The hiking of fare has always been an annual issue in Nigeria during festive period.
The situation is worst in Lagos, where transporters have hiked fares increased by more than 100 per cent.
At major bus terminals, commuters wait for non available buses, while the bus drivers blame fuel shortage for the number of the few buses available, noting that many of the drivers are in queues at petrol stations.
A driver explained that the few ones, who got their fuel from the black market had no option but to increase fares so as to recoup their money.
Petrol shortage has persisted for a while across the country, as Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, continued to sell petrol at N215 per litre to marketers.
This is an excess of N67 per litre or 31 per cent when compared to N148 per litre being charged at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL depots.
Independent marketers that patronize the private depots sell the product at over N220 per litre, while the major oil marketers sell at N170 per litre at their filling stations.
Many filling stations across the country were shut and the ones with stock continued to sell the product to motorists and other parties at far over the official price, while the ones selling for below N200 had long queues.
In Abuja, fuel stations offering the product at the government price of N169 had queues, while the independent marketers, which were selling the product for between N220 and N300 had no queues.
The Eastern part of the country is not left out, as motorists have increased fares, blaming the development on high petrol prices by marketers.
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