The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal High Court Abuja to mandate the reversal of the fuel pump price to N600 per litre.
This was disclosed in SERAP’s statement on September 15, 2024, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and shared with Nairametrics.
The lawsuit challenges President Bola Tinubu’s “failure to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reverse the apparently unlawful increase in the pump price of petrol and to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL.”
Applicant’s Contention
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1361/2024, SERAP is asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct the NNPCL to reverse the unjust, illegal, unconstitutional, and unreasonable increase in the price of petrol from N845 per litre to N600 per litre.”
Joined as respondents in the case are the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the NNPCL.
The group argues that the increase in petrol price is causing immense hardship to Nigerians, even as the economic situation in Nigeria deteriorates, thereby pushing people further into poverty.
In the suit, SERAP’s lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, stated that the increase in petrol price constitutes a fundamental breach of what the constitution guarantees and the country’s international human rights obligations.
According to him, increasing petrol prices at a time when millions of Nigerians continue to face “worsening economic conditions” is entirely inconsistent with constitutional and international obligations to ensure minimum living conditions compatible with human dignity.
“Corruption in the oil sector and the lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to support the operations of the NNPC have resulted in persistent and unlawful hikes in petrol prices,” he added.
He insisted that holding the NNPC accountable for alleged corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector would serve legitimate public interests.
“The arbitrary increase has placed a disproportionate burden on the marginalized and most vulnerable sectors of society, particularly those disadvantaged by poverty.”
“The increase is seriously jeopardizing their living conditions, as well as individuals’ physical, emotional, and personal development, and intensifying and worsening socioeconomic conditions in the country.”
“The fundamental right to life includes not only the right of every Nigerian not to be deprived of his/her life arbitrarily but also the right to access conditions that guarantee a dignified existence,” he said, urging the court to order the fuel pump price reversal.
SERAP is also asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, including the spending of the reported $300 million ‘bailout funds’ collected from the Federal Government in August 2024, and the $6 billion debt it owes suppliers, despite allegedly failing to remit oil revenues to the treasury.”
While no date has been fixed for the hearing of the case as of the time of this article, the respondents are entitled to give a formal response to SERAP’s allegations by way of court affidavits.
What you should know
On May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu, in his inaugural speech, announced the removal of Nigeria’s long-standing fuel subsidy, citing dwindling resources and the need to redirect funds toward infrastructure, healthcare, and job creation.
- Nairametrics previously reported that this move immediately triggered a surge in petrol prices, rising from around N195 to over N617 per litre—a 216% increase by mid-2023.
- Despite the subsidy removal, fuel shortages persisted, pushing prices even higher by July and August 2024, with rates ranging from N800 to N900 per litre.
- The shortages were linked to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) debts to international oil traders, a consequence of the subsidy removal.
- Though NNPC initially denied the claims, it later acknowledged that these debts were a significant factor in the ongoing fuel crisis, with insiders estimating the owed amount at $6.8 billion.
- By early September 2024, NNPC stations in Lagos raised prices to N855 per litre, with some outlets selling as high as N897, while independent stations charged between N1,000 and N1,100 per litre across Lagos, with higher rates in other regions.
