Fuel Subsidy Removal: Office Workers Turn Cab Drivers, Sleep In Office To Save Cost, Filling Stations Cry Out Over Low Sales

The increased cost of fuel in the country has practically affected everyone within Nigeria. Some of the people the country’s new normal has impacted the most are salary earners who have to pay for daily transportation without any increase in salary.

To help most of them cushion the blow, onsite workers in Nigeria have devised methods such as sleeping in the office, while others who have cars have turned into cab drivers to raise money for fuel.

According to a report by DailyTrust, most low and mid-income earners now use public transportation during the weekdays while attending only essential events during weekends.

In places like Lagos, the over 200% increase in the price of fuel has led to the tripling of transportation costs. Speaking to DailyTrust, some junior staff who have to appear at the office daily explained that they now have to sleep at work or with friends living close to work to reduce the cost of transportation.

Speaking to the publication, a man noted as Mr Ajala Ajibade, who works as a security guard in a manufacturing company in Ikeja, said: “I now sleep at the office as you know, most workers in Lagos live in Ogun State or the border towns. Transporting myself daily from Ofada, Ogun State, to my place of work on the Island is too expensive.”

A Port Harcourt resident, Emma Chukwu, said to the publication: “The high cost of fuel has made me limit my movements. I use public transport to go to work, while I use my car on Sundays to take my family to church. I don’t want to expose my family to the dangers of climbing bikes or Keke. The moment I come back from church, I park the car.”

In other states like Anambra state, where the state Government provided buses to minimize the impact of fuel hikes on civil servants in the state, see workers adjusting to using these buses instead of their private cars to save cost.

One Mr Peter Nwanosike told the publication: “I used to buy fuel worth N5,000 per week, and now it is over N15,000. I only use my car for going to work and church. I hardly move around with my car.”

In states like Kano, the publication reported that workers are looking into substituting their cars for motorcycles or battery-powered bicycles.

However, car owners are not the only ones feeling the brunt of the new fuel price increase in the past month. Filling stations are also crying out over reduced sales, as people are buying less quantity of fuel.