Some residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have urged the federal government to strengthen measures cushioning soaring fuel prices, saying existing interventions have provided limited relief.

The residents spoke in separate interviews on Wednesday in Abuja.

They acknowledged government efforts to ease hardship, citing the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, conversion programmes and other palliative measures.

However, they said the interventions remained inadequate.

According to them, most Nigerians still depend on petrol-powered transport and generators for their daily livelihoods.

They also noted recent global developments, mentioned tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and higher international crude prices.

The residents further referenced the collapse of the naira-for-crude arrangement involving the Dangote Refinery.

A civil servant, Christopher Yos, said the government should deploy part of increased oil earnings to cushion citizens.

“If Nigeria earns more because crude prices rise globally, part of that windfall should protect citizens from unbearable petrol costs,” he said.

Mr Yos described the CNG initiative as commendable, noting however that its benefits had yet to reach the majority of Nigerians.

“Most commercial vehicles still run on petrol. Outside a few cities, CNG infrastructure remains limited. The programme needs faster expansion,” he said.

An educationist, Grace Okechukwu, said domestic refining should translate into greater consumer benefits.

“Dangote Refinery produces petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and other products. Nigerians naturally expect local refining to moderate domestic fuel prices over time,” she said.

She urged government and domestic refiners to sustain constructive engagement, expressing optimism that policy certainty would encourage investment while protecting consumers.

A commercial driver, Emmanuel Danjuma, said transport operators remain under severe financial pressure.

“Transport fares keep rising because fuel dominates our operating costs. Passengers complain, yet operators are barely surviving,” he said.

He noted that only a fraction of transport operators had benefited from government-backed CNG initiatives.

“Many drivers cannot afford vehicle conversion costs or lack access to conversion centres. More support is needed,” he added.

An entrepreneur, Julie Archibong, said small businesses continued to struggle with energy costs.

She said government interventions are appreciated, but most small businesses still rely on petrol generators because electricity remains unreliable.

Ms Archibong said affordable energy remained critical to slowing food inflation and preserving jobs.

An economist, Chinedu Epunam, said that social protection should complement ongoing market reforms.

“The government deserves credit for introducing CNG and other initiatives. However, the scale remains too small compared with the hardship facing millions,” he said.

Mr Epunam said temporary and targeted support funded from higher oil revenues could ease pressure while longer-term reforms matured.

The residents urged the government to accelerate CNG infrastructure, expand conversion support and improve electricity supply.

They also called for transparent use of increased oil revenues to reduce the burden of rising fuel costs on households and businesses.

(NAN)