The African Action Congress (AAC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of worsening the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, citing rising petrol prices, rents and school fees as major pressures on households.
The Party said the increasing cost of basic necessities had placed workers, traders, small business owners and low-income families under severe financial strain, particularly those living in communities across Nasarawa State but working in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, and signed by the AAC FCT Chairman, Agena Robert Ande, the Party alleged that the economic situation was becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary Nigerians as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
The AAC claimed that petrol was selling for as much as ₦1,450 per litre in Abuja and ₦1,570 in some other parts of Nigeria.
According to the Party, the increase in petrol prices has had a wider effect on the cost of transportation and other household expenses, making it increasingly difficult for workers and small businesses to cope with their existing incomes.
The Party particularly highlighted the situation of workers who commute daily from Nasarawa State to Abuja, saying transportation expenses had risen to levels that were consuming a substantial portion of their monthly salaries.
The AAC said a worker earning the ₦70,000 minimum wage could spend close to ₦50,000 monthly on petrol alone when commuting to work by car.
It described such a situation as unacceptable and accused the Government of imposing policies that had made life increasingly difficult for Nigerians.
Beyond fuel prices, the opposition Party raised concerns over the rising cost of accommodation in communities around Abuja.
It alleged that rents had increased sharply in parts of Nasarawa State, where many workers reside because they cannot afford accommodation within the Federal Capital Territory.
The areas specifically mentioned by the Party included Mararaba, Masaka, Keffi, One Man Village, Karu, New Nyanya and Ado.
According to the AAC, a self-contained apartment that previously rented for about ₦200,000 now costs between ₦450,000 and ₦550,000 in some of these locations.
The Party further alleged that the cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment had risen from approximately ₦400,000 to between ₦900,000 and ₦1.1 million.
It attributed part of the pressure on rents to the rising cost of construction materials, transportation and fuel, but also accused some landlords of using the broader economic crisis as justification for what it described as arbitrary increases.
The Party said the combination of higher rent and transportation costs was forcing some workers to make difficult choices simply to retain their jobs in Abuja.
It claimed that some commuters travelling from Nasarawa to the FCT now spend between ₦3,500 and ₦5,000 every day on transportation.
Based on the Party’s estimates, that could amount to between ₦90,000 and ₦120,000 in monthly transportation expenses for some workers.
The AAC argued that the situation was particularly burdensome for employees whose salaries had failed to increase at the same rate as the cost of living.
It also alleged that some workers had resorted to sleeping in their offices during the working week in an attempt to reduce the amount spent travelling between their homes and places of work.
The Party’s concerns extended to education, with the AAC alleging that school fees in some public and private institutions had risen by between 100 and 200 per cent.
It warned that further increases in the cost of education could place additional pressure on families already struggling to meet their basic needs.
According to the Party, the combined effect of higher food and transportation expenses, increased rent and rising school fees could force more low-income families to withdraw their children from school.
The AAC said the situation could be particularly severe in communities surrounding Abuja, where a significant number of workers live because of the high cost of housing within the FCT.
The Party described the simultaneous increases in fuel prices, rent and school fees as a form of “class war,” arguing that the burden of economic adjustment was falling disproportionately on ordinary Nigerians.
It also linked the economic situation to the approaching 2027 elections, alleging that widespread poverty could make economically vulnerable citizens more susceptible to political inducements.
“This triple hike — fuel, rent, school fees — is not economic policy. It is class war,” the Party said.
The AAC called on the Federal Government to take urgent measures to reduce the price of petrol and ease the pressure on households.
It also demanded the removal of the Minister of Petroleum and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), as well as what it described as the “cabal” controlling the petroleum sector.
On housing, the Party called for the introduction of stronger rent-control measures and affordable housing programmes targeted at workers living in the FCT and neighbouring Nasarawa State.
It also demanded a reversal of what it described as excessive school-fee increases and called for free and quality public education from primary through secondary school.
The Party warned that continued economic pressure could have broader social and political consequences if the Government failed to address the concerns of citizens.
The AAC urged Nigerians to use the 2027 general elections to demand accountability, calling on voters to reject the Tinubu administration at the polls.
The latest criticism adds to the broader political debate over the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms on Nigerians. Since the removal of the petrol subsidy, fuel prices have remained a major source of public concern because changes in pump prices affect transportation, food distribution and the operating costs of businesses.
The wider economic debate has also increasingly focused on how Government reforms can translate into improved living standards for households while addressing the country’s fiscal and structural challenges.
For the AAC, however, the immediate concern is the pressure being experienced by workers and low-income households.
The Party maintained that economic reforms should not leave ordinary Nigerians struggling to afford transportation, accommodation and education, insisting that the Government must urgently introduce measures that reduce the burden on citizens.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the economic situation is likely to remain a major issue in political campaigns, particularly as opposition parties seek to make the cost of living and household welfare central to their criticism of the administration.