The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has demanded an immediate downward review of the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), saying the current pump price of about N1,500 per litre is economically unsustainable and worsening the cost-of-living crisis across Nigeria.
HURIWA says the Federal Government must urgently intervene before the escalating cost of petrol further pushes millions of Nigerians into deeper poverty and economic hardship.
The association also backs the demand by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council for a reduction of petrol prices to N500 per litre, describing the demand as a reflection of the growing economic pressure on Nigerian workers and their families.
HURIWA says the proposed October 2 warning strike by public servants should serve as a serious warning to the Federal Government that Nigerian workers can no longer cope with the combination of high fuel prices, rising transportation costs, soaring food prices and inadequate purchasing power.
The association urges suffering Nigerians to unite peacefully and demand an immediate reduction in the price of petrol.
HURIWA stresses that such mobilisation must remain peaceful, lawful and non-violent, with citizens exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and expression.
The association says Nigerians cannot continue to absorb the economic consequences of petrol prices that have risen to levels far beyond the reach of millions of workers and low-income households.
HURIWA notes that the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council has threatened a three-day warning strike from October 2 if the Federal Government fails to address its demands, including the reduction of petrol prices to N500 per litre and the payment of a wage award.
The workers have also demanded the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to commence negotiations for a new national minimum wage expected to become due in 2027.
HURIWA says the workers’ demands deserve urgent attention because the current economic situation is placing unbearable pressure on households across the country.
The association also calls on the Federal Government to examine the entire structure of the petroleum pricing regime, including crude supply arrangements, domestic refining capacity, importation costs, taxes, distribution margins and other factors that contribute to the final pump price.
HURIWA says neither the Federal Government, Dangote Refinery nor petroleum importers should be allowed to shift the burden of an inefficient or expensive petroleum market entirely onto Nigerian consumers.
The association therefore demands full transparency in the determination of petrol prices and urges the relevant regulatory authorities to make the components of the current pump price publicly available.
HURIWA says Nigerians have the right to know why they are paying about N1,500 per litre for petrol despite the country being a major crude oil-producing nation and despite the emergence of domestic refining capacity.
The association further demands immediate measures to cushion the effects of the fuel crisis, including targeted relief for workers and vulnerable households, improved public transportation and urgent steps to reduce transportation and food costs.
HURIWA warns that allowing the present economic pressure to continue unchecked could further erode the purchasing power of workers and deepen social hardship.
The association therefore calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to treat the workers’ October 2 warning strike and the demand for cheaper petrol as an urgent national economic issue rather than merely a labour dispute.
HURIWA maintains that Nigerians deserve an economy in which wages can reasonably support basic living costs and essential commodities, particularly transportation and food.
Signed:
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
National Coordinator
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
30th September, 2026
