How fuel hike affects women in business

Both businesses and households rely largely on petrol and diesel to power their generators due to the epileptic electricity supply.  Since the increase in fuel price recently, some women have been lamenting how it has affected their businesses. Our investigations revealed that the situation is almost crippling some of their businesses. Loveth Agbo, who has […]

Both businesses and households rely largely on petrol and diesel to power their generators due to the epileptic electricity supply.  Since the increase in fuel price recently, some women have been lamenting how it has affected their businesses.
Our investigations revealed that the situation is almost crippling some of their businesses.
Loveth Agbo, who has a hair dressing salon in Kubwa, narrated her experience: “I used to fill my generator with petrol of N2,000 but now I bought for N3000 and it did not fill the generator.  When I tell customers that retouching of hair is now 700 instead of 500 as a result of high cost of petrol, they will complain and go away. So, I am losing customers.”
Ramatu Usman, who has an engine for milling grains, explained her plight:
“I just bought two litres at N600 at the black market because I cannot carry my engine to the fuel station. When petrol was N86 it was 250, but now that it is 145, they are selling at N300. The worst part is when I tell a customer to pay higher they will complain. Some will promise to bring my money later and will not come back. When I deduct the expenses on fuel; there is no profit anymore. The government should reduce the price of fuel because the poor masses are suffering.”
Mrs Joy Arinze, who is a tailor tells our reporters she buys fuel for her generator because some of her machines, specifically, the ones for designs are electric and cannot work manually. “Since they increased the fuel price, the cost of doing business has increased. And when you charge customers, they say they don’t have money to pay. What do we do?, ” she asked hypothetically.
Sikirat Jimoh, a caterer said the increase in the fuel price has made the cost of everything shoot up. “The cost of every food item has increased; we are not even talking about tomatoes. It is just unbearable for us, but business must go on”, she said.
Mrs Amaka Chima who operates a laundry business said she supports the increase in fuel price as long as it settles the problem of fuel scarcity.
“We were buying in black market for N200 because our businesses needed to go on.  My take is as long as it is available, it’s okay, but the cost of doing business will increase”, she said.