In Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, the ongoing fuel crisis is causing severe disruptions, with premium motor spirit (petrol) becoming increasingly scarce, affecting both commuters and businesses throughout the area.
During a recent survey by Saturday Sun, long lines were observed at numerous filling stations, where drivers waited for hours to refuel, while police and security forces worked to maintain order amid growing frustrations.
Areas from Berger to the Central Business District, and from Wuse to Kubwa and Lugbe are all experiencing similar difficulties. Opportunistic black market vendors are capitalizing on the situation, charging up to N1,200 per litre for petrol.
Amina Gambo, a civil servant, shared her ordeal of waiting for almost two hours at Lugbe Federal Housing junction in an attempt to catch a taxi to the Federal Secretariat. "It's almost 10 AM now, and I've been here since 7:30 AM," she explained, emphasizing her dislike for arriving late to work.
Abel John, a local driver, voiced his distress, criticizing the government for not addressing the people's needs adequately. "I've been in line for over four hours without fuel. They removed the fuel subsidy, promising improvements that never came," he lamented.
Another driver, Anyebe Samuel, who works for an e-taxi service, expressed similar frustrations, noting the lack of adjustments in ride fares despite the fuel price hikes. "If things don't change by tomorrow, I might just park my car and stop driving for a while," he stated, discouraged by the economic unfeasibility of his job under current conditions.
Journalist Joan Nwagwu recounted her experience of purchasing fuel from the black market at inflated prices to sustain her work commute. "I managed to get five litres for N600 today, but I'll need to search more tonight; I can't afford to buy another batch at N6,000," she commented on the dire circumstances.
The fuel scarcity continues to plague residents, indicating a need for urgent governmental action to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy in the capital's day-to-day operations.
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