Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s planned 5% tax on petroleum products, describing the proposal as “reckless act of economic wickedness.”
Last week, the Federal government announced that the fuel
tax which has been in existence will be reintroduced on a later date to be
announced by the Minister of Finance.
While defending the tax, the Chairman of the Presidential
Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, said the revenue to
be generated from the tax will be used to provide steady funding for road
projects and close the country’s infrastructure gaps.
However, in a joint statement released today September 8,
Festus Osifo and Nuhu Toro, President and General Secretary of TUC
respectively, explained that Nigerians were already overburdened with different
taxes. TUC has asked the government to withdraw the proposal within 14
days, vowing to shut down critical sectors in the country if the government
failed to do so.
The labour leaders, who described the new tax as
unacceptable, argued that Nigerians cannot be used as sacrificial lambs again,
declaring that all the affiliates of the Congress had been placed on standby.
“This
reckless proposal is nothing but an act of economic wickedness against already
overburdened Nigerians.
Let it be
clear: workers and citizens are still reeling from the pains of subsidy
removal, skyrocketing fuel prices, food inflation, and a collapsing naira.
To now
introduce another levy on petroleum products is to deliberately compound
suffering, cripple businesses, and push millions of citizens deeper into
poverty.
Government
cannot continue to use Nigerians as sacrificial lambs for its economic
experiments. Instead of offering relief, jobs, and solutions, it has chosen to
further squeeze citizens dry. This is unacceptable!
The TUC,
hereby, urge the Federal Government to immediately stop this anti-people’s plan
in its entirety. Failure to do so will leave us with no option but to mobilize
Nigerian workers and the masses for a total nationwide resistance.”
Vowing to resist the implementation of the tax, the Congress
added
“Strike
action is firmly on the table if government dares to ignore this warning and go
ahead to implement this policy.
“Accordingly,
the TUC directs all its state councils, affiliates, and structures nationwide
to remain vigilant, watchful and wait for further communication that may
cumulate into a decisive action should government dare to further ignore the
collective will of the people.
“We also
call on our allies, civil society organizations, professional bodies, student
unions, market associations, faith leaders, and all patriotic Nigerians to
stand in solidarity with us in this struggle. Together, we must resist policies
that seek to further impoverish citizens and mortgage our future .Enough is
enough. Nigerians deserve economic justice, not endless punishment.” the union
said
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