Protests imminent as fuel scarcity worsens Nigeria’s cost of living crisis

Following the strike embarked upon by petroleum truck drivers on Monday, February 19, 2024, fuel queues have surfaced in many parts of the country, compounding Nigerians’ plights on the lingering cost of living crisis.

Fuel queues have surfaced in major cities including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Kaduna, Lagos, Abeokuta and Port Harcourt.

The fuel crisis followed the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners’ directives to its members not to make their trucks available for transportation of petroleum products from Monday, February 19, 2024, due to the high cost of operations.

The association in a recent letter addressed to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), said its members can no longer continue operations because of the ‘excruciating challenges’ they face, adding that efforts to get the concerned authorities to address their plights were unsuccessful.

However, the lingering food and cost of living crisis in the country has sparked protests in some areas.

On Monday, commercial activities were disrupted in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, as the youth took to the streets to protest over the economic situation of the country.

The protest which reportedly started from the Mokola roundabout in the heart of Ibadan hit other busy areas including Ekotedo, Onireke, Sango, Bodija, Agbowo, and Ojoo.

The protesting youth carried placards with inscriptions that called on President Bola Tinubu to fulfil his ‘Renewed Hope’ promise and end economic hardship.

President Bola Tinubu [Presidency] Pulse Nigeria

Some of the inscriptions read, ‘Mr President, this is not the hope you promised,’ ‘This is shege,’ ‘Is this the renewed hope that you promised?’ ‘End hardship,’ and so on.

Meanwhile, organised labour has started mobilising its members across the country for its two-day nationwide protest slated for February 27 and 28.

Benson Upah, the Head of Information of the Nigeria Labour Congress, confirmed the development to ThePunch in an interview, saying NLC affiliates are also being mobilised for the protest.

He maintained that the NLC would not shelve or postpone the protest because nothing has changed to warrant that.

It would be recalled that protests over the economic situation of the country started in Kano and Minna when residents of the states trooped out earlier in February to complain about economic hardship.

The protesters cited the rising prices of essential food items and what they perceive as inadequate government measures to address the economic challenges as reasons for their actions.