Working Lives: The Petrol Attendant Whose Wise Parents Built a House in Good Times

Working Lives: The Petrol Attendants of Lagos

This is a somewhat “boring” Working Lives. There is nothing “coded” or spectacular to discover about how the job is done or its inner workings. Our interviewees all readily accept that selling fuel requires basic skills that could be acquired in a day with one explaining that customers operate the pumps themselves abroad. But this series is as spectacular as always regarding the insights it offers into the lives of Nigerians on low incomes. It is a very poorly paid job; the highest salary is N30,000:00. Yet, the petrol attendants manage to have savings, pay for higher education and support family members. Most of them also have skills like repairing cars and tailoring and are hoping to one day have the funds to set themselves up in more lucrative lines of work.

My dad was a car painter. His workshop was demolished in 2008. He was home for about 5 years doing nothing. My mom became the breadwinner. She’s a watch doctor. She can repair any type of wrist watch. Once she tells you that the wrist watch can never work, better believe it won’t. That’s how good she is at what she does. I have 5 siblings and I am the last child. My dad later got a job with a private hospital in Victoria Island as a driver.

Where are you from?

I am from Ondo State. But I was in born Lagos.

What school did you attend and when did you leave school? 

I attended Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) in Yaba. It is a technical school. I graduated in 2014.

Tell me about your family?

My dad was a car painter. His workshop was demolished in 2008. I can never forget that year. He was home for about 5 years doing nothing. My mom became the breadwinner. She’s a watch doctor. She can repair any type of wrist watch. Once she tells you that the wrist watch can never work, best believe it won’t. That’s how good she is at what she does. I have 5 siblings and I am the last child. My dad later got a job with a private hospital in Victoria Island as a driver.

Where do you live and how much is the rent?

I live with my parents. Thankfully we live in our own house in Command Ipaja. My parents were smart in building a house when things were still smooth. So during all those times when things were tough we had a roof over our heads and we didn’t have to worry about rent.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Petrol Attendant Who Sponsors His Own Education at Yaba Tech

How did you start working at this petrol station?

I have been doing the job on and off. I first started was when things were very tough for the family. My older brothers decided that we should all find something to do to assist our parents. I started looking for a job and found one in a petrol station. We all also used to work as sever boys at parties during the weekends just to get extra cash. We got paid N1,500:00 to serve all through the day at parties.  It’s not that things have become easy for us as a family, but things are just no longer as tough as when our father did not have a job.

Did you go through some sort of training before you could start operating the fuel pump?

Not really.  A day before I started the manager told me to come around and he just put me through on how to operate the pump. Plus there were people that got there before me that was also on deck to put me through whatever I don’t understand something. I quickly got a hand on how everything works.

For how long have you been doing this job?

You know I said I have been doing the job on and off with the job.  When school is in session I always quit and go back to school. So during the holidays, I try my luck again and see if there might be any vacancy in any of the petrol stations. The good thing is I always get to see a place where I can work. So let’s just say I have been doing this job for roughly 5 years.

Is there a form of hierarchy or ranking in this job?

No, there isn’t any form of ranking for petrol attendants. Every one of us are just here to attend to customers.

How many hours do you work in a day? 

I get to work by 7am but the official time is 8am. And then I close by 9 at night.

What’s your best day like?

When customers don’t act rude. I just don’t get the issue with people, they always feel they can just talk to you anyhow simply because you are petrol attendant. I hate days when a customer gets rude and makes a scene. This is why I always make sure to sell the petrol liters complete for any customer. I don’t want to embarrass myself because of N50.

How much are you paid? 

I get paid N20,000:00 monthly. It was actually N30,000:00 before the whole coronavirus thing started.

Also Read: Working Lives:  The Baba Ijebu Agent Who Runs Two Shops But Still Lives With Parents

How do your bosses check to know how much fuel you have sold for the day?

They always measure the amount of petrol in your designated pump so with that they know how much you have sold so far and how much you are supposed to remit.

Is there a designated amount of money you have to remit daily? 

No, there isn’t. Whatever I sell for the day is what I remit. Even if it is N5,000:00 I remit it.

How much do you spend in a day? 

I spend about N600 in a day. But on days when I give my parents money to cook or do some other things at home I spend about N1,500:00 or N2,000:00.

Have you ever opened a bank account?

Yes, I have a bank account with Gtbank.

Do you have savings/ how much do you save in a month? 

I always try my best to save N10,000:00 every month now that school is not in session and I don’t have to spend so much. During school, I save less, about N5,000:00.

Are you married/ looking forward to getting married?

No, I am not married and I am also not looking forward to getting married just yet.

Any other job or business you would like to venture into?

Oh I forgot to tell you that when I was in secondary school my mom made sure I went to learn how to be a mechanic. I was always going to the mechanic workshop close to where her shop is after school and during the holidays. I am very good now. I can fix mechanical problems in cars. I fix cars for my church members and my lecturers in school. I get little change from that too. If I could get enough money to buy some tools I need to have my own workshop in my father’s compound, I would go for it. I would gladly leave this job.