Fuel, or if you like, petrol, has been scarce in Nigeria for weeks — long political story that I know next to nothing about, but this guy does. But whenever fuel shortages occur for more than a week at a time everything goes to shit, because most Nigerians depend on petrol to generate electricity. I mean, just take a look at this.
"@lutosinGBELA: Day30 of Fuel Scarcity. #PMS#BringBackOurFuel @Gidi_Traffic pic.twitter.com/nnUMCGdDXg
— GIDITRAFFIC (@Gidi_Traffic) May 22, 2015
Because the scarcity is artificial, there are always places where fuel can be bought, even if at cut-throat prices. The question however, is where? Sometimes, you’ll get a tip from someone close to the latest source, and maybe you’ll get there in time. In time to be the 100th person on the queue.
#REPORT [9:27 AM] @AryeeMargaret: @Gidi_Traffic Camp energy filling station selling to friends at 150 naira. http://t.co/XtGIJBwmXm #PMS
— GIDITRAFFIC (@Gidi_Traffic) May 22, 2015
Enter Fueldey, which according to its Twitter bio is “a web application to help Nigerians and in the future, the world locate filling stations where they can get fuel, gas, diesel, solar charging, etc [sic]”.
Never mind the play on the “something dey” startup naming trope that Nigerians took a shine to since DealDey launched. The real story here is that Fueldey could be a web service that will help you find fuel. Huge emphasis on “could”. Its creator, Segun Abisagbo, has registered a domain and setup a Twitter handle that retweets fuel scarcity info, but hasn’t actually built the app…yet. He’s “testing need through twitter first”.
I set up @fueldey to help with fuel scarcity… but this fuel scarcity done get as e be o…
No Power, No… http://t.co/GUD9PZd6GV— Stark. Tony Stark. (@segebee) May 22, 2015
Going by the last part of that tweet, the job must be a difficult one. The Twitter handle @fueldey is active, but it’s mostly been retweeting fuel updates from another popular Nigerian Twitter handle, @giditraffic.
I’ve asked Segun via Twitter what this app would look like if he did determine that there is a need for it. By need, I’m guessing he means demand. So would you use this service? If you really NEED this service, like he’s hoping, you should tweet at him, he’s @Segebee.
Photo Credit: Pat Hawks via Compfight cc
