Fuel Scarcity Persists in Kano, Motorists, Adaidaita Sahu Riders, Commuters Groan

By Shamsiya Shitu Yahaya, Aisha Ndanusa Ibrahim,Ibrahim Kasimu Dadi, Sadiat Omotanwa Ajayi and Fatima Binta Idris

Despite claims by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited that all issues have been resolved, Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) scarcity continues to worsen in Kano and other parts of the country. In Kano, fuel stations are selling petrol for as high as N1000 to N1100 per liter, while black marketers on major roads are selling the fuel to motorists, tricycle (Adaidaita Sahu) and motorcycle riders for as high as N1,500 per liter.

The persistent fuel scarcity has led to a significant increase in transportation costs, with commercial motorists and Adaidaita Sahu riders doubling their fares across the state. Motorists, tricycle riders, and commuters are groaning under the weight of the scarcity, which has disrupted their daily activities.

Commercial Motorists Groan in Pain
Motorists interviewed by Prime Time News Correspondent expressed frustration and anger over the scarcity, which has led to long queues and waiting times at fuel stations. Some motorists have resorted to buying fuel from black marketers at exorbitant prices, while others have been forced to abandon their vehicles due to the scarcity.

Abbas Muhammad, a motorist, lamented that it is very hard to fuel his car in this condition because it takes days to fuel a car. “We do sleep for two to three days on the queue before getting fuel.” Abbas said. He was at the queue since around 9:00 pm yesterday but couldn’t get fueled.

Balkisu Bello Buhari, another motorist, said she returned to her workplace without getting petrol to buy after waiting at Aliko filling station, Tarauni, for over an hour. “I can’t afford to waste hours waiting just to fill up the tank. But buying from these keg guys…well, let’s just say I hope the quality is alright” She said.

Mallam Abdullah Lawal, who equally spoke to Prime Time News Correspondent, expressed pain with regards to the challenges he encounters: “Spending hours in long queues for just a few liters of petrol disrupts my entire schedule. Simple errands like going to the grocery store or visiting family take significantly longer now.”

He further highlighted the significant price increase, stating, “Fuel prices have risen substantially. It used to be around 700 naira per liter, but now it’s easily over 1000 at most stations. This is a huge financial burden, especially considering the rising cost of everything else.” Lawal added that a full tank of fuel for his car, which previously cost around 4,500 naira, now exceeds 8,000 naira, significantly impacting his budget and car usage.

Adaidaita Sahu Riders Lament Increase in Petrol Price
Adaidaita Sahu riders, who are also feeling the pinch of the scarcity, have increased their fares to compensate for the high cost of fuel. This has led to a reduction in the number of passengers, as many people can no longer afford the increased fares.

Keke rider Sulaiman Nazir described the scarcity’s harsh impact on his business: “Finding enough fuel to operate throughout the day is a major struggle. I spend a lot of time searching for stations and waiting in queues, cutting into my working hours. Sometimes, I even resort to the more expensive and unreliable black market.” Nazir also mentioned being forced to raise fares due to the price increase, impacting his customer base and income.

Mallam Hamisu Sani, another Adaidaita Sahu rider, disclosed that he was unable to find fuel for his keke. Noting that only one filling station in Madobi Road was selling petrol at N1040 per liter, while the others had closed their gates to willing buyers, adding that he was compelled to double his fare.

Umar Faruk Usman, a keke napep Rider, lamented that he waited for over two hours at Total filling station, deciding to look for an alternative. “The reappearance of long queues at filling stations has caused frustration to Napep riders, many of whom have resorted to purchasing petrol in kegs from black marketers,” he told Prime Time News.

Sadik, popularly known as Bakko, an Adaidaita Sahu rider (Keke riders), lamented that in these days, petrol does not have a fixed price in Kano filling stations. “They are suffering us, in some filling stations they are selling fuel to us at 1,100 naira per liter while in some filling stations, the fuel price per liter is up to 1,110 naira.” Bakko said.

He further disclosed that there is no profit in the business anymore because of the hike in fuel price, many passengers reduced their movement. Adding that, the current situation is not comparable with before.

Umar Abubakar, chairman of keke riders Hotoro CTV, said the fuel scarcity and the increase in petrol price are really affecting them, because they’re facing different issues with their passengers. “Since the fuel price has increased, definitely we need to add the public transportation fee” he said. According to Abubakar, if you take a passenger to a particular place, they will protest the hike in price. Some passengers are considerate while some are not” he lamented.

Commuters Narrate Ordeals
Commuters also narrated their ordeals, as Amina Kabir, a commuter, disclosed that she had to pay twice her usual fare and still wait longer at parks and bus stops due to the scarcity of Adaidaita Sahu.

Another passenger, Haruna Musa Bologi, disclosed that the increase in petrol prices has definitely affected public transportation. There have been changes in Napep fares, reduced frequency of keke napeps, and sometimes overcrowding due to fewer available vehicles. It’s been quite hard for commuters.

Entrepreneur Abu Fadilullah, who relies on keke rides for his daily commute to his shop in Kofar Wambé, shared his experience: “Fares have almost doubled, from the usual 300-400 naira to nearly 600-700 naira. This significantly impacts my daily expenses, as transportation costs are a major part of my budget. It’s a major challenge, and I hope the situation improves soon.”

Also, a passenger from Unguwa Uku motor park to Rijiyar Zaki, Sulaiman Ibrahim Abdullahi, in an interview with Prime Time News, disclosed that getting a Keke rider is no longer a child’s play. “I have been here for more than 15 minutes now, but I couldn’t get an affordable Keke rider to Rijiyar Zaki. Every Keke rider I stopped is complaining of the fuel price and the fuel scarcity.” Ibrahim said. According to him, he must reduce his movement to manage with the situation pending when everything will be okay.

Khadija Buhari Ndanusa also said that before boarding a bike, you will have to bargain for minutes before you come to an agreement. The bike men will complain that there is fuel scarcity and the black market they’re getting fuel from, fuel is being sold to them at a high rate, that’s why they also increase transport fare, so as to meet their daily ends.

Filling Stations Open Up On Fuel Scarcity And Hike In Price
The Manager in one of the filling stations in Kano, who spoke with Prime Time News on anonymity, attributed the ongoing fuel scarcity to logistics problems. He noted that the current petrol scarcity is due to the scarcity of products caused by hitches in the logistics operations of NNPC Ltd.

Another anonymous filling station attendant confirmed the limited fuel supply: “We’ve been experiencing inconsistent deliveries for the past few weeks, leading to long queues and frustrated customers. We face constant pressure managing the lines and long working hours.”

Malam Najeeb Ibrahim Bello, a staff of Daubaj filling station Maiduguri Road, opposite ARTV branch, said they’re facing a lot of issues regarding the scarcity of fuel from their customers. “Some customers are impatient to be in the queue; they will resort to quarreling, shouting, and being disrespectful to staff of the filling station” he said.

Najeeb further said about the increase of price; it is not from them; they are also buying it from the supplier at a higher price. “They’re doing business for the purpose of profit.”

Authorities Warn
As the fuel scarcity spreads across Kano State and the rest of Nigeria, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have cautioned against hoarding and black market sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.
https://businessday.ng/news/article/nmdpra-nuj-warn-against-hoarding-as-fuel-scarcity-bites-hard/

Prime Time News reports that as the current issue of fuel scarcity and increase in petrol price continues to bite harder, Nigerian motorists, Keke riders, Okada riders, and passengers are passionately calling on the government to come to their aid, adding that authorities concerned should make the process easier for fuel marketers in Nigeria, so that fuel will be available.