Economic hardship: Motorists seek FG’s intervention

By Nana Musa/NAN

Many motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have intensified calls on the Federal Government to urgently implement measures to cushion the harsh effects of increase in petrol price on their operations.

This has triggered higher transportation costs and worsened the daily hardship residents were passing through.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Sunday in Abuja that many fuel stations used to sell fuel between N1,261 and N1,295.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is presently selling at N1,364 per liter, MRS, BOVAS, AP (Ardova), and Mobil, adjusted their pump prices to between N1,364 and N1,370 per liter.

Other outlets such as AA Rano, Emedab, Empire Energy, and Ranoil are selling petrol at higher rates, ranging from N1,370 to N1,440 per liter.

Investigations by NAN showed that pump price of petrol had been increased so many times this year, from around N900 per liter recorded in Feb.

Following the development, many commercial and private car owners have parked their cars as they could not afford the cost of fuelling them. Also, few commercial vehicles were currently operating.

Many commuters, including civil servants were seen stranded during the week at various bus stops, as the few commercial vehicles operating have increased transport fares.

Some motorists, who spoke to NAN, expressed sadness about the situation, while calling on the Federal Government to intervene on the unstable fuel price and its hardship on citizens.

Mr Adewale Bello, a commercial driver in Abuja, said the persistent hike in petrol prices had drastically reduced his daily earnings, forcing him to increase fares in spite losing passengers.

He said that many commuters now prefer trekking short distances or reducing travel frequency, leaving drivers stranded for hours, while the cost of vehicle maintenance and spare parts continues to rise sharply.

Bello described the situation as unpredictable, the constant fuel price fluctuations make it difficult for operators to plan, save, or even meet basic family responsibilities.

He said that the cost of servicing vehicles had doubled in recent months, compelling some drivers to operate faulty vehicles or abandon the business entirely due to unsustainable operational expenses.

Similarly, Mrs Bisi Emmanuel, a civil servant, said the rising transport fares had significantly affected her monthly budget.

“I now spend almost double what I used to pay for transportation, it is affecting my ability to meet other basic needs.

“My salary cannot meet up my monthly expenses, I have children to feed, school fees to pay, house rent to pay, medical bills and I have aged parents to take care of, we need the government intervention urgently.

“Even with your money, there are no vehicles, because taxi drivers are complaining that they are not making any profit.

“Now I go to work twice a week, and this is affecting my productivity,” she said.

Emmanuel said that many private car owners now carry passengers to augment fuel but it’s still not enough.

Another commercial bus driver, Mr Sani Isa, urged the government to introduce targeted subsidies or palliative measures, adding that the ripple effects of transport fare increase were worsening food inflation nationwide.

Isa said that many drivers now work longer hours daily just to break even, adding that fatigue and stress were affecting their health and safety.

He said that many of his colleagues had exited the business, as rising fuel costs, platform charges, and declining patronage have made the venture less profitable and increasingly risky.

A business owner at Utako market, Uloma Ndubisi, said that the increase in fuel was affecting her business.

“The increase in transportation will make food stuff more expensive as everyone wants to sell and make profit.

“Traders now spend more on transportation, transferring the burden to consumers, thereby, making essential goods increasingly unaffordable for low-income households already struggling to survive,” she said.

A logistics operator, Mr Emeka Obi, called for investment in alternative energy and mass transit systems, noting that heavy dependence on petrol exposes motorists to continuous financial shocks.

He emphasised that introducing affordable public transportation and promoting Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Electric Vehicles would help stabilise the sector and reduce the burden on both operators and commuters.

An Uber driver, Osas Pascal, said he no longer drove because he was running at a loss.

“If I buy N50,000 fuel, I do not make up to 30,000, so, how do I balance up?

“I have bills to pay, family to feed, it is best to stay at home and pray things get better,” he said.

An economic analyst, Alhaji Shehu Liman, said that the rising cost of fuel had a direct impact on inflation and the general cost of living.

He said that without targeted interventions, many households would continue to face economic strain.

“The government needs to prioritise policies that will ease the burden on citizens, especially in the areas of energy and transportation,” Liman said.

The increase in fuel prices in recent months has continued to generate widespread concern among Nigerians, as its effects cut across all sectors of the economy.