Nigerians voice growing despair over cost of living crisis, fuel shortage: Video
Nigerians are increasingly vocal about their struggles as the cost of living crisis deepens and fuel shortages persist. The economic situation has been dire for months, with many citizens finding it difficult to afford necessities.
Many commercial drivers have slept at filling stations for days due to a shortage of fuel. This situation has left commuters stranded as they wait for hours after hours to get a bus to and fro.
"My family isn't happy because I've been here for three days now. They're calling me over and over asking 'where are you? where are you?' I tell them I've been at the fueling station. They've been calling for the past two days. I've been at the filling station, I've not been anywhere else. They're not happy. I'm supposed to be at home. Usually when I'm done with my day, I go home. I stay with them and then the next day I resume work. But it's been three days they haven't seen me. They've been calling me. This morning they asked again 'how are things?' I told them that I still haven't bought fuel and I'm still at the filling station," Frederick Abel, a minibus driver told AFP.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the country's most affordable fuel provider, recently announced a significant price hike. The cost of petrol has risen from 617 naira to 897 naira per litre, with some regions seeing prices as high as 1,200 naira This increase has further strained the budgets of many households, leading to widespread discontent.
Fidelia Hamondji, a civil servant shared with AFP that "The situation is so bad. I'm not interested in it (I'm fed up, ed.). Because the money they pay me in a month, my transport, the fare is almost taking half of it. So I'm not meeting up with it at all (I can't make ends meet, ed.) with the transport fare."
"I've been here for two hours, I'm going to work but there are no taxis available because there is no fuel. I'm late for work. And also the taxi fair has been increased to 400 naira (from 200 naira the day before, ed.). That's why I'm still here now," Ernest added after waiting in vain at the bus station on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's Dangote refinery, the largest in Africa, has begun producing petrol. According to its owner on Tuesday, September 3, the petrol could be available within the next 48 hours.
