NIGERIA – Despite a 100 percent increase in transport fares, commercial drivers in Nigeria have voiced concerns about their inability to recover the cost of buying fuel since the subsidy removal.
They suggest that to fully cover these increased costs, they would need to charge passengers even more, a measure they believe would be met with considerable resistance.
Private car owners have also felt the pinch and have devised ways to offset the increased cost of fuel.
Many have resorted to informally picking up passengers along their route, using the earnings to subsidise their fuel expenses.
Thomas Shibyan, a commercial driver, detailed his experience on Saturday, June 3, 2023, in an interaction with the Sunday Tribune.
He noted that while he previously spent N20,000 to fill his tank, he now needs over N35,000 since the subsidy removal.
Shibyan explained his new approach: “When going to work in the morning, I usually do not pick passengers but since this new regime, I’ll just pick passengers.
I charge them N500 multiplied by six people then by two. If I do that for five days, I could save up money for fuel. It is something I just started,” he said.
The removal of fuel subsidies continues to impact daily life in Nigeria, affecting both the transport industry and private vehicle owners alike.
