The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps to reduce the price of petrol, saying Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses alone cannot resolve the country’s deepening cost-of-living crisis.
The group said the Federal Government’s directive to state governors to reduce transportation fares through expanded CNG and electric-powered public transportation programmes could provide relief to commuters, but would not address the wider impact of high energy costs on the economy.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, called for a drastic reduction in petrol prices towards the N180-per-litre level obtainable in 2021.
The call followed President Tinubu’s directive to the 36 state governors to ensure measurable reductions in transportation costs from October 1 through expanded CNG and electric-powered public transportation programmes.

While acknowledging the potential benefits of cheaper-energy buses, HURIWA said CNG should not be presented as a comprehensive solution to Nigeria’s energy and economic challenges.
According to the association, the cost of petrol affects not only transportation but also manufacturing, agriculture, food distribution, logistics, construction, small businesses and other activities dependent on energy and transportation.

“When the price of fuel rises uncontrollably, the consequences travel through the entire economic chain,” the group said.
It explained that manufacturers would spend more on powering machinery and transporting raw materials, while farmers and traders would incur higher costs moving produce and goods to markets. Small businesses, it added, would also face increased operating costs, particularly where they rely on generators.

HURIWA argued that the additional costs would ultimately be passed on to consumers through higher prices.
The group therefore described the approach of placing the burden of reducing transportation costs principally on state governors as inadequate.

It said governors could introduce interventions within their jurisdictions but could not determine international crude oil prices, regulate the entire downstream petroleum sector or independently resolve the structural challenges affecting the country’s energy market.
“Governors can provide interventions, but they cannot substitute for a coherent national energy policy,” HURIWA said.

The association urged the President to move beyond temporary palliatives and pursue measures capable of producing sustainable reductions in energy costs.
While acknowledging the President’s argument that a return to the former petrol subsidy regime would impose a significant fiscal burden on the country, HURIWA said ending the subsidy system should not mean leaving Nigerians to bear uncontrolled energy costs.

“There must be a credible middle ground between a ruinous subsidy regime and a situation where millions of Nigerians are priced out of transportation, food, production and basic economic activity,” it said.
HURIWA called on the Federal Government to explore lawful fiscal, regulatory and market-based measures to stabilise fuel prices while protecting vulnerable Nigerians.

It also demanded greater transparency in the pricing structure of petrol, including the costs of crude oil, refining, importation, transportation, margins, taxes and other charges that contribute to the pump price.
“Nigerians deserve to know exactly why the price they pay at the pump remains so burdensome and what concrete measures the government is taking to bring it down,” the group said.

HURIWA welcomed the reported expansion of CNG conversion centres and alternative-energy transportation programmes, but warned against presenting them as a complete solution to the economic crisis.
It said a CNG bus might reduce the fare paid by a passenger on a particular route, but would not, on its own, reduce the cost of feeding a family, operating a factory, transporting farm produce or powering thousands of small businesses.

The association also expressed concern about the impact of persistently high energy costs on manufacturers, saying businesses under severe cost pressures could be forced to reduce production, increase prices or shut down.
It warned that factory closures could worsen unemployment, reduce domestic production and increase Nigeria’s dependence on imported goods.

HURIWA therefore urged the Federal Government to treat energy-price stability as a national economic priority rather than principally as a transportation issue.
It called for accelerated development of domestic refining capacity, greater competition in the downstream petroleum sector, transparent pricing and targeted measures to reduce energy costs for manufacturers, farmers, transport operators and households.

The group also urged state governments to ensure that transportation subsidies and other interventions genuinely benefit commuters rather than shifting the burden of expensive transportation to already impoverished citizens.
HURIWA called on President Tinubu to convene economic managers, state governments, labour, manufacturers, transport operators and civil society organisations to develop a sustainable framework for reducing energy and transportation costs.

It said the ultimate objective should be to restore the purchasing power of Nigerians, revive domestic production and prevent further erosion of living standards.
“CNG is part of the solution, but CNG cannot become an excuse for government to avoid confronting the wider fuel-price crisis,” the association said.

HURIWA urged the Federal Government to act decisively, warning that the combination of high energy costs, declining purchasing power and rising production expenses could place further pressure on households and businesses.