Fuel Scarcity: Nigerians Bemoan Activities of Black Marketers

A cross section of Nigerians on Monday decried the high cost of transportation, attributing it to the fuel scarcity and activities of black marketers.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that fuel stations are hoarding the product to sell to black marketers who in turn sell to end users at exorbitant prices.
Chinonso Orji, a taxi driver, said that the scarcity of fuel and the activities of black marketers have affected his business negatively.

Orji said he has to increase prices to meet with the current situation, adding “I now charge N500 and above for places I use to charge N200 due to fuel scarcity.”

He said that this was because he could not get fuel and had to queue at the filling stations for days without getting the product.

”I resulted into buying from the black marketers who sell a liter of fuel for N1,000,” Orji said.

Igwe Sarah, a commuter, said her transport fare has increase by 100 per cent, since she now paid N200 to her workplace as against N100.

Adeyinka Akinwumi, another commuter, said she paid between N300 and N500 from Masaka to Wuse as against the usual N150.

Friday Samuel, bus driver, however, said that the black marketers make things easy for him as a driver.

“I can only work with what is available. The black marketers make it easier for me to get the product though at an exorbitant price.

Samuel alleged that some filling stations sell only at night to the black marketers, denying the motorists the opportunity of buying during the day.

”Black marketers are visible everywhere on the streets since fuel scarcity rocked the nation.

”While motorists spend hours and in most cases the entire day queueing without getting the product, the black marketers have constant access to the product.