The Female Drivers Association of Nigeria (FEDAN) has sought inclusivity and compressed natural gas (CNG) support to survive the fuel crisis, saying its impact has been severe.

The association’s founder and president, Eunice Odeghe, expressed this concern in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja. Ms Odeghe described the CNG initiative as a welcome and more economical alternative but said none of her members had benefited from the government’s CNG conversion programme.

“It has not been easy. Sometimes, you buy fuel for N30,000, and it gives you just a few litres. You travel long distances and may get only two passengers, paying less than N1,000. You cannot make ends meet. If women can be considered for it, that would be good. We are ready to be trained, and we are ready to have our cars converted. A few of us have converted ours independently,” she said.

She appealed to the government to increase the number of CNG stations across the country, lamenting that drivers spent up to six hours queuing to refill.

On the recent announcement of fare reductions at NNPC stations for commercial drivers, she said the idea was good but its implementation was flawed. Speaking on the association’s objectives, Ms Odeghe said driving was not just about moving from one point to another but also a pathway to financial freedom for women.

Ms Odeghe said the association aimed to promote women in the transport sector, empower them through driving as a source of income and advocate gender balance in the transport system. She said the association, with support from agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps, trained women to become professional drivers who could meet workplace policies and safety standards.

Ms Odeghe added that about 200 women had been trained from scratch to become professional drivers, while others joined the association after receiving training. She said the association also educated women on protecting themselves from crime on the road and identifying human trafficking, in partnership with the Network Against Child Trafficking (NATC) and other international bodies.

Ms Odeghe said the association had about one million women drivers across the federation, with branches in several states. She called for greater inclusion of female drivers in the ongoing transport reforms.

She appealed to the government to train more women as professional drivers and provide vehicles on loan at reasonable rates, noting that most women could not access bank loans to purchase vehicles. On harassment on the road, Odeghe acknowledged that driving was male-dominated and said female drivers faced intimidation and harassment from male colleagues and sometimes passengers.

She, however, commended men who encouraged female drivers, stressing that the association worked with transport unions, the police and other relevant authorities to resolve harassment cases.

Speaking on frequent tanker-related crashes, she urged strict enforcement of the policy restricting tankers to night movement. She called for dedicated truck lanes similar to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane in Lagos.

Ms Odeghe urged female drivers to prioritise family well-being, stressing that domestic peace is essential for maintaining focus and safety while driving.

(NAN)