The failure of a government becomes evident when it neglects its responsibility to enact effective policies that will enhance the well-being of its citizens. Data from the second quarter of 2023 show an increase of those living in poverty, arguably fuelled by the snap fuel subsidy removal. Without palliative measures to ease the sudden triple fold petrol prices, Nigerians took a direct hit as a result.
This development has had severe repercussions on all walks of life, leading to the reduction of Nigerian daily fuel consumption from 66.9 million gallons in May, to 48.43 million gallons in June. That is a staggering 28% drop in just a month. As Nigerians are strangled by the fuel subsidy removal, electricity tariff increases of 40% took effect on the 1st of July, the thread holding on Nigerians finally slipped, cost of living has gone off the roof.
Commuters are left in tatters and despair as the triple fold petroleum prices are transferred to the cost of transportation. If I were to pay the current fare, within a week, the cost of going to work would have exceeded my salary, a commuter told us. The president was seen in the country’s largest city, Lagos on a motorcade of over one hundred vehicles, the public was enraged by such extravagant lifestyle for a president who has introduced snap decrees that has wreaked havoc on the masses.
We went to the street to document the life of one such commuter, going through a day of his life to understand the reality of ‘Living and Working in Nigeria’. Jude, our commuter, who lives in Bwari, an outskirt township of Abuja takes us through his life. See the video below…
Writer: – Chidimma ONWUOKWU –
Screenplay: – Ogoro Simon Ogoro and Emmanuel Akoh –Â
