Petrol Hits ₦1,200 Per Litre in Anambra, Transport Fares Spike by Over 50%

The price of petrol rose to as high as ₦1,200 per litre in parts of Anambra State over the weekend, leading to a sharp increase in transportation fares for both intra-city and inter-state travel.

A survey conducted by our correspondent across major towns, including Onitsha, Nnewi, Ekwulobia, and parts of Awka, revealed that many filling stations remained shut. The few outlets that were operational witnessed long queues, selling petrol at prices ranging from ₦1,100 to ₦1,200 per litre.

On Sunday, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited mega and mini stations in Awka, along with several other major marketers, were either closed or unable to dispense fuel. However, two stations along the Onitsha–Awka Expressway Altrac Filling Station and Hanaco sold petrol at ₦1,150 per litre, attracting a modest number of buyers.

The situation triggered widespread concern among motorists and commuters, who lamented the rising cost of transportation and its effect on daily life.

Findings by Harmattan News indicated that intra-city transport fares rose by more than 50 per cent in some areas. Routes previously charged at ₦200 now cost ₦300, while fares that were ₦500 increased to about ₦700.

At the Upper Iweka Motor Park in Onitsha, transporters charged approximately ₦2,000 for a trip to Awka, up from between ₦1,000 and ₦1,500. Similar increases were recorded for journeys to neighbouring states.

At the Ekwulobia Motor Park, fares from Igboukwu to Nkpor and Onitsha jumped from ₦2,000 to ₦4,000, leaving many passengers stranded.

The fare hike also impacted the cost of goods and services across markets visited, with traders linking the increases to rising fuel and transportation expenses.

Some commuters were seen trekking to their destinations after disagreements with drivers over fares, while others struggled to return from church services and other engagements.

Transport operators attributed the fare adjustments to the persistent rise in petrol prices, noting that the situation had worsened in recent days.

Speaking with our correspondent, Chukwudi Ezeh, a commercial driver at Solution Park in Awka, said, “The fare increase is a direct result of the continuous hike in petrol prices. It started last week when the price rose from ₦860 to ₦960, and eventually hit ₦1,200 by the weekend.

“We tried to maintain old fares for as long as we could, but we could no longer absorb the cost. Passengers should bear with us; once fuel prices stabilise, fares will return to normal.”

Another driver at Nnewi Triangle Park, Chidi Onyekachukwu, said the hike had reduced their daily earnings, forcing them to adjust fares in order to remain viable.

“Our income has been severely affected. We had to raise fares slightly to ensure we could still make something at the end of the day. The government needs to intervene. The constant fluctuation in fuel prices is worrying,” he said.

Ifeoma Obiora, a civil servant who lives in Onitsha but works in Awka, told our correspondent that she now pays ₦2,000 for a one-way trip, up from ₦1,500.

“The rise in transport fare has added to the financial burden on households. To make matters worse, electricity supply has been erratic for weeks, forcing many to rely on generators to pump water and run basic appliances.

“The Federal Government must act urgently to address both fuel prices and power supply to ease the suffering of the people,” she said.

Another resident in Onitsha, Mama Chisom, said she purchased petrol at ₦1,200 per litre just to power her generator amid ongoing blackouts.

“This situation is frightening. We are worried about what the rest of the week will look like if prices continue to rise,” she added.

Some officials of the Anambra Drivers Union expressed hope that the situation would improve before the end of the week.

Meanwhile, Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Enugu Zone, which covers Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu, explained that the price increase was due to changes at the supply level.

“The price of Premium Motor Spirit has gone up because Dangote, our main supplier, added about ₦110 per litre. This is not an arbitrary hike by marketers it reflects the current cost of supply,” Anyaso said.