The Trade Union Congress has threatened to call a nationwide strike within two weeks if the Federal government fails to scrap the proposed five per cent tax on petroleum products.
Also, the Organised Private Sector has rejected the move by the government to introduce a five per cent surcharge on fuel, stressing that it would worsen inflation nationwide if implemented.
The announcement by the Trade Union Congress came after days of speculation that the surcharge could take effect in January 2026.
The rumour quickly set off public anxiety in a country where changes in fuel pricing often trigger unrest. President Bola Tinubu’s tax committee pushed back, saying no start date has been set and stressing that only the finance minister has the authority to decide when, or if, the measure would be implemented.
The five per cent tax on petroleum products is part of the government’s broader fiscal reforms aimed at boosting revenue.
However, Africa’s biggest oil producer is already battered by the removal of fuel subsidy, rising inflation and the devaluation of currency.
