By Saheed Abiola Jimoh
Residents of Kano State are facing severe economic challenges as fuel prices skyrocket, leading to widespread hardship and disruptions in the daily lives of Kano residents.
The recent surge in petrol prices, which now soar to between N950 and N1,200 per liter from previous rates of N620 to N700,.
The situation has been exacerbated by the closure of several filling stations, leaving only a few operational and forcing residents to pay exorbitant prices for fuel. This has had a ripple effect on the local economy, particularly affecting transportation and small businesses.
Azeezat Fatomi, a fashion designer and postgraduate student of Bayero University, Kano, recounted how the current increase in the pump price of petroleum has affected her business. “I used to fuel my generator with N2000, which can take me for 3 hours, but the same amount lasts me for just an hour and a few minutes, yet customers are not ready to pay more,” she lamented.
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Fatomi also stated that she paid N800 transportation fare from her house to attend lectures in school this morning compared to N500 she used to pay in the last few months. “Things are getting harder in this country,” she stated.
Also, Abubakar Musa, a tricycle (keke) driver from Rijiyar Zaki, expressed his frustration with the rising costs of fuel, noting that he now pays nearly double of what he used for fuel on a daily basis, and yet passengers are yet to concur with the new transportation fare. “We buy fuel at outrageous prices, yet we can’t raise our fares significantly because passengers accuse us of trying to cheat them,” he said.
Students and daily commuters are also bearing the brunt of the crisis. Salama Ibrahim, a student at Kano State Polytechnic, described how her transportation costs have nearly doubled, forcing her to walk part of the way to save money. “The full fare is just too expensive now, so I have to walk from school to Kabuga before taking a Keke to my house,” she explained.
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The business sector is not spared either, with traders reporting a steep rise in the cost of goods due to increased transportation expenses. Auwal Likoro, a local businessman, warned that the rising fuel prices could lead to further inflation, putting more strain on consumers. “people are suffering, yet government keep increasing fuel price, did they want people to die?” “this increase will bring inflation and it is not good”. We need the government to step in and bring down the fuel prices,” he urged.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited recently raised the pump price from N617 per liter to N897 per liter, citing a debt of over $6 billion related to petrol supply costs. This debt has disrupted the supply chain, leading to the current scarcity and price hikes.
As the fuel crisis deepens, Kano residents are calling for urgent government intervention to stabilize prices and ease the economic strain on their lives. The situation continues to create uncertainty and hardship, with many fearing that without immediate action, the crisis could worsen.
