The latest increase in the pump price of petrol has brought another layer of pressure, with commuters, workers, traders, students and business owners across the country confronting higher transportation costs and more expensive goods and services.
From Lokoja in Kogi State to Awka in Anambra State, residents say the new petrol prices, which have risen to between about N1,430 and N1,500 per litre in some locations, are quickly being reflected in transport fares and the prices of commodities, leaving many households with less money to meet their daily needs.
In Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, residents who spoke with Radio Nigeria expressed concern that the increase was already making movement within and outside the city more expensive, with workers and low-income earners bearing much of the burden.
A civil servant, Akpala Tijani, said the rising cost of petrol was putting additional pressure on workers, particularly as higher fuel prices were being followed by increases in transportation fares and other daily expenses.
For Itopa Aliyu, the situation has made ordinary movement within Lokoja increasingly expensive, prompting calls for urgent measures to stabilise petrol prices and protect residents from further economic pressure.
The impact is also being felt in the marketplace. A market woman, Ramota Ajakura, explained that traders were spending more to transport goods, with the additional cost eventually passed on to consumers through higher prices.
She warned that another increase in petrol prices could further worsen the financial burden on low-income households that are already finding it difficult to cope with the cost of food and other necessities.
In Awka, Anambra State, the situation is similarly unsettling residents and businesses. Checks at some filling stations showed petrol selling for between N1,450 and N1,500 per litre, with commuters and motorists expressing concern over what the development means for their already stretched finances.
A businessman, Charles Manchaly, captured the frustration among consumers, saying people now buy petrol with tears because they have little or no alternative.
Another resident, Tochukwu Ikeme, who purchased petrol at about N1,450 per litre, described the price as excessive and appealed to the government to intervene, warning that the rising cost of fuel was already pushing up the prices of goods and services.
For workers, the pressure goes beyond the cost of filling their vehicle tanks. Civil servant Peter Ifedimma said the increase was reducing the purchasing power of workers because salaries that were already struggling to cover basic needs were now being consumed by higher transportation and commodity costs.
The transport sector is also caught in the squeeze. Philip Obasi, a commuter, said higher fares were affecting both passengers and transport operators, as many people could no longer afford regular journeys. He explained that some commercial vehicles now travelled with empty seats because passengers were unable to pay the increased fares.
Perhaps the most visible sign of the hardship is the decision by some Nigerians to abandon public transport altogether. In Awka, a student, Ijeoma Ifunnaya, was seen trekking home after the increase in transport fares made the journey beyond her budget.
The experiences from Lokoja and Awka reflect a broader concern over the ripple effect of petrol prices in an economy where transportation remains closely connected to the movement of people, food, farm produce, raw materials and finished goods. As transport operators spend more on fuel, the additional cost can filter through supply chains and eventually reach consumers.
For households living on tight budgets, the consequence is a difficult choice between competing necessities: spending more on transportation to get to work or school, paying higher prices for food and other essentials, or cutting back on journeys and purchases that are no longer affordable.
Residents in both states are therefore calling on the government and relevant stakeholders to urgently explore measures that can stabilise the petrol market and cushion the impact of rising transportation and commodity prices.
Their concern is simple: while fuel is an essential part of everyday economic activity, every increase at the pump has the potential to translate into another increase somewhere else, leaving ordinary Nigerians to absorb the cost.
As the price of petrol continues to test household budgets, businesses and commuters are waiting for concrete measures that can prevent the current pressure from becoming an even heavier burden on families already struggling to make ends meet.
Innocent/Paula
