- President Bola Tinubu’s announcement to abolish fuel subsidies, which he announced on the day he took office, has led to persistent fuel shortages in the country.
- Nigerians are currently facing another fuel shortage in the country as the cost of the commodity is at an all-time high.
- However, the situation is different in Niger and the Republic of Benin, two neighboring countries that receive a steady supply of fuel from Nigerian smugglers at a cheaper price.
Nigerians have been facing the dilemma of fuel shortages in the country since President Bola Tinubu announced the abolition of fuel subsidies in his inaugural address on May 29, 2023 at Eagles Square.
On the contrary: the population of the two West African neighbouring countries Benin and Niger regularly receives fuel from Nigerian smugglers who sell their fuel cheaper than the official prices at the petrol stations in these countries.
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Why drivers use the black market in Niger and Benin
Low prices on the black market encourage motorists to support Nigerian smugglers in these countries, while the higher value of the CFA (West African currency) against the Naira encourages these smugglers to continue smuggling Nigerian fuel into neighboring countries.
The blow reported that despite the fuel shortage in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin has a stable supply of fuel from smugglers and authorized dealers.
How much does fuel cost in the Republic of Benin?
Petrol in the Republic of Benin costs 700 CFA francs per liter, approximately N1,850, which is cheaper than in Nigeria.
At petrol stations in cities in the Republic of Benin, such as Cotonou and Calavi, there are no long queues and the fuel supply works well.
In Illela, a border town between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger, a litre of petrol costs about 1,000 naira, while in Konni in the Republic of Niger it costs between 1,250 and 1,300 naira.
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Is there a fuel shortage in the Republic of Niger?
There is no fuel shortage in the Republic of Niger and fuel prices are similar in both countries.
Mallam Abubakar Bello, a motorcyclist from Illela, said there was no difference in petrol prices between Illela and Sokoto and that most people did not use petrol stations.
Another motorist in Konni, Niger Republic, Mahmoud Sanusi, said there was no big difference in fuel costs between the two countries.
He added that the withdrawal of subsidies by the Nigerian government had not only affected the people of Nigeria but also the people of the Republic of Niger.
Anti-NNPC protesters fight dirty over money
Legit.ng It was previously reported that drama erupted at a hotel in Abuja when protesters were caught arguing over money allegedly from sponsors of the protests.
The Civil Society Network on Economic and Social Advancement has reportedly been tasked with organising a protest rally against NNPC Limited over the fuel crisis in the country.
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However, members of the group are said to have ignored the protest, which led to a dispute over the formula for dividing the money.
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
