Traders in Calabar are reporting sharp declines in business activity due to rising fuel prices during the Easter season. At Mbukpa Market in Calabar South, Aniefiok Essien, chairman of the Meat Sellers Association, said increased transportation costs have made it harder for both buyers and sellers to move goods and access markets. Customers are buying less, he added, and many traders are now struggling to break even. Other vendors across the city reported similar challenges, with some noting that fuel prices have nearly doubled in recent weeks, pushing up the cost of moving goods from farms and warehouses into markets.
The drop in foot traffic has hit hard during what is normally a peak sales period. Many traders had stocked up in anticipation of high demand over Easter, only to see sales fall short. The situation has deepened concerns about how fuel pricing affects small businesses, especially in regions dependent on road transport for commerce.
Aniefiok Essien's warning exposes how fuel price hikes directly erode small business margins, not just household budgets. When transport costs spike, traders in markets like Mbukpa bear the first impact, absorbing losses during critical sales windows. This Easter slump shows that fuel pricing policy is not just an economic statistic—it shapes the survival of informal trade across Nigerian cities.
