Amid continued fuel scarcity and increased pump price, petrol could sell for N1,000 per litre at the black market.

Chinonso Orji, a taxi driver, said the scarcity of fuel and the activities of black marketers had affected his business as he had to increase fares to meet the current situation.

”I resorted to buying from the black marketers who sell a litre of fuel for N1,000,” Mr Orji claimed.

On Monday, Nigerians in Abuja decried the high cost of transportation, blaming petrol scarcity and black marketers.

They accused filling stations of hoarding petrol, preferring to sell to black marketers, who in turn sell to end-users at exorbitant prices.

A commuter, Igwe Sarah, said her transport fare increased by 100 per cent, paying N200 to get to work instead of N100.

Another commuter, Adeyinka Akinwumi, said she paid between N300 and N500 from Masaka to Wuse, which usually cost N150.

However, a bus driver, Friday Samuel, said the black marketers made things easy for him as a driver.

According to Mr Samuel, some filling stations sell only at night to the black marketers, denying motorists the opportunity to buy fuel during the day.

“Black marketers are visible everywhere on the streets since fuel scarcity rocked the nation,” said Mr Samuel. ”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.”

(NAN)