… As TUC threatens fresh shutdown over petroleum tax
… Black marketers resurface,
BENIN CITY/ABUJA/IBADAN – Nigeria is staring at a deepening fuel crisis as the strike already declared by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Western Zone, entered its first full day on Monday, shutting down filling stations in major cities.
The disruption has forced black marketers back into the streets while raising fears of imminent pump price hikes and transport chaos.
The action, which coincided with the resumption of schools for a new academic session in Edo State, left many parents worried about the added burden on families if fuel scarcity escalates.
In Benin City, most stations in the city centre were closed, with only a few on the outskirts dispensing petrol.
At the NNPC Mega Station on Sapele Road, Benin City, queues were short in the morning, but residents expressed fears that the situation could worsen if the government fails to intervene.
“We don’t want anything that will make life harder for common people,” lamented a motorcyclist in Ibadan, Mr. Gbenga Oworu.
“If we don’t go out in a day, we cannot eat or provide food for our families.”
While commuters and motorists are grappling with the immediate impact of the strike, a fresh showdown looms as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Monday threatened to paralyse the country with a nationwide strike if the Federal Government goes ahead with its proposed five percent tax on petroleum products.
TUC President General, Mr. Festus Osifo, and General Secretary, Mr. Nuhu Toro, in a joint statement, described the proposed levy as “economic wickedness” against citizens already burdened by subsidy removal, high fuel prices, food inflation, and a weakening naira.
“Strike action is firmly on the table if the government dares to ignore this warning,” the union said.
The TUC also accused Dangote Group of widespread anti-labour practices, warning that solidarity action with NUPENG, PENGASSAN and other unions would follow if workers’ rights continue to be violated.
For now, transport fares in cities such as Ibadan and Benin have not spiked, but the presence of black marketers selling in jerry cans is a red flag many Nigerians see as the first sign of hardship to come.
Traders, drivers, and parents say the situation could spiral out of control if government does not swiftly broker peace with striking unions and withdraw the proposed petroleum tax.
