ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to urgently roll out emergency economic relief measures as the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States continues to disrupt global oil markets and worsen the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
The organisation raised the alarm in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, warning that the crisis, which has persisted for more than a month, is already pushing millions of Nigerians deeper into poverty through rising fuel prices, transport fares and food costs.
According to the group, the absence of a clear and coordinated response from the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the global energy shock is deeply troubling.
While noting that global crude oil prices have surged from an average of about seventy-five to eighty dollars per barrel before the escalation of the conflict to roughly one hundred dollars per barrel due to supply disruptions in the Middle East, the organisation said Nigeria should be benefiting from the price increase.
It explained that with Nigeria’s daily crude oil production currently averaging between 1.3 million and 1.5 million barrels per day, the country is earning significantly more revenue from oil exports, yet these gains have not translated into relief for citizens struggling with soaring fuel costs.
The organisation said petrol prices are currently selling between N1,200 and N1,400 per litre across many parts of the country, while diesel prices remain persistently high.
It noted that the impact is being felt across all sectors of the economy, with transport fares surging, food prices rising and the cost of essential goods and services climbing beyond the reach of many households.
Speaking on the situation, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, said the hardship faced by Nigerians reflects both the global crisis and long-standing domestic policy failures.
“It is unacceptable that Nigerians continue to suffer the consequences of global oil price increases while the country fails to translate its oil wealth into protection for its people,” he said.
Mamedu added that other countries facing similar shocks have implemented proactive measures to shield their citizens.
He cited examples of governments in Asia introducing price stabilisation policies, public transport support schemes and financial assistance to households in order to mitigate the effects of rising energy costs.
He noted that countries such as Thailand have deployed mechanisms such as the Oil Fuel Fund to cap fuel prices, while Indonesia has used subsidy compensation and public funds to reduce the impact of global price increases on citizens.
According to him, Nigeria must demonstrate similar urgency by implementing strong social protection measures.
The organisation said rapid community engagements conducted across several states indicate that many households are already adopting distress coping strategies, including skipping meals, withdrawing children from school due to transportation costs and borrowing money to survive.
It also warned that small and medium-sized enterprises are scaling down operations or shutting down completely due to rising diesel and logistics costs, while informal workers are experiencing declining incomes.
To address the situation, ActionAid Nigeria urged the Federal Government, in collaboration with state and local authorities, to deploy a coordinated emergency response that includes targeted cash transfers to vulnerable households and informal businesses.
The organisation also called for the temporary reintroduction of fuel subsidies for petrol and diesel, financial support for public transport systems to curb fare increases and the suspension or reduction of taxes and port charges contributing to high fuel prices.
Other recommendations include expanding the crude-for-naira framework to stabilise domestic fuel supply, protecting food distribution and health logistics from rising transportation costs and enforcing fuel consumption reduction measures across public institutions.
In addition, the group urged private sector employers to provide welfare support for workers, including transport assistance, flexible work arrangements and cost-of-living adjustments.
It also called on state and local governments to strengthen community-level safety nets, monitor market practices to prevent exploitation and ensure that relief measures reach vulnerable populations quickly.
“The global crisis may be beyond Nigeria’s control, but the government’s response is not,” the organisation said.
“One month into this crisis, continued inaction is unacceptable. Immediate and decisive steps must be taken to protect Nigerians from further hardship.”
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