Small business operators and informal workers in Abuja are struggling to keep their businesses afloat as rising energy costs, expensive spare parts and declining purchasing power continue to squeeze their earnings.
From vulcanisers repairing damaged tyres to tricycle operators and graduates who have turned to car washing and commercial transport, operators said the increasing cost of running their businesses was leaving them with little to save after meeting daily expenses.
Although many have continued to operate by relying on repairs, referrals and alternative sources of income, they said rising fuel prices and other operating expenses were making it increasingly difficult to sustain their businesses.
For vulcanisers, repairing damaged tyres has become an important service for motorists who cannot afford to replace them with new ones.
A vulcaniser in Jabi, Romani Ibrahim, said his workshop attends to tyres used by cars, motorcycles, tricycles, bicycles and trailers.
He said the business involved more than pumping tyres, as customers also brought punctured and damaged tyres for repairs.
According to him, repairing damaged tyres allows motorists to continue using their vehicles while saving money for replacement.
Ibrahim said some customers whose vehicles develop tyre problems outside his workshop also require mobile services, forcing him to travel to their locations to carry out repairs.
‘We go there, fix the tyre, and then return to our shop and continue our work,’ he said.
He said patronage varied from day to day, adding that referrals from existing customers also helped to attract new clients.
‘Every day, we get patronage,’ he said.
Ibrahim, however, identified activities by task forces and faults with some of the machines used for the business as major challenges.
Another vulcaniser, John Daniel, said punctures and damaged tubes were among the common problems brought to his workshop.
Daniel said many motorists preferred repairing their tyres because replacement tyres were becoming increasingly expensive.
He, however, said the rising cost of materials and spare parts used for repairs was putting additional pressure on both operators and their customers.
Sani Adamu, another vulcaniser, said customers still patronised the business regularly, although the number varied from one day to another.
According to him, the high cost of new tyres had made repairs a more affordable option for motorists trying to reduce their expenses.
Fuel costs squeeze tricycle operators
Tricycle operators spoken to said they are also struggling with rising operating costs, particularly the increase in the price of petrol and repairs.
A Keke-NAPEP driver, Musbahu Mukhtar, said fares depended on the distance covered, with destinations such as Utako, ShopRite, Jahi and Jabi attracting different charges.
He said a trip within Jahi costs about N100, while passengers moving to Jabi from Jahi and vice versa paid between N200 and N300.
Musbahu said a significant portion of his daily earnings went into purchasing fuel and repairing his tricycle, leaving little money to take home or save.
‘The situation is becoming increasingly difficult for us and the passengers,’ he said.
The Secretary of the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), Idris Mohammed, said the rising price of petrol had significantly affected the transport business.
Mohammed said petrol, which previously sold for about N195 per litre, now cost nearly N1,500, making it difficult for operators to maintain their former fares.
He said some short-distance fares that previously cost about N100 now ranged between N200 and N300.
According to him, a trip to Kado Junction, which previously cost about N200, now costs around N500, while passengers travelling to Jahi also pay about N500.
He added that fares from Jabi Garage to Life Camp ranged between N300 and N400.
Mohammed said the fare increases had generated complaints from passengers, although many understood that drivers were also affected by the rising cost of fuel.
Another Keke-NAPEP driver, Abdullahi Muhammad Abdullahi, said operators were facing difficulties as the cost of maintaining their tricycles continued to increase.
He said fares varied according to distance and type of service, adding that some passengers complained when they were unable to afford the increased charges.
Despite the challenges, Abdullahi said operators had continued working because many residents depended on tricycles for their daily transportation.
Musbahu appealed to the government to consider measures that would reduce the cost of petrol, saying lower fuel prices would ease the burden on both operators and passengers.