THE biting hardship in the country occasioned by the unfavourable economic situation has sustained a constant feature—astronomical rises in the costs of goods and services.
Commercial tricycle operation, otherwise known as Keke Marwa, has provided a viable means of living for countless low-income earners across the country since the means of transportation gained traction between 1996 and 1999 after it was launched by the then administration of former military governor of Lagos State, Mohammed Buba Marwa.
But the story has changed for the operators with the recent geometric increase in the price of the three-wheeled vehicle. Procurement of a tricycle today through hire purchase is reported to cost about N6 million, with outright purchase attracting no less than N3.5 million. Hire purchase and outright purchase of this vehicle were put at N1 million and N600,000, respectively, as recently as five years ago.
This is just as Nigerians also cried out over the cost of motorcycles which many said has jumped from about N950,000 to N2 million.
These developments, coupled with the high cost of petrol and maintenance of these vehicles, have reportedly forced about 45.8 percent of the operators to abandon the transportation business with which they had hitherto sustained their families.
Keke Marwa operators, it was gathered, have either sought alternative livelihoods or become hangers-on while prospective entrants into the business are grappling with the cutthroat hire purchase prices, the idea of outright purchase of the costly brand new tricycles having been removed from the lists of options by many.
The development is said to have affected the number of existing Keke Marwa plying the various routes in Ibadan and adjoining communities.
It was also gathered that many operators have put up their Marwa for sale because of the high cost of maintenance.
An Ibadan, Oyo State-based operator, Abiola Adesina, said he procured Keke Marwa about five years ago at a hire-purchase price of N1 million, but the same vehicle cost between N5 million and N5.5 million today. The direct-purchase price, according to him, jumped to N3.5 million from N600,000 about three years ago.
The cost of registration, government and union levies have increased astronomically, Adesina said.
“If you add all these together plus N10,000 daily delivery as applicable to the operators who got their tricycles on hire purchase, it will be difficult to make ends meet,” he said.
He added that the level of patronage in terms of passengers had dropped drastically, with some passengers now preferring to send messages rather than board Keke from one location to another.
“There are passengers who prefer to trek halfway to their destinations to reduce transport cost. The time now is 12.45 pm and I have made only one trip from Molete to Ogunpa.
“The number of Keke queuing for passengers is a testament to the fact that all is not well with us as Keke operators.
“We are appealing to the government to review taxes on importation of tricycles and motorcycles.
“Some of us are university, polytechnic graduates. This is the only way for us to eke out a living, having fruitlessly searched for white-collar jobs,” Adesina said.
Another Keke operator, Abiodun Akinola, said: “We are still drawing breath only by the grace of God. With the present economic situation in the country, it is difficult to survive.
“Imagine, the Keke that I bought on hire purchase at N840,000 in 2019 now goes for between N5.6 million and N5.7 million, depending on the dealers.
“Some operators are paying between M36,000 and N38,000 as installment per week to their respective dealers.
“Periodic increase in the price of petrol is also not helping matters. The transport fare from Molete to Dugbe/Ogunpa is now N300 as against N50 charged in no distant past.
“Some passengers prefer to trek to Odion Cinema from Molete in order to reduce the fare to possibly N200.
“In the past, we made money from Ijebu traders but this has since stopped as they now prefer to send messages rather than board Keke Marwa.
“Today, you can count the number of Keke on our roads. Many operators have disposed of their Keke because they could no longer afford the cost of maintenance.
“We cannot beg for alms. This is the only means to sustain our families. The government should be sympathetic to our cause.”
Oloye Opeyemi, in his own submission, said the prevailing economic situation in the country had affected their operation.
He said: “With a litre of petrol sold for N1,075, it is difficult for us to maintain our families.
“Some years ago, Keke went for between N470,000 and N500,000, but today, the same Keke goes for between N5.5 million and N6 million on hire purchase while outright sale is N3.5 million.
“Many of our colleagues who could no longer cope have left the business. It is sad to note that the majority of them have left for their various villages. It is as bad as that.
“Many passengers now prefer to trek halfway in order to reduce the fares. Do you blame them? The prevailing economic situation in the country has affected their businesses as well.
“How do you expect a passenger that did not make sale throughout the day to pay N200 from Molete to Oke-Ado? This is the situation in which we have found ourselves in this country.”
Another operator who identified himself as Gideon Onwe said: “It has not been easy as a Keke operator. I collected my Keke last year, 2023, at the cost of N2.3 million but today, the same company is giving it out at the cost of N5.6 million
“I am surprised that everything has changed, including the cost of engine oil.
“The level of patronage has dropped drastically as passengers now prefer to trek a little in order to reduce transportation cost.
“Many of them will negotiate the price from N200 to N100 as if they are pricing food items. The situation is becoming unbearable. It is high time the government did something.”
The situation is not limited to Keke Marwa operators, as commercial motorcyclists, otherwise known as Okada riders, also told tales of woe.
A rider, Lukman Yusuf, put the current price of direct sale and hire purchase of Okada at N1.4 million and N2 million, respectively.
He submitted that installment payment was killing with the prevailing economic situation in the country that has forced passengers to remain indoors.
Yusuf said, “There is hardly anything like traffic congestion again. People hardly go out except for official or business reason.
“You can count the number of cars and Okada on our roads. The prevailing economic situation has taught us a great lesson.
“Many of our members have sold their Okadas because of the escalating cost of maintenance. The costs of replacing tyres and other parts are prohibitive.
“It is no longer business as usual. We are alive but economically dead. Government at all levels should be sensitive to our plights.”
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