‘We’re suffering in silence’: Nigerians lament petrol price hike

Nigerians, including motorists and business owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have condemned the recent N30 increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), fondly called petrol, in the country.

The motorists in Abuja on Thursday, October 31, 2024, said the increment was the third time in one month, lamenting that the product was scarce despite the increase.

They described the situation as frustrating, adding that it was also compounding their daily hardship.

The removal of the fuel subsidy in May 2023 has since led to severe hardship for many Nigerians.

The situation has been aggravated by the recent increase in pump prices from N1,030 to N1,060 at NNPCL stations, with independent marketers selling between N1,100 and N1,200.

Many fuel stations are not dispensing petrol, while the few selling had long queues, especially at the NNPCL retail stations.

A businesswoman, Uloma Eze, lamented the price hikes since the removal of subsidy, saying: “They keep increading fuel prices without any thought about how it impacts us.

“With each increase, food prices also increase, yet salaries do not follow suit. We are suffering in silence.”

Eze urged the government to adopt a sustainable solution to the recurring fuel challenges.

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A taxi driver, Effiong John, recounted his frustration when he arrived at the petrol station at 11:00 a.m. and was only able to get fuel at 2:30 p.m.

John called on the government to intervene to ensure a lasting solution to the unending hikes in the price of petrol.

Another taxi driver, Uzor Emeka said the scarcity and high fuel prices had affected his livelihood.

Emeka said: “I am running at a loss because I spend hours on the queue and still buy fuel at a high cost; how do I balance this?

“My family depends on my daily returns, and it has not been easy meeting up. I do not know what to do.

“I am begging President Bola Tinubu to do something fast about the suffering Nigerians are passing through as a result of this fuel issue, as it is not easy for a lot of us anymore.”

Speaking, the Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ukadike Chinedu, attributed the price fluctuations to deregulation.

“This is the nature of a deregulated market; prices rise and fall depending on market forces and each marketer’s supply costs,” Chinedu said.

The Star