Rising petrol prices are beginning to alter daily movement in Abuja, with commuters facing sharply higher fares and some residents abandoning commercial vehicles for trekking as the cost of transportation rises.

The impact was evident in several parts of the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday, where passengers at bus stops struggled to find affordable rides during the morning rush hour. Some commuters reportedly postponed their journeys, while others waited for cheaper vehicles or walked portions of their routes.

Transport fares on some major Abuja routes were said to have increased by about 50 per cent, adding fresh pressure to household budgets already strained by food, electricity, rent and other essential costs.

The effect was also visible on the roads. The City Gate axis and the corridor linking Game Village with Area One, normally busy during the morning peak, recorded relatively light traffic as fewer commuters appeared able or willing to pay the higher fares.

The pressure extends beyond Abuja. A caller to 95.1 Nigeria Info FM reportedly said petrol sold for N1,800 per litre in Kaduna on Monday, while another purchase in a rural part of Southern Kaduna was said to have cost N2,000 per litre.

The rising transport cost is likely to have consequences beyond commuters, as higher vehicle operating expenses can increase the cost of moving food, farm produce, goods and workers. For many households, the immediate concern is therefore not the pump price alone but what it adds to their daily cost of living.

The development has also triggered renewed political criticism, with presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, demanding an account of the revenues and savings generated since the removal of petrol subsidy.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku questioned why petrol could sell for N1,470 per litre despite crude oil prices being below the $147 per barrel level recorded in 2008, when petrol sold for N65.

Atiku called for greater transparency in the management of oil and Federation Account revenues, including an independent reconciliation of collections and deductions.

The Federal Government, which has consistently defended subsidy removal as necessary to end an unsustainable system and free resources for development, had not responded to his latest demand as of press time. Source: Report by Oscar Okhifo, Abuja.