FEATURE: Abia Keke Riders Appeal To Tinubu Amidst Economic Hardship

As Nigeria’s economy continues to grapple with rising inflation and surging fuel prices, a group bearing the brunt of these economic realities is the keke (tricycle) riders in Aba.

With fuel prices skyrocketing and the cost of maintaining their keke increasing daily, the once-profitable venture has become a struggle for survival for many drivers.

Series of interviews by THE WHISTLER with riders in Aba revealed the full impact of the economic downturn, shedding light on their challenges and the adaptations they’ve had to make to stay afloat.

Sunday Nnanna, a 42-year-old keke rider, formerly in the medical field, lamented how much the hike in fuel prices has hurt his earnings.

“Most of our income now goes to buying fuel. Keke wasn’t my first line of work, but circumstances brought me here,” he shared.

Sunday explained how the increase in fuel prices has affected not just the cost of transport but also relationships with passengers.

“Before, passengers paid ₦250 to Osisioma, but now it’s ₦400. If you don’t inform passengers on time about the new fare, it could lead to arguments later on,” he said.

Beyond fuel, the cost of maintaining the keke is another pressing issue. “Keke parts now seem to be more expensive than car parts. I recently had to make rims for my keke, which used to cost ₦20,000, but now it’s close to ₦100,000,” Nnanna recounted.

The steep rise in costs leaves many drivers going home with little or nothing after a long day on the road.

“After earning for the day, when you divide the money for maintaining your keke, money for fuel and money for food, you realize you’re going home empty-handed with little or nothing to save,” he said.

Other drivers also echoed Nnanna’s sentiments. Ndubuisi Offor Justice, another keke rider, age undisclosed, explained that while having his own keke makes things somewhat easier, those on hire-purchase deals are seeing “shege” (hardship).

“As I am, if I hustle hard, I can make up to ₦15,000 a day. By the time I’m done with expenses, including fuel, I’ll be going home with just ₦8,000. This is the same with a keke rider on hire-purchase who also has a family to take care of. From my experience, people on hire-purchase now remit ₦60,000 or ₦50,000 a week, depending. You can now imagine how difficult it is for them,” he said.

With the cost of fuel, keke parts, and the need to meet weekly remittance targets, drivers often find it hard to make ends meet. “Passengers always know when the price of fuel drops but not when it increases,” Justice remarked, highlighting the disconnection between drivers and their customers. “Yesterday, fuel was ₦1,140 per liter, but today it’s ₦1,300.”

In a similar vein, Donald Ndunagum, a 26-year-old keke rider, said the constant fuel hikes have slashed his daily profits. “Before, from Osisioma to the park was ₦200-250, but now, even with fuel at ₦1,300 per liter, passengers expect to pay the same fare,” he said.

The price of keke parts and oil has also surged. “I used to buy oil for ₦2,500 per liter, but now it’s ₦5,000,” Donald explained, noting that the increased cost of maintenance further eats into his earnings.

The issue of task forces, which used to be a significant challenge for Aba keke riders, appears to have improved. Most of the drivers interviewed around Bata said they no longer face as much harassment. “Compared to before, today we don’t have any challenges with task forces. We just pay the daily ticket of ₦350, which is very legit,” Sunday Nnanna said.

However, in Osisioma, a different story emerges, with drivers complaining about a lack of designated bus stops for loading and offloading passengers.

“The task force in Osisioma is a problem because there’s no place to load passengers. You could move from Osisioma to MCC without picking up anyone,” Donald lamented.

While speaking to THE WHISTLER, Joshua Ujoh, a 43-year-old keke rider who has been in the business for 5 years, echoed his concerns about Osisioma, explaining how difficult it is to operate in the area without designated loading spots. He also emphasized the importance of lowering fuel prices, saying, “The most important thing is for the price of fuel to come down. Once the price of fuel is reduced, everything else would normalize.”

Ifeanyi Chidi, 33 years, originally from Ebonyi state, raised concerns about the informal tax collectors, or “agberos,” around Osisioma and flyover, who often work with local law enforcement to extort money from drivers. “If you refuse to give the agberos money, they can become violent,” Chidi shared.

He appealed to the government saying, “Governor Otti should please remove all the agberos at Osisioma flyover and bring in task force officials to monitor them because the agberos are worse.”

When asked for his advice to people who wish to embark on a keke riding journey, he said, “My advice to new keke riders is for them to buy their own keke because hire-purchase these days will leave you with little or nothing.”

Giving his reasons, he said, “Nowadays, riders on hire-purchase are asked to remit ₦10,000 every day. Owners no more agree to be remitted every week. If you fail to remit money for 2 days as a keke rider, you could be arrested. Before you embark on this venture, please make sure it is something you can do.”

Despite the daily struggles, the keke riders of Aba remain determined to make ends meet.

“Our problem is not with Governor Alex Otti because he is really trying. Our problem is with the president via the price of fuel. Though the profit in this business is small, at least out of three challenges, you can solve one,” Nnanna concluded.

The resilience and adaptability among these keke riders in the face of a challenging economy highlight the spirit of Aba, a city known for its enterprising citizens. As Chidi put it, “In Aba, unless you’re a thief, you’ll never go hungry. Everyone here is a hustler.”

Their collective message to President Bola Tinubu is for the president to find a way to reduce the price of fuel. As Ndubuisi Offor Justice said, “We don’t need money from the President. Fuel is the main issue. If he can reduce it, everything will get better.”

FEATURE: Abia Keke Riders Appeal To Tinubu Amidst Economic Hardship is first published on The Whistler Newspaper