It is now known that the new fuel price is between N488 and N515 in the South and between N520 and N557 in the North. These are official rates. If you will be unlucky to buy it in private filling stations, you will likely pay N600/L in the North. Our resilience mode is activated and we must find a way of surviving the new price.
Experience
Like other Nigerians, I have learned to live with these realities since the late 1980s when saboteurs started burning down our refineries before importers and officials communed to undermine every effort to revive them.
The last reality hit us when price of diesel skyrocketed from N260 to N880 a year ago. We resorted to packing all delivery trucks except one and hiring petrol driven public transport. Then we quickly replaced those two inefficient, diesel-wasting, old generators with new ones that will use less diesel for unit of production. We also converted all 3 tons diesel engine carriers to petrol engines. Finally, we followed the market trend: adjusted the price of my product to meet the new reality. That was how we quickly stabilized.
We are back in panic mode this morning. The petrol we resorted to is now expensive too. I wish we can convert the trucks to solar. Since we cannot, we must join other Nigerians to figure out what to do with the new price. Here are my suggestions.
Suggestions
1. Limit movement: Driving a distance of 100km and back with your car may cost you N12,000. If it is Abuja, 300km away and back, you will need at least 80 litres or N42,000. So simply do not move until it is absolutely necessary. Try other means of doing it.
2. Go digital: Maximize the use of digital means to achieve the same result. Call to greet, discuss and hold meetings, transfer money to pay for goods, waybill orders, use couriers, google search products, etc. Operate from home as much as you can.
3. Shorten Distance: Patronize businesses and centres closer to you.
4. Public transport: If you must move, unless you are rich, use public transport. A distance of 30km and back will cost N6,000 fuel. It can be less than N1,000 by public transport. You can also call car hire service providers.
5. Go green: If you can afford it, go solar and allow the gen to rest. As a worker or low wage earner, use bicycle, foot and other means. Having bicycles and motorcycles will be an added advantage to car owners.
6. Workers: If you are a worker and you travel considerable distance especially, it is not a bad idea to negotiate for an upward review of your allowances and possibly minimum wage. But do not riot.
7. Adjust Prices: If you manufacture or sell products, adjust your price commensurate with the increase in production and living costs.
8. As a Nigerian: Pray that the money saved from subsidy will be put to good use and that there will not be another subsidy story again.
9. As Government: Invest in alternative energy for domestic, automobile and manufacturing demands by providing incentives, waivers and subsidies on alternative energy installation. Encourage electric car manufacturers in the country. Review workers salaries, revive railway transport, invest in mass transit, improve education and health delivery, reduce cost of governance, etc. If you do this—Baba Tinubu and our governors—we can forgive you.
Continue the Struggle
Head or tail, we will all adjust to the new price and life will return to normal. In the end, nothing changes in life. It is one struggle after another until our time is up.
Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde
31 May 2023
