For a 48-hour Warning General Strike

The recent increase in the price of petrol from N855 to N1,050 and above is yet another blow to the millions of Nigerians already struggling to make ends meet. This latest hike marks a staggering 430% increase in petrol prices since President Bola Tinubu took office just 17 months ago. It is clear that the Tinubu regime is continuing its trend of inflicting severe economic hardship on the populace, who now face an even more precarious financial situation.

This sharp rise in fuel prices is occurring at a time when inflation has soared above 32%, and the cost of living is unbearable for many. The Nigerian people are growing poorer, with the price hikes having a ripple effect on every major commodity in the country. Transportation costs have skyrocketed to the point that the average Nigerian worker’s salary no longer covers even a week’s expenses. Basic needs like food, healthcare, and shelter have become luxuries, as many households are now struggling just to afford a meal.

We, in the Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA), unequivocally condemn this relentless assault on the Nigerian masses through continuous hikes in petrol prices. For the second time in a month, the government has chosen to ignore the growing hardship faced by its citizens. These neoliberal policies, driven by directives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, will not solve Nigeria’s economic challenges. They have been ongoing for over four decades and have failed in every sense to improve the economy. Instead, they further deepen the crisis, pushing millions more into poverty while enriching a tiny elite.

The Tinubu administration’s attempts to pacify the people with palliative measures, such as distributing bags of rice, are both insulting and inadequate. The country has been reduced to handouts of 5kg bags of rice while widespread poverty worsens. These so-called palliatives do nothing to address the underlying issues, nor do they alleviate the long-term suffering inflicted by these economic policies.

Furthermore, the government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) continue to mislead the public about the status of Nigeria’s refineries. Earlier promises to resume fuel production at the Port Harcourt refinery by December 2023 were pushed to August 2024, yet there has been no progress or transparency on the matter. Likewise, the hope that the Dangote Refinery would bring down petrol prices has proven false, as we have now witnessed two price hikes in just one month since the refinery began operations.

The Movement for a Socialist Alternative calls on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to mobilize Nigerian workers against these oppressive policies by providing the needed leadership for an organized struggle and resistance. As a first step, we call for a 48-hour General Strike action. Mere statements asking the government to reverse the petrol price hikes are not enough. There must be concrete action—a coordinated, nationwide mobilization of workers, civil society groups, and all those affected by these policies to ensure that the General Strike is total and sends the message of the willingness of the working masses to fully enter the arena of struggle.

The incessant hikes in petrol prices have rendered the recently announced N70,000 minimum wage meaningless. Even before full implementation, this new wage has been eroded by inflation and rising costs, and it is nowhere near sufficient to meet the basic needs of workers and their families in today’s economic climate. The so-called “subsidy removal” has plunged the average Nigerian into deeper financial distress, and unless there is a reversal of these policies, the country will face even greater instability.

The time for action is now. We call on all labour unions and civil society organizations to unite and demand an end to these brutal neoliberal economic policies that are crippling the nation. Nigerians deserve better than a government that prioritizes profit over people.

Signed,

Dagga Tolar

Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA)