As the fuel scarcity bites harder with long queues seen at every station that have the products, black market fuel sellers in Abuja are cashing out at the opportunity of the brisk business.
Cited at close proximity to various filling stations, the black marketers are selling a litre of fuel which sold for N162 per litre only a few weeks ago at petrol stations, between N300 to N500 per litre.
Some fuel stations in Abuja on Tuesday resorted to selling N5,000 worth of fuel per vehicle to enable it to go round.
Black market sellers speak
A man identified as Ahmed who spoke to Nairametrics in his local dialect on Wednesday morning said yesterday, he made about N30,000 as gain from selling fuel in jerry cans.
“I saw it as a business opportunity and I decided to try and see the outcome. But after the gain I made the first day, I decided to buy more rubbers and took my friends to go and queue in the midnight to buy the fuel,” he said.
When asked how much he sells per litre, he said it was determined by how desperate the buyer looks at the point of sale.
“I sell for N300 per litre, but sometimes you will see people that their vehicle has gone off because of no fuel and since I have to run a distance, I sell for 400 or 450 per litre,” he said.
Another black market seller who gave his name as Musa told Nairametrics that he wishes the fuel scarcity will continue as he can now go home daily with money that is enough to feed his family.
He said, “Things have been difficult for me for some months now, but since my friend told me about this fuel jerry-can business, I can now feed my family daily unlike before when I barely brought home money that will feed them three times.”
“I know it’s a bad prayer, but I wish this thing can continue so that I can be able to feed my family like I have been doing this past few days.”
“I make about N200 gain for each litre I sell. Some people do not even wish to buy from us, but after they have stayed in queues for a long time and they cannot bear it, they still run to us,“ Musa added.
The people lament…
A lady identified as Angela standing in front of NIPCO fuel station on Kubwa expressway to hike a vehicle to her destination told Nairametrics that she was already frustrated as she has been there for almost two hours.
“This fuel thing is getting worse every day. We don’t know what is happening again. I have been here since before 7am and till now, only a few vehicles have passed and I have not been lucky to board one because we have to struggle to jump in.”
She further said, “If not because I have important work to do in my office today I would have just stayed home.”
Most people interviewed by Nairametrics lamented the increase in transport fares. A driver identified as Mr Monday said he slept in a petrol station just to queue for fuel which made him increase the transport fare by N100.
“I went to the filling station yesterday night and I spent almost 5 hours before it was my turn to buy fuel. Tell me, if it’s you, wouldn’t you increase the fare?,” he queried.
A Bolt driver named Micheal told Nairametrics that he was at a fuel station in Lugbe from 3am until about 5am before he was able to buy fuel.
NIPCO filling station on Kubwa expressway was the only fuel station that was selling fuel as at the time of filing this report, hence the over 1kilometre long traffic caused by fuel buyers and other motorists.
Commuters could also be seen in their numbers waiting at different bus stops trying to get vehicles to convey them to their destinations.
