By Residents of Maiduguri have voiced their frustration over a 50% hike in transportation fares following a sharp rise in fuel prices, now set at N1,250 at private filling stations as of Wednesday. Our correspondent in Maiduguri reports that many fuel stations, including the NNPC retail outlet, remain closed, with the few still operating selling at N1,250.
Babagana Wakil, a local resident, shared his experience with AfrikTimes Online, saying, “I just bought fuel along Baga Road. Only one station was open between Baga Road and Maimalari, and it’s charging N1,250 this evening.” He added, “This government is making life difficult. Amid all this hardship, they raise fuel prices again? It’s unacceptable.”
Mabel Jeremiah, another resident, described her challenges with transportation costs, saying, “I went for church practice this evening, and none of the tricycle riders agreed to take me for the usual N150. I had to pay N250 to get to church from Modugari to Damboa Road. How long can we bear this?”
Muhammad Hassan, who commuted from the Polo area to Westend, shared, “I normally pay N350, but tonight I spent N450. Thankfully, I had enough money, or I would have walked home.”
AfrikTimes Online further gathered that NNPC outlets are not dispensing fuel, forcing tricycle riders to rely on independent and black-market sellers. One tricycle rider, Illiyasu Ibrahim, explained, “I had to raise my fares. I bought fuel from a black-market vendor at Modugari bus stop for N1,500 when my fuel ran out. I can’t keep the old prices.”
Meanwhile, Ajas Jubulu, who runs a phone charging business in Wulari, noted that he bought fuel for his generator earlier in the day for N1,150. “I’m not sure of the current price, but this morning I paid N1,150,” he remarked.
