By Awyetu Asabe Hope
Motorists in the Federal Capital Territory have called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene as rising petrol prices continue to drive up transport costs and deepen economic hardship.
Findings by the News Agency of Nigeria show that petrol, which sold for about ₦900 per litre in February, now ranges between ₦1,364 and ₦1,440 across filling stations.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and major marketers have adjusted pump prices upward in recent weeks.
The increase has forced many commercial and private vehicle owners to scale down operations or abandon driving altogether, leaving commuters stranded and pushing transport fares higher.
A commercial driver, Adewale Bello, said the rising cost of fuel had reduced his earnings and forced him to increase fares despite losing passengers.
Similarly, a civil servant, Bisi Emmanuel, said transport expenses had nearly doubled, affecting her ability to meet basic needs.
“I now go to work only twice a week because I can no longer afford daily transport,” she said.
Other operators warned that the situation was becoming unsustainable, with rising maintenance costs, declining patronage, and longer working hours affecting their income and well-being.
A business owner, Uloma Ndubisi, noted that higher transport costs were driving up food prices, as traders passed on the burden to consumers.
A logistics operator, Emeka Obi, called for investment in mass transit and alternative energy sources such as Compressed Natural Gas to reduce dependence on petrol.
An economic analyst, Shehu Liman, said persistent fuel price increases would continue to fuel inflation and strain household incomes without targeted government intervention.
The rising cost of petrol has remained a major concern nationwide, with its effects spreading across transportation, food prices, and overall cost of living.
