federal Government was considering reforms aimed at making crude access easier for domestic refiners, including possible changes to delivery and pricing arrangements. Meanwhile, earlier NUPRC data showed that domestic refineries received substantially less crude than producers had offered in the first quarter, illustrating why the argument is not simply about finding oil somewhere in Nigeria and pointing a pipe at a refinery.

For consumers, however, the technical explanations can feel far removed from the reality at the pump. Domestic refineries supplied nearly three-quarters of Nigeria’s petrol between January and July 2026, but domestic supply weakened in June and July while imports increased. The contradiction has therefore become difficult to ignore: Nigeria is producing crude, expanding refining capacity and supplying much of its petrol locally, yet motorists remain exposed to sharp price movements.

As the NLC turns up the pressure, attention will now focus on whether the government, regulators and crude producers can translate Nigeria’s growing refining capacity into more stable and affordable petrol supplies. For now, the fuel-price saga continues, with workers demanding answers and motorists watching their fuel gauges like election results. OGM News NG will continue to monitor developments and bring readers further updates as the government and industry stakeholders respond.