The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has implored the Federal Government to impose an emergency cap on fuel prices in the face of the ongoing Middle East crisis.
It warned that the worsening global oil crisis must not be allowed to push Nigerians deeper into economic hardship, with petrol prices climbing again and household budgets shrinking.
According to the party, the continued surge in petrol prices is tightening the grip of the cost-of-living crisis across the country, affecting transport fares, food prices and the basic survival of millions of citizens.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement acknowledged that the volatility in global oil markets—linked partly to tensions in the Middle East—may be responsible for the latest price increases.
It insisted that such external shocks should not become an excuse for allowing petrol costs to escalate unchecked in a fragile economy already struggling with the aftershocks of subsidy removal.
It advised the government to immediately introduce a temporary and time-bound cap on petrol prices to prevent further increases that continue to push the cost of living beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians.”
According to the ADC, Nigeria’s economic vulnerability has been exposed since the removal of fuel subsidy by the current administration, arguing that the government must now take decisive steps to cushion the impact on citizens.
The party said: “Recent hikes in petrol prices reflect rising volatility in global oil markets, driven in part by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. However, the African Democratic Congress believes that external shocks cannot justify allowing fuel prices to spiral without restraint in an already fragile economy, one that continues to reel from the consequences of the Tinubu-led APC government’s abrupt removal of the fuel subsidy.”
It warned that petrol pricing remains central to the cost structure of everyday life in Nigeria, stressing that any spike in fuel costs quickly spreads across the economy.
“For everyday Nigerians, petrol determines the price of food, transportation, and survival. When petrol rises, everything else rises with it. This is why the African Democratic Congress urges the Federal Government to take urgent action to stabilize petrol prices.
“For once, the APC-led federal government should try to be responsible by taking responsibility for protecting citizens from the harshest consequences of the ongoing fuel price hikes,” ADC said.
The party also urged the government to introduce targeted social support for the most vulnerable segments of the population.
“We also call on the government to introduce targeted palliatives, particularly for low-income Nigerians who are most-affected by the impact of rising fuel prices,” It .
The ADC further punctured the practicality of the Federal Government’s recently announced plan to distribute 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas conversion kits across the country, describing the initiative as insufficient when measured against the scale of Nigeria’s transport sector.
The party said: “The government must look beyond temporary solutions to real, scalable answers to Nigeria’s energy challenges. This is why the African Democratic Congress questions the practicality of the Federal Government’s recently announced plan to distribute 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits.”
Refering to Nigeria’s vehicle population, the party argued that the policy barely scratches the surface of the nation’s fuel demand, adding, “Nigeria has over 11 million vehicles on its roads. When placed in context, 100,000 CNG kits would reach less than one percent of the nation’s vehicle fleet.”
According to the party, a programme that affects only a tiny segment of vehicles cannot deliver the broad relief Nigerians urgently require.
ADC said: “A policy that touches only a fraction of vehicles cannot meaningfully address a national fuel crisis. Beyond that, the number of CNG refueling stations across the country remains extremely limited, raising serious questions about accessibility for ordinary Nigerians. If Nigerians cannot easily find where to refuel, then the policy risks becoming an announcement without real impact.”
The party maintained that what Nigeria requires is a far-reaching and credible national energy strategy capable of shielding citizens from the recurring shocks of fuel price volatility.
“The African Democratic Congress therefore urges the Federal Government to pursue a more credible and comprehensive energy strategy that protects Nigerians from extreme fuel price shocks. Nigeria is an oil-producing country, and it should not be a place where the cost of petrol repeatedly pushes millions of citizens deeper into hardship,” the party said.
