The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), human rights lawyer Femi Falana and members of the Joint Action Front (JAF) have called on the Federal Government to reduce petrol prices and review the national minimum wage, citing worsening economic hardship among Nigerian workers.

The labour leaders and activists made the demands at a symposium in Lagos held as part of the first memorial activities in honour of late labour and pro-democracy activist Abiodun Aremu.

NLC President Joe Ajaero, represented by the union’s Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, said rising petrol prices, transportation fares, food costs and electricity tariffs had significantly weakened workers’ purchasing power.

In an address delivered on his behalf, Ajaero described the removal of petrol subsidies as a major burden on workers and low-income households, arguing that many Nigerians were struggling to meet basic needs despite working to earn a living.

“The ₦70,000 minimum wage was inadequate when it was announced. It is now a cruel joke,” Ajaero said, according to the address.

He argued that workers earning the statutory minimum wage could no longer cope with the combined effects of rising living costs and stagnant incomes.

The NLC president also recalled that the union had issued the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum beginning October 9, 2026, demanding an immediate reduction in petrol prices.

The congress said the government should bring petrol prices closer to the levels prevailing when the current minimum wage was signed into law in 2024 and begin negotiations on a new wage.

It also called for measures to stabilise the naira, reduce inflation and strengthen domestic refining capacity.

Falana, who chaired the symposium, challenged the argument that removing petrol subsidies was the only viable option for managing the economy.

He argued that governments in several countries provide subsidies and other forms of assistance to protect citizens from economic shocks, adding that Nigeria should consider policies that would reduce the pressure on vulnerable households.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also criticised the high cost of petrol, questioning the implications of a reported landing-cost benchmark of about ₦1,350 per litre for consumers in different parts of the country.

He noted that transportation and distribution expenses could push pump prices higher in locations farther from supply centres.

Falana urged the government to consider the effects of its economic decisions on ordinary Nigerians rather than treat difficult market conditions as sufficient justification for leaving households without adequate relief.

Rashidat Adesina of the Joint Action Front said rising petrol prices had further reduced the purchasing power of workers and low-income earners.

She illustrated the situation by comparing the ₦70,000 monthly minimum wage with a petrol price of ₦1,400 per litre, noting that an entire month’s salary would buy just 50 litres of fuel if spent exclusively on petrol.

Adesina said the calculation did not account for rent, food, school fees, transportation and other essential expenses.

She argued that the rising cost of energy had increased the financial pressure on workers, traders, artisans and other low-income groups.

The speakers also questioned whether the economic benefits expected from subsidy removal had translated into sufficient improvements in citizens’ living conditions.

They called on the government to reassess its economic priorities and introduce measures to protect households from the effects of rising prices.

The demands at the symposium included reducing petrol prices, reviewing the minimum wage, stabilising the naira, controlling inflation and supporting domestic refining.

The gathering ended with a call for the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address the cost-of-living crisis and ensure that workers’ earnings are more closely aligned with the cost of basic necessities.