The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) in Niger have announced an increase in transport fares due to the sharp rise in the price of petrol.

Speaking in separate interviews on Thursday in Minna, leaders of the unions attributed the fare hike to the recent surge in fuel prices and the rising cost of vehicle parts, both impacting their operations.

Ibrahim Musa, chairman of NURTW Branch III, Abdulsalami Abubakar Garage, Minna, stated that the fare from Minna to Abuja was raised from N6,000 to N7,000. The fare for Minna to Kaduna was increased from N6,500 to N8,000.

“We have raised the transport fare from Minna to Abuja by N1,000 and from Minna to Kaduna by N1,500. This is not an attempt to exploit passengers, but a necessary response to the recent hike in fuel prices and the increased cost of vehicle parts,” Mr Musa said.

He further noted that fares from Minna to Zuba and Diko now stand at N4,000 and N3,500, respectively, up from N3,500 and N3,000.

Mr Musa appealed to the federal and state governments to urgently address the rising transport sector costs before operators are forced out of business.

Abubakar Ndanusa, chairman of TOAN in Niger, highlighted the burden of higher fuel costs and the rising price of tricycles.

“The price of a new tricycle has skyrocketed to between N3.2 million and N3.5 million. Many of us are on hire purchase agreements, making the cost even higher. We have no choice but to increase fares by N50 to N100 per drop, depending on the distance,” he said.

He also noted a decline in passenger numbers, as many people now limit their travel to essential trips due to the current economic conditions.

A visit to several petrol stations in Minna revealed that the price of petrol had risen sharply, with Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) affiliate stations selling fuel at N897 per litre, up from N617 per litre earlier.

Danladi Maku, a supervisor at Matrix Filling Station, City-gate Minna, confirmed that fuel prices had surged from N820 to N950 per litre. At Shafa Filling Station, prices had also jumped from N860 to N950 per litre.

Meanwhile, black market sellers near NNPCL mega stations have also raised their price, with petrol now being sold at N1,200 per litre from N1,100.

Both NURTW and TOAN urged the government to intervene and support the transport sector to prevent a total collapse, as the escalating costs continue to strain operators and passengers alike.

(NAN)