Residents of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have increasingly turned to public transportation as the rising cost of petrol continues to strain household finances, forcing many car owners to park their vehicles indefinitely.
Findings show that several once-busy routes in Abuja, including the Kubwa expressway and the Suleja–Madalla corridor, now experience noticeably reduced traffic during weekdays as more residents opt out of driving due to fuel costs.
The trend reflects a broader shift across the city, where commuters are either switching to public transport or trekking long distances to work in order to cope with rising expenses.
A civil servant, Sholape Kolawole, said she had stopped using her car because she could no longer sustain daily fuel purchases on her salary.
She explained that while commercial transport is also expensive, it remains more affordable than fuelling her private vehicle regularly.
Another resident, James Obasi, who works as a commercial driver in Kubwa, said the fuel situation has severely affected transport operators and small businesses, calling for urgent government intervention.
Similarly, Emmanuel Ajayi noted that relying on multiple transport modes has become physically and financially exhausting, urging authorities to act quickly to ease the burden on citizens.
Development expert Aliyu Ilias linked the situation partly to global oil market instability, suggesting that Nigeria could stabilise fuel prices by supplying crude oil to local refineries at discounted rates to boost local refining capacity and reduce pump prices.
He warned that declining purchasing power and reduced disposable income are worsening living conditions for many households.
In a related reaction, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) described the fuel price increase as an “economic ambush,” warning that it could cripple small businesses and increase unemployment, especially among youths and women.
The group also called for urgent government action to prevent further economic hardship.
