The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has issued a scathing rebuke to President Bola Tinubu's administration, calling for the immediate reversal of the recent jaw-dropping hike in petrol prices. Nigerians, already grappling with a faltering economy, were dealt a crushing blow on Wednesday when the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited announced a petrol price surge to a staggering N1,030 per litre in Abuja, while Lagos stations recorded N998 per litre.
This sharp increase, which has sent shockwaves across the country, is exacerbating the economic hardship felt by millions of Nigerians. NBA President Afam Osigwe condemned the move, declaring it a "disturbing trend of disregard for the welfare of the Nigerian populace."
“Such drastic adjustments to fuel prices, with no adequate mitigating measures or economic relief, signal a troubling pattern of government indifference toward the people’s suffering,” Osigwe stated in a press release on Friday. “Nigerians are groaning, and life has become more difficult.”
In a direct criticism of the Tinubu administration’s approach, Osigwe pointed out that promised economic relief measures such as tax breaks and social assistance programs have yet to be implemented, leaving millions of Nigerians to fend for themselves in a worsening economic climate.
“The government’s seeming disregard for the suffering of the people is deeply troubling. Nigerians deserve better—they deserve a government that prioritises their well-being and takes into account the real-world implications of its policies on the populace,” Osigwe said.
The NBA’s call to action is clear: the Tinubu government must immediately reverse the petrol price hike and take urgent steps to cushion the effects of rising fuel costs. Osigwe laid out a roadmap of essential measures, including boosting local refining capacity, enhancing public transportation systems, reducing taxes for low-income earners, and repairing Nigeria’s dilapidated road network. The association also emphasized the importance of improved security for farmers to ensure food production and distribution, a transparent fuel pricing mechanism, and comprehensive economic policies aimed at reducing poverty and tackling the country’s energy crisis head-on.
"The cascading effects of this fuel price hike will be felt in every corner of Nigerian life—from skyrocketing transportation costs to unaffordable food prices. This will only deepen the poverty trap many Nigerians find themselves in," Osigwe warned.
In addition to condemning the price hike, the NBA took issue with the opaque decision-making process behind it, particularly the government's failure to consult civil society or the private sector. "The lack of transparency in such a critical policy decision is alarming. Nigerians must not be left in the dark when it comes to matters that so deeply affect their daily lives."
The NBA’s rebuke comes at a time of growing frustration across the country, as ordinary Nigerians face a relentless rise in the cost of living, with no tangible relief in sight. The organization’s call for a reversal of the fuel price hike is now the rallying cry for millions who feel abandoned by their government.
