*Many commuters seen stranded at bus stops in Abuja as transport operators increase their fares
By Eunice Orike, Chika Okeke & Olugbenga Salami
Commuters in Abuja and neighbouring communities were left stranded on Monday as the latest increase in fuel prices triggered a sharp rise in transport fares, adding to the financial pressure on residents already grappling with the rising cost of living.
Tens of commuters, including workers and students returning for a new academic session, were stranded at several bus stops as commercial transport operators increased fares and, in some areas, reduced the number of vehicles available to passengers.
In Abuja’s satellite communities and parts of Nasarawa State, where thousands of workers reside, fares on major routes rose sharply, with some commuters reporting increases of up to 50 per cent and, in some cases, nearly double their usual fares.
At Lugbe along the Airport Road, checks by the Nigerian Pilot showed that a journey from some streets to the main bus stop, which previously cost N200, had risen to N300. Similarly, the fare from the bus stop to the Secretariat increased from N800 to N1,000.
A commuter who spoke with the Nigerian Pilot said the sudden increase frustrated many passengers, particularly those who were not prepared for the higher fares.
She said commercial drivers were unwilling to negotiate with passengers and often frowned at those who attempted to bargain, while some commuters were forced to remain at bus stops after discovering that they could not afford the new fares.
Another commuter, Mary Okafor, who travels from Police Signboard in Lugbe to Wuse, said she paid N1,200 instead of the usual N1,000.
Similarly, passengers travelling from Police Signboard to Area 1 are now paying N1,200, representing a N200 increase from the previous fare of N1,000.
The situation was also pronounced in communities across the Abuja-Nasarawa corridor.
In Masaka, Gwandara, Ado, Koroduma and Mararaba, fares increased significantly as commuters struggled to find affordable transportation into the Federal Capital Territory.
A trip from Masaka to Abuja, which previously cost between N800 and N1,000, now attracts about N1,500, while the fare from Mararaba to AYA/Asokoro Junction has increased from N800 to N1,000.
A commuter, Alhaji Sule Farouk, said he paid N1,700 from Zimbabwe community in Nasarawa State to Berger Bus Stop in Abuja, compared with the previous fare of N1,200.
The increase was also recorded along the Suleja-Abuja axis of Niger State.
Commuters travelling from Suleja Junction on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway to Berger in the FCT were charged between N2,500 and N3,200, compared with the previous fare of between N2,000 and N2,200.
Commuters were seen stranded in large numbers at Gauraka, AP, Zuba, Deidei and other bus stops along the route.
A commercial bus driver, Cosmos Nweze, attributed the fare increases to the rising cost of petrol, saying both passengers and transport operators were bearing the impact.
“It’s not only the passengers that are suffering, but we are suffering too,” Nweze said.
He said he bought petrol at N1,450 per litre on Monday morning, adding that the N1,500 fare being charged on some routes was barely enough to cover the rising cost of operations.
According to him, ongoing road construction and traffic congestion also contribute to higher fuel consumption, while the cost of spare parts and vehicle maintenance has risen sharply.
He said transport operators were therefore being forced to adjust fares to remain in business.
Meanwhile, checks at filling stations in Lugbe showed variations in petrol prices. Some outlets, including AA Rano and Danmarna filling stations, sold petrol below N1,400 per litre, while other major stations sold at about N1,450 and N1,500 per litre.
The varying pump prices have further fuelled uncertainty among motorists and transport operators, with fares increasingly determined by fuel availability, traffic conditions and operating costs.
As of Monday afternoon, long queues were still observed at bus stops along the Mararaba-Nyanya-Keffi corridor, while commuters continued to complain about the additional burden imposed by the fare increases.
Many passengers called on the Federal Government to urgently address the rising cost of fuel, warning that continued increases in transportation costs would deepen hardship, disrupt household budgets and negatively affect productivity in the nation’s capital.
