The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of fraudulent interference in the pricing of petroleum products from Dangote Refinery. Speaking during a media briefing at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Ajaero condemned the government’s involvement in setting prices for locally produced products, stating that it goes against the principles of a deregulated market.
Ajaero argued that it is unfair for the government to expect Dangote’s locally produced petroleum to be sold at the same price as imported products, as local production avoids extra costs like foreign exchange and landing fees. He described the government’s actions as a mix of fraud and policy inconsistency, stating that such interference undermines competition and consumer choice.
The standoff between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Refinery has sparked public debate, raising concerns about the government’s role in shaping the energy industry’s competitive landscape. Ajaero urged Nigerians to speak out against what he called dishonest attempts to regulate private sector operations.
