Nigerian workers lament hike in fuel price, says ‘we now spend over half of our salary on transportation’

Many Nigerian workers have expressed growing frustration over the persistent rise in fuel prices, saying they now spend over half of their salary on transportation.

The workers expressed their frustration in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday, October 4, 2024.

This year alone, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has adjusted petrol pump prices upwards twice from N617 to N855, N950 in Lagos state (depending on the fuel station) and above N1,000 in other states within two weeks in September.

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Godson Anosike, a dentist, noted that his regular route to work now costs N500, up from N200 a year ago.

“The difference is staggering, and it has drastically affected my daily expenses,” said Mr Anosike.

Mr Anosike decried that salaries have remained stagnant despite the steep increase in transportation costs, adding, “And it’s tough.”

Ubokabasi Ekam, an engineer, called for fuel price control to reduce transportation fares.

“Transportation prices have tripled, making it unmanageable,” said Mr Ekam.

Ubong Udoekpo, a lawyer, said transportation now consumes more than half his salary. “Most workers consider resigning due to unsustainable salaries.”

Joy Light, a civil servant, stated that transportation expenses equal her salary.

“I’ve had to reduce my workdays. How can one survive if all the money earned goes to transport?”

The workers emphasised that the fuel hike has triggered a ripple effect across the economy, driving up prices of essential goods and services.

Mr. Dotun Owoyemi, who works on the Island in Lagos and receives a five-figure Salary lamented: “I live on the mainland and work on the Island.

“Before now, I spent N800 to and fro my workplace. Now, I spend N2,500 to N3,000 daily.

“Those commercial bus drivers are not helping matters at all either. A destination of N200 fare, they increased it to N500. That of N100 to N300. I earn just a five-figure salary and spend almost half of my monthly salary on transportation alone.

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“This is not funny at all. I had to resign from work because this N70,000 minimum wage is not functioning in all private organizations truth be told.

“This fuel price increase pays a few people not salary earners. If you visit the market today, you will marvel at the negative effect of this new policy on the prices of goods.

“Many businesses have tagged the cost of fuel to the recent increase in the price of goods and services. I am still looking for a job on the mainland that is close to my house and will spend less transport fare compared to my previous workplace.”

Miss. Sandra Douglas said:”I’ve resigned already. I live around Elelonwo in Port Harcourt and was working at King Perekule, GRA. I spent N52,000 for transportation in a month for a job whose salary was not up to N100,000. I was working but couldn’t feed myself.”

For Mrs. Dorcas Chukwuma, a midwife who works in Marina, “I worked as a midwife in one of the private hospitals in Marina but resigned recently due to the high cost of transportation.

“I was not the only one in my workplace that resigned. There were four of us. Living on the mainland and working on the Island is not easy at all, especially now that the cost of transportation has tripled. The cost of food and services has also followed.

“I just had to source for another hospital on the mainland where I can work and spend less transport fare instead of spending all my salaries on transportation just to work on the Island. It is a pity that the government when introducing policies doesn’t consider the masses.
“This fuel price increase has introduced more poverty in the country.

“We were complaining that people are suffering, now husband’s will no longer go home to their family daily because they have to cut costs, young and old will have to come out of their houses to beg because those relatives giving them can hardly fend for themselves.

“We don’t even know our destination as a country anymore. Our government has failed us.”

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