This is the timeline of fuel price hike in Nigeria…
Gowon, 1973: 6k to 8.45k (40.8%)
Murtala, 1976: 8.45k to 9k (0.59%)
Obasanjo, October 1, 1978: 9k to 15.3k (70%)
Shagari, April 20, 1982: 15.3k to 20k (30.71%)
Babangida, March 31 1986: 20k to 39.5k (97.5%)
Babangida, April 10 1988: 39.5k to 42k (6.33%)
Babangida, January 1, 1989: 42k to 60k Private vehicles.
Babangida, December 19, 1989: moved to uniform price of 60k (42.86%)
Babangida, March 6, 1991: 60k to 70k (16.67%)
Shonekan, November 8, 1993: 70k to N5 (614%)
Abacha, November 22,1993: petrol price drops from N5 to N3.25k (-35%)
Abacha, October 2,1994: N3.25k to N15 (361.54%)
Abacha, October 4,1994: price drops from N15 to N11(-26.67%)
Abubakar, December, 20, 1998: N11 to N25 (127.27%)
Abubakar, January 6,1999: N25 to N20 (-20%)
Obasanjo, June 1, 2000: N20 to N30 (50%)
Obasanjo, June 8, 2000: Petrol price reduced to N22 (-10%)
Obasanjo, January 1, 2002: N22 to N26 (18.18%)
Obasanjo, June to October, 2003: N26 to N42 (23.08%
Obasanjo, May 29, 2004: N50 (19.05%)
Obasanjo, August 25, 2004: N65 (30%)
Obasanjo, May 27, 2007: N75 (15.38%)
Yar’Adua, June 2007: N65 (-15.38%)
Jonathan, January 1, 2012: between N138 to N250 (112.31 to 284.62%)
Obviously no matter what we do the fuel price seems to keep going up. Apart from Yar Adua’s reduction which was the only significant reduction, others have done nothing but to still increase the price. Also of note is Buhari who is not on the list.
Are we winning the war against these hikes or loosing out?