By Abdulqadir Muhammad Alhaji
The sharp rise in petrol prices across Nigeria is beginning to take a visible toll on transportation and the daily lives of ordinary citizens, particularly along the busy highway linking Bauchi and Jos.
Once known for its constant movement of vehicles, the road now experiences unusually long quiet moments, with residents saying it is no longer surprising to wait five to ten minutes without seeing a single car pass.
For many commercial drivers, the reason is simple: fuel has become too expensive to continue operating as before.
Drivers who once depended on the route for daily income say the high cost of petrol has forced them to drastically reduce their trips or stop working entirely. Many complain that the transport fares required to cover fuel expenses are too high for passengers to afford.
“We cannot continue like this,” one commercial driver said. “If we increase transport fare, passengers refuse to enter. If we keep the old price, we will only be working at a loss.”
The situation has left many drivers stranded at motor parks while others have parked their vehicles indefinitely, waiting for conditions to improve.
For poor Nigerians who rely heavily on public transportation to travel to work, markets, and hospitals, the situation is even more difficult. Many now choose to stay home rather than pay the rising cost of transportation.
Small traders who transport goods between villages and nearby towns also say their businesses are suffering. With fewer vehicles on the road, moving goods has become slower and more expensive, reducing profits and worsening economic hardship.
The quiet stretches of the Bauchi-Jos highway now reflect a deeper national problem: the rising cost of fuel is not only affecting transportation but also threatening the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians who depend on daily movement to survive.
For many struggling families, the road that once symbolized economic activity now stands as a reminder of how difficult life has become.
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