In his inaugural speech during the swearing-in event held at Eagles Square, Abuja, on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu informed the large audience that fuel subsidies were no longer in effect.
After President Bola Tinubu’s announcement, there was tension everywhere, which caused prices to fluctuate all throughout the country within just 24 hours. However, what mattered most was how people were affected by the declaration, which also caused some debate. While some gas outlets closed, others sold at outrageous prices.
Nigerians are still bemoaning the harsh and regrettable effects of the subsidy removal, which has reportedly caused some businesses to fail and made life harder for the average Nigerian, despite the Tinubu-led administration having implemented some palliatives such as the distribution of rice and maize grains and awarding a state the sum of N5 billion to cushion the effects.
WITHIN NIGERIA stormed the streets and spoke with various Nigerians who aired their complaints about the situation in an effort to gather thoughts of Nigerians about the current state of the country with regard to, among other things, the removal of fuel subsidy.
The withdrawal of the fuel subsidy, according to Simeon Adekilekun, 46, who spoke to WITHIN NIGERIA, has forced him to change his schedules and increased his monthly transportation costs.
The last two months have been tough for Adekilekun’s family to survive, he claimed in an interview with this reporter, because more than half of his pay would be used on transportation.
The civil servant, who was born in Ilesa, went on to say that he is already thinking about moving his family to Osun Jela or another nearby hamlet in order to save money on transportation.
I truly want to relocate my family to Osogbo to cut down on traveling costs, but I’m worried about my wife’s company and my kids’ education. I dislike changing kids’ schools like diapers for that matter. The situation is quite tricky, claims a dejected Adekilekun.
Kazeem Adeniyi, an Osogbo resident, told this reporter that the elimination of fuel subsidies had a negative impact on his business and decreased his daily income despite rising expenses.
I cut hair. This place has a horrible power supply. My generator is usually used. I implore people to pay N500 for our service even though fuel prices have not increased. Due to an epileptic power supply, I don’t even know how to raise the price, therefore I mostly rely on a generator, he stated.
Now, I walk to my shop, and occasionally, my kids walk to school while they were still in session. Although I obviously have no choice, I genuinely hate seeing my kids go miles to school. Kazeem told WITHIN NIGERIA that if he didn’t reduce their spending, they could have to beg for food on the streets.
Kazeem alleges that in order to save money, parents are increasingly cutting their children’s hair, and that only young people who care about their appearance now go to barbershops and have preferences.
Abimbola, a 52-year-old nurse from Iloko-Ijesa who works at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, said she no longer commutes by car because she cannot afford the rising costs.
Unfortunately, despite our prayers, things are growing worse in this nation. I’ve returned to the times when I used to wait for “soole” by the side of the road. I have no other alternative, despite the dangers involved. Although I avoid driving in fancy automobiles or any vehicle with a lot of young men, I think this is one of the reasons I stay on the road for longer. Since most people have left their cars at home, the rising demand for “soole” should be another factor, according to Abimbola.
As she anticipates schools resumption in September, another Nigerian named Bimpe Awofolaju revealed that her thoughts have been bothering her for weeks.
My three children attend a private school, and every morning they typically take the school bus to get them there. The cost of school buses, including tuition, would rise with the loss of fuel subsidies. Where can I find the money to accomplish all of these tasks? A pretty dejected Bimpe continues, “This is my greatest dread as I speak to you.
The removal of the fuel subsidy has had a significant impact on Pelumi Olakiitan’s welding business, which could eventually push him into poverty if nothing is done to rectify it.
The 36-year-old welder said to WITHIN NIGERIA that due to inconsistent electricity, welders rely heavily on generators for work and that petrol or diesel are common materials used to power generator sets.
I’m a struggling welder. The person who sold it for me is still owed money. If there is no light and I need to meet a deadline, I must use a generator. What would be my net profit after purchasing petrol at the N600 per litre rate? The most aggravating aspect is that, despite the state of the nation, our consumers are unwilling to pay more.
The Ekiti-born welder said if you insist, they would just inform you that your work will be transferred to another individual. I have a family to feed.
When Bayo Ademola was contacted by WITHIN NIGERIA, his main worries were about how his laundry business would withstand this current struggle with fluctuating energy.
After spending years looking for work without luck, Bayo claims he decided to start a laundry service in order to survive.
Given how fiercely competitive this industry is, many people are still considering it because it’s their last option. You can’t simply raise prices when you wake up. If such costs become unfavorable or unaffordable for our customers, they will leave. Every worker hopes to see the results of their labor, but regrettably, we use our own money to buy fuel so that we can deliver on time, Bayo decried.
Abdulazeez Kewulere, 42, told WITHIN NIGERIA that he would be happy if the Tinubu-led administration could temporarily reinstate subsidy so that palliatives could be put in place to lessen its effects after removal.
“When I refer to palliatives, I do not mean to distribute rice or maize to the people; rather, I refer to compressed natural gas and improved public transportation, among other things.
According to him, security and welfare are every leadership’s top priorities because the average Nigerian is going through a lot of hardship.
I work for a private company, and I am aware of my salary. If I spend more than 65 percent of my income on transportation, how am I going to deal with the current state of the nation brought on by the loss of fuel subsidies? I must provide for my wife and three kids. It is a sad story, Abdulazeez Kewulere continued.
A Lagos-based economist named Fiyinfoluwa told WITHIN NIGERIA over the phone that he wonders why President Tinubu is more focused on eliminating fuel subsidies than fighting fuel subsidy corruption, which would be two victories for our country.
The 30-year-old economist, who is also in favor of cutting fuel subsidies, argued that oil theft and other forms of subsidy corruption should also be targeted by this administration.
The fact is that we can no longer allow fuel subsidy as a country, thus it must be eliminated. But there had to be crucial strategies that would mitigate the effects of its withdrawal, which this administration failed to implement, putting Nigerians through suffering, he continued.
According to Fiyin, the political elite have demonstrated a lack of empathy for the plight of the common people, making it challenging for typical Nigerians to view the decision as anti-people.
Because there is a lack of funding, we want to eliminate the fuel subsidy. We cut off fuel subsidies to fund infrastructure improvements, yet politicians and public servants continue to receive enormous salaries and live luxurious lives. The expense of governance does not decrease. He continued: “People who are the main targets of the removal of fuel subsidies would undoubtedly see it as an attack on their persons and businesses.”
While expressing support for the elimination of fuel subsidies, Fiyinfoluwa contended that the timing and procedure leading up to it made a farce of the admirable choice.
Fiyin also urged President Bola Tinubu to enact a temporary subsidy program until practical palliatives designed to lessen the consequences could be implemented.