- Petrol pump prices have jumped to ₦1,200 per litre in major Anambra cities, with most filling stations and NNPCL outlets remaining shut.
- Transportation costs have doubled on several routes, with intra-city fares increasing by 50% and some inter-state trips rising by 100%.
- IPMAN attributes the spike to a ₦110 per litre increase at the supply source, following recent price adjustments from the Dangote Refinery.
Anambra residents faced a difficult weekend as petrol prices soared to ₦1,200 per litre across the state.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the sudden hike has triggered a sharp increase in transportation fares, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded at motor parks and forcing others to trek long distances.
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A survey across Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia on Sunday revealed that most filling stations have stopped dispensing fuel.
The few stations still selling recorded long queues, with prices ranging between ₦1,100 and ₦1,200. NNPCL retail outlets in the state capital were largely closed, leaving independent marketers to dictate the market rate.
The impact on commuters has been immediate. Transporters at the Upper Iweka Motor Park in Onitsha are now charging ₦2,000 for trips to Awka, up from the previous range of ₦1,000 to ₦1,500. Intra-city fares have also seen a 50 percent jump, with ₦200 routes now costing ₦300.
In Ekwulobia, travelers heading to Onitsha reported fares as high as ₦4,000, double the usual ₦2,000 rate.
Commercial drivers have defended the new rates, stating they can no longer bear the rising cost of operations. Chukwudi Ezeh, a driver in Awka, noted that petrol prices jumped from ₦860 to ₦1,200 in just one week.
He explained that drivers are struggling to make a take-home income as fuel costs swallow most of their daily earnings.
Beyond transportation, the fuel crisis is hitting households hard. Persistent power outages across the state have forced residents to rely on petrol-powered generators for water and basic appliances.
Civil servant Ifeoma Obiora lamented that the ₦1,200 pump price is putting an unbearable strain on already stretched household finances. Traders in local markets are also adjusting food prices, citing the increased cost of moving produce.
Chinedu Anyaso, the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for the Enugu Zone, clarified that the hike is not arbitrary.
According to Anyaso, the increase reflects a ₦110 per litre hike from the Dangote Refinery, which is a major supplier. He noted that marketers are reacting to supply chain realities rather than creating artificial scarcity.
As the new week begins, residents are calling for urgent government intervention to stabilize fuel prices and restore electricity supply to ease the mounting hardship.
