Nigeria’s Fuel Price Hike: 5 Sufferings on the Streets 

In recent times, the already burdensome weight of economic hardships has been amplified by a significant fuel price hike, thrusting ordinary Nigerians into a relentless cycle of suffering. 

The spiralling costs of fuel sponsored by the removal of subsidies by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have triggered a chain reaction that reverberates through every corner of society, leaving in its wake heart-wrenching stories of struggle, survival, and sacrifice.

Narrating his own story a Lagos-based self-employed man, Aare Bola Fakunle in a Facebook post wrote, “Baba Buhari, please come back we are missing you.”

Also,  Port Harcourt-based Private Secondary School teacher, Mr. Clement Fasaye, said, “This is not a Renewed Hope but a Renewed Shege. We have to give it to Baba Buhari who considered the level of poverty in Nigeria and resisted pressure by the IMF to remove fuel subsidy.”

In the same vein a popular Nigerian activist, Deji Adeyanju wrote, “You want to remove subsidy but you won’t sell refineries that produce zero oil so that the sector can be fully deregulated but you can invest billions of dollars into Dangote’s refinery and you say this country is not jinxed? Only Atiku had a clear plan on how to solve this issue.”

Amidst the chaos of soaring fuel prices, let us delve into five realistic points that illustrate the profound suffering experienced by the people on the streets of Nigeria.

Trek-a-thon trend

One of the sufferings birthed from the fuel price hike is higher fares for public transportation. This has made many people result in trekking long distances as individuals need to commute to work and school.

A video that trended on social media recently revealed people trekking in large numbers in Computer Village, Ikeja. Reports also say Nigerians are trekking in large groups in other parts of the country.

Asides, from the trek-a-thon some Nigerians have resulted in begging. The rate of citizens begging for transport fares has rapidly increased on the streets of Lagos.

Hunger strike

The fuel price hike has also made a lot of Nigerians cut down their food consumption. Rather than eating three times a day, some of them have reduced their daily meal package to eating once a day.

This is because the cost of preparing numerous meals has doubled and some Nigerians can no longer afford it. Those who are not on hunger strikes are eating substandard meals just to get by each day.

Sadly, hunger strike consequently impacts their health and cause some of them to break down. 

Enduring darkness and mosquitoes

Most Nigerians that put on generators as alternatives to the nation’s electricity crisis have had to cut down their spending as a result of the fuel price hike.

Some of them are now suffering in darkness and enduring the mosquitoes because fueling their generators have become overly expensive. Even some small businesses have had to cut down operations because of the outrageous price of fuel.

Hike in price of commodities

Another suffering on the street is the hike in the price of commodities. As fuel prices soar, the costs of transporting goods and raw materials escalate, leaving entrepreneurs with no choice but to increase prices.

Nigerians are seriously struggling to get food and goods needed for daily survival, as a result of the hike.

Mass resignation

Most employees have decided to quit their jobs because of the fuel hike. While it may sound weird, these employees noted that there is no wisdom in working for transporters.

This is because they spend huge sums of their salaries on transportation as a result of the fuel hike.

The mass resignation of employees is not good for organisations because they will struggle to keep up with production with a limited workforce. On the flip side, employees will also struggle to survive, since their major source of income is gone.

One must also not forget to mention the impact of the fuel price on medical facilities. These facilities grapple with the increased costs of fuel to run generators during power outages, leading to critical shortages in essential services and medical supplies. 

Lives hang in the balance as doctors and nurses work tirelessly with limited resources. They also face the heartbreaking decision of prioritizing patients based on their chances of survival.