The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has called on the federal government for an immediate 50 per cent reduction in taxes on workers and manufacturing companies as part of urgent measures to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices and deepening economic hardship across the country.

The call was contained in the resolutions reached at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Congress held in Abuja on April 27, 2026, where labour leaders undertook a sweeping review of national developments affecting workers and the broader economy.

Rising from the meeting, the TUC, in a communiqué jointly signed by its President-General, Comrade Festus Osifo, and Secretary-General, Comrade Nuhu Toro, warned that persistent increases in the pump price of petroleum products, driven by global crude volatility, exchange rate pressures, and domestic supply challenges, were compounding inflationary pressures and worsening the cost of living. It stressed that without deliberate intervention, the situation could further erode workers’ purchasing power and undermine productivity.

To address this, the Congress urged the Federal Government to channel excess crude revenue into subsidising crude oil supplied to domestic refineries, describing the approach as a pragmatic alternative to the controversial subsidy regime. The NEC stated that such a production-linked intervention would help stabilise fuel prices while strengthening local refining capacity.

“Government must take urgent steps to prevent further increases in the pump price of petroleum products,” the communiqué read, adding that allocating surplus crude earnings to support local refineries, including the Dangote Refinery, would “lower the cost of refined products without reverting to the discredited subsidy regime.”

The TUC further demanded a 50 per cent tax cut for workers and manufacturers “within this period to ease economic pressure and support productivity,” noting that businesses and households alike were grappling with rising operational and living costs.

While expressing concern over the economic outlook, the Congress also acknowledged recent steps by the federal government to improve workers’ welfare, particularly the approval of a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme for federal civil servants. It, however, cautioned that such initiatives must go beyond policy announcements and deliver tangible benefits.

“The scheme must be accessible, affordable, transparent, and free from bureaucratic bottlenecks,” the NEC emphasised, warning against elite capture and calling on state governments to replicate similar interventions for a wider category of workers, including those in the private sector and retirees.

Beyond fuel and taxation, the Congress linked Nigeria’s economic challenges to broader global and domestic pressures, including the ongoing Iran–US conflict, which it said could further disrupt energy markets, supply chains, and inflation trends. Despite Nigeria’s oil-producing status, the TUC lamented that global price increases often translate into greater hardship for citizens through higher fuel costs, imported inflation, and pressure on the naira.

The NEC also painted a grim picture of the security situation, describing it as both a humanitarian and economic crisis. It warned that widespread insecurity—from farm invasions to highway abductions—was disrupting livelihoods, reducing agricultural output, and weakening national productivity.

On electricity, the Congress decried continued tariff increases without commensurate improvement in power supply, insisting that Nigerians “must not be forced to pay for inefficiency.” It called for universal metering, an end to estimated billing, and greater accountability from distribution companies and regulators.

The meeting further raised alarm over the growing trend of casualisation in the private sector, urging the government, particularly the Ministry of Labour and Employment, to protect vulnerable workers from exploitative employment practices.

In the food and beverage sector, the TUC condemned what it described as unfair labour practices linked to the ongoing impasse involving regulatory authorities and distilled product companies, calling on the Minister of Health to urgently intervene and facilitate dialogue.

Despite the wide-ranging concerns, the Congress reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with the government, while warning that it would not hesitate to mobilise workers if policies continue to exacerbate hardship.

“Congress remains committed to social dialogue and national development,” the communiqué stated. “However, we will not hesitate to mobilise workers where policies continue to deepen hardship or undermine the rights and welfare of the working people.”

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