Traders and Commercial Drivers Protest Heavy Taxation and Petrol Price Hike in Enugu

Business activities and vehicular transit across key commercial zones in Enugu ground to a halt as hundreds of commercial transporters and traders staged mass street demonstrations. The protests locked down critical economic arteries including the Ogbete Main Market, Old Park, and the Holy Ghost axis.

Demonstrators expressed deep frustration over escalating operational burdens, pointing to a combination of soaring fuel prices with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) trading at ₦1,450 per liter and aggressive local tax enforcement. Commercial transport operators claimed that daily operational tickets, park fees, and allied levies had climbed sharply from ₦350 to ₦1,000 daily over the preceding 20 months, with steep default fines levied for late payment before midday.

The protests collided directly with the state government's ongoing digital revenue drive. Defending the administration's fiscal posture, Ekene Nnamani, Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ENSIRS), noted that informal-sector Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) surged from under ₦100 million annually to ₦7.4 billion following technology-driven levy consolidations. State authorities maintained that the central e-ticket initiative costing traders an annual fee of ₦36,000 alongside structured daily transporter payments was designed to eliminate multiple-agency extortion and illegal road tolls by municipal and environmental agencies.

However, operators on the ground argued that cumulative charges have grown asphyxiating alongside macro-economic pressures. Security details and government representatives were deployed to the Ogbete-Holy Ghost corridor to engage demonstrators and manage traffic blockades.

Protest & Policy Metrics at a Glance

Protest Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Key Flashpoints: Ogbete Main Market, Old Park, Holy Ghost axis

Primary Grievances: Daily operational tax spikes (alleged rise from ₦350 to ₦1,000) and high fuel pump prices (₦1,450/litre)

State Revenue Stance: Central e-ticketing framework (₦36,000 annual for traders; consolidated daily tickets) intended to eliminate multiple-agency extortion and scale informal IGR to ₦7.4bn