“Workers at Breaking Point”: NHRC slams fuel hike, demands action as cost-of-living crisis deepens

The National Human Rights Commission has warned that soaring fuel prices are pushing Nigerian workers to the brink, calling the cost-of-living crisis a human rights emergency that demands urgent government action.

In a blistering Workers’ Day statement Thursday, NHRC Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu said petrol hikes have set off a “chain reaction of economic strain,” with transport costs now out of reach for millions who depend on daily commuting.

“Basic mobility has become a luxury rather than a necessity,” Ojukwu said. “Productivity is declining as workers struggle to get to work. This is steadily undermining not just economic stability but the dignity of labour.”

The commission acknowledged federal moves to cushion global inflation and reforms but said those measures “have yet to translate into meaningful relief.” The gap between policy and lived reality, it said, “continues to widen.”

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NHRC flagged Nigeria’s lack of affordable public transport as a critical pressure point, warning that without “urgent corrective measures,” large parts of the workforce risk sliding into deeper poverty.

Ojukwu also listed structural failures worsening the crisis: estimated electricity billing, metering gaps, surging rents, and limited access to quality care under the National Health Insurance framework. He linked recurring health sector strikes to poor welfare conditions that hurt workers and patients alike.

The commission condemned wage disparities for similar roles and demanded transparent salary harmonisation across sectors. It called delayed payment of retirement benefits “a grave injustice” that strips retirees of dignity after years of service.

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While noting ongoing rail investments, NHRC said Nigeria needs “broader and more inclusive transport solutions” nationwide to ease the burden on workers.

“This is not merely a fiscal issue but a human rights concern requiring immediate, people-centered responses,” Ojukwu said.

He urged all tiers of government to adopt practical policies that directly improve living standards and protect workers’ welfare.

“As Nigeria marks Workers’ Day, our message is blunt,” Ojukwu said. “Economic reforms must not come at the expense of citizens’ dignity. Without deliberate protections, Nigerian workers will continue to shoulder disproportionate hardship in a system that offers little relief.”