By Michael Oche
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC Africa) has expressed deep concern over the worsening fuel and cost of living crisis affecting workers and ordinary citizens across Africa as a result of the Middle East crisis.
In a statement on Tuesday by its General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie, the regional labour body noted that across the continent, rising fuel prices are increasing transport costs, food prices, and the overall cost of living.
Odigie said workers, informal traders, women, and young people are carrying the burden of economic shocks they did not create, pointing to recent protests and strike actions in countries such as Kenya as reflecting the growing frustration of African workers facing declining living standards and shrinking incomes.
He said, ITUC-Africa notes with concern that escalating global conflicts, particularly tensions in the Middle East, continue to destabilise energy and financial markets. The failure of global powers to prioritise diplomacy and peaceful solutions is having serious consequences for developing economies, especially in Africa. We reiterate our calls for genuine dialogue to tame conflicts.
“At the same time, these crises expose long standing weaknesses within African economies: overdependence on imported fuel, weak productive systems, kleptocracy, inequality, and limited investment in public transport and energy infrastructure.”
The ITUC-Africa General Secretary said it is unacceptable that a continent rich in oil, gas, hydro, solar, and critical minerals continues to suffer recurring fuel crises and energy poverty whenever global tensions rise.
He said, “Deplorably, many governments continue to impose heavy fuel levies and taxes without corresponding investments in domestic refining capacity, affordable public transport systems, broad and inclusive social protection provisions, or energy sovereignty.
“At the same time, billions continue to be lost to corruption, waste, illicit financial flows, and elite capture, while ordinary people struggle to survive amid rising transport costs, food inflation, and declining purchasing power.”
ITUC Africa therefore called on African governments to “immediately review fuel pricing structures, reduce excessive levies and taxes that disproportionately burden workers and poor households, and expand social protection measures to cushion vulnerable communities from tising living costs.”
The organisation said resources generated from fuel related revenues must be transparently invested in affordable public transport systems, domestic refining capacity, sustainable energy infrastructure, and broader economic resilience that protects citizens from future economic shocks.
It said the Continent must use this moment to accelerate regional integration, strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, invest in sustainable energy systems, and build economies that prioritise workers, Production, and social justice.
