Wahala! Fuel Don Reach N1,400 - See How E Dey Affect Your Pocket

Photo: The Punch

Abeg, This Petrol Matter Don Pass Ordinary Expensive!

My people, e be like say fuel scarcity and high prices na our destiny for this country. Just when we think say things go better small, boom! Petrol price don climb to N1,400 per litre for some filling stations. If you no believe am, ask your okada man or your neighbour wey dey queue since 4am just to buy fuel.

The Organised Private Sector (OPS) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) don vex tire for this matter. They dey shout say government must do something sharp-sharp before things scatter completely. But while our leaders dey argue politics, ordinary Nigerians like you and me dey suffer the consequences daily.

See How This Fuel Wahala Dey Affect Your Daily Life

Make I tell you wetin dey happen for streets. That your regular okada ride wey you dey pay N200, e don become N300 or even N400. The okada riders no get choice - if fuel expensive reach N1,400, how you want make them take manage? Some of them don even park their bikes because the mathematics no dey add up again.

For transport side, na total chaos. Danfo drivers don increase their fare by almost 50%. That Lagos-Ibadan journey wey dey cost you N3,000 before, you go now pay between N4,500 to N5,000. Even if you get your own car, you go think twice before you jejely drive go anywhere wey no too important.

Small Business Owners Don Start to Dey Cry

The real victims na the small business people dem. That mama wey dey sell rice and stew for your area, she don increase her food price because transportation of the goods don expensive. The bread seller, the provision store owner, even the barber - everybody don adjust their prices upward.

One small bakery owner for Surulere tell me say "Oga, before I dey spend N15,000 on fuel weekly to distribute my bread. Now e don reach N25,000. If I no increase my bread price, I go close shop." This na the reality many small businesses dey face now.

Food Prices Don Join the Expensive Party

You think say only transport go affect? Nah lie! Food prices don start to dey rise like rocket. Tomatoes, onions, rice, beans - everything don add extra money on top. Why? Because the people wey dey transport these goods from north to south dey spend almost double of wetin they used to spend on fuel.

That your regular N500 plate of rice don become N800 for some places. Even pure water sellers don increase their prices small small. E be like say inflation don hold us by the neck and no wan let go.

Wetin OPS and NLC Dey Talk

The labour unions and private sector groups no dey smile at all about this matter. NLC don warn say if government no take urgent action, workers go suffer more pass this. They dey talk about strike and protest if nothing happen soon.

OPS on their own side dey complain say businesses dey pack up because of high operational costs. Some companies don even start to dey lay off workers because they no fit afford the extra expenses wey high fuel price dey bring.

The Ripple Effect Dey Spread Like Wildfire

This fuel price increase no be isolated problem o. E dey affect everything like domino effect. School fees go increase because schools dey spend more on generators and transportation. Hospital bills go add small because of operational costs. Even church offering and tithe go reduce because people no get extra money again.

Young people wey dey do ride-hailing business like Uber and Bolt don start to dey complain. The money they make now no dey worth the fuel they dey buy. Some don even switch to other hustles entirely.

Wetin Ordinary Nigerians Fit Do Now?

While we dey wait for government and labour unions to settle this matter, make we think of how to survive. Some people don start to dey trek short distances instead of taking transport. Others don join car pooling groups to share fuel costs.

For business side, some smart people don start to dey buy goods in bulk to reduce frequent transportation. Others don start to dey sell online to reduce physical movement.

The truth be say this fuel price of N1,400 per litre na serious matter wey need urgent attention. E dey affect everything from your morning bread to your evening transport fare. Until government and stakeholders find lasting solution, we ordinary citizens go continue to bear the burden. But one thing sure - we Nigerians sabi survive anything. We go adapt, we go find way, but we no go give up!