Vice-President Kashim Shettima has called for an urgent meeting with key officials, including Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), and Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The meeting, which will also include National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu and senior aides of Shettima, was convened in response to the recent surge in petrol prices.
The NNPCL’s recent decision to raise petrol prices to between N855 and N897 per litre, up from N568-N617, has sparked widespread outrage across Nigeria. Independent marketers have further escalated the prices, with some stations charging between N930 and N1,200 per litre. This dramatic increase has led to a roughly 50% rise in transportation costs nationwide.
In Niger State, the impact of the price hike is palpable. The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) have both increased transport fares. Malam Ibrahim Musa, Chairman of NURTW Branch III in Minna, reported that fares have risen significantly, with the cost of traveling from Minna to Abuja now set at N7,000, up from N6,000. Similarly, fares to Kaduna have increased from N6,500 to N8,000. Musa emphasized that these adjustments are a necessary response to rising fuel costs and the increased expense of vehicle maintenance.
Abubakar Ndanusa, Chairman of TOAN in Niger, highlighted the financial strain on tricycle operators, who are now facing higher costs for new tricycles, which have surged to between N3.2 million and N3.5 million. Many operators, engaged in hire purchase agreements, are forced to increase fares by N50 to N100 per trip to manage the additional costs.
In Minna, petrol stations affiliated with NNPCL have seen prices jump from N617 per litre to N897, while other stations have raised prices from N820 to N950 per litre. Black market sellers have also increased their prices, with petrol now being sold at N1,200 per litre compared to the previous N1,100.
Both NURTW and TOAN have called on the government to address the rising costs to prevent further disruption in the transport sector. The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress have condemned the price hike and demanded an immediate reversal.
As the situation continues to evolve, the government faces increasing pressure to respond to the growing discontent and mitigate the impact on Nigerian citizens and businesses.
