Uproar, Uncertainty As Nigerians Battle Hardship

Uncontrolled increase in prices of food items and other essential services is adversely weighing down the life of an average Nigerian


In the last one year, the woes of an average Nigerian have, to say the least, tripled as the cost of living has hit the roof tops. Smarting from the bitter eight years’ rule of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians were railroaded into the Tinubu administration in what some described as coming from frying pan to fire.

Wailing, complaints, anger and bitterness have become the lot of many Nigerians, as they battle the current hardship in the country. Despite the naira gaining against the dollar from almost S1 to N1,950 to S1 to 1,150, the prices of food items have continued to soar and have hit the roof top with many unable to afford basic foodstuffs such as garri, rice, yam and beans.

Indeed, the increasing cost of food commodities in Nigeria is now a serious cause for concern. The situation became more complex after President Bola Tinubu announced the end of fuel subsidy payments during his inauguration as President on 29 May 2023. The ripple effects of this policy became more evident in the skyrocketing prices of goods and services as well as the transportation costs across the country, with ripple effect on food inflation.

For instance, the January 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.98 per cent points when compared to the December 2023 headline inflation rate, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The situation is really getting worse. A market survey show that, a 50kg bag of foreign long-grain rice is now sold between N80,000 and N85,000 as against N62,000 it was previously sold while a 50kg bag of Nigeria rice is being sold between N67,000 and N70,000 as against N47,000 that it was sold. Consequently, a mudu of foreign and local rice sells at N2400 and N2200. Also, 100 kg of white beans (small) is now N130,000 from N75,000.

A 60 kg bag of honey beans is now N130,000 as against the previous price of N80,000. A mudu of beans which contains eight to nine milk cups sells for between N2000 and N2,100. A carton of golden penny spaghetti that was sold at N8,000 mid-last year, is now N14,000. A carton of Crown spaghetti sold for N11,800 is now N13,800. A bag of white garri from N16,000 last year has risen to N45,000 with a mudu selling at between N1000 and N1100 while a bag of yellow garri that also sold at N18,000 last year now sells at N48,000 with a mudu selling at between N1200 and N1300 respectively. A 50 kg bag of sugar now sells at N92,000 from N55,000 that it was sold in November, 2023. A milk cup of sugar is N450.

In the same vein, between November to December 2023, a 50kg diamond flour was N40,000 but is now upped to N54,000. A 25-litre of vegetable oil which was sold at N36,500 now sells between N53,000 and N55,000, with a bottle of 75cl selling at N1,800 as against N1,500 it was previously sold.

Unfortunately, investigations also indicated that the prices are not stable as they keep rising almost on a daily basis as attested to by Mallam Aliyu Garba, a trader at Wuse market who said that any time he gets a call from his suppliers, it is to inform him of the new increase in the price of that specific product. “I don’t know where we are heading to in this country anymore, the more customers complain, the more the prices are rising almost on a daily basis and it has become a way of life. A call from my supplier is to inform me of the new increase, they have added to the price and there is nothing we can do,” he said, lamenting the low sale as a result of the upsurge in the prices.

Some Abuja residents who spoke to this correspondent bemoaned the rising cost of foodstuff which they complained has made life unbearable for them and their families. “this situation is not funny at all, the prices of most all the foodstuff you ask for in the market these days have increased in weeks, even the nexr day, they will tell you that they have topped money. Where do we go from here? My sister it’s not funny. “The government has to help the common man, imagine ordinary razor blade selling for N100, the pack containing ten is N800, something must be done to prevent the coming calamity, things have gone way bad far beyond my comprehension. In 2015, razor blade was N20 and now, it has been upped to N100,’’ Mrs. Rose Akanapa said.

“The prices are highly unstable, the rate of today may be different from tomorrow such that you cannot even plan. No more N50 sugar, a mudu of white garri is N1000, the situation is biting harder every single day, Mr. President, please put your house in order because Nigerians are dying because of hardship,’’ Manzo Samuel said. A widow and trader at Utako market, Mrs. Ijeoma Adebisi said the upsurge in the prices of foodstuff has been affecting sales negatively as customers that used to buy in quantity cannot afford it anymore.

“I am a widow and mother of four, it is so difficult to take good care of my children because my business is not moving well? Many of my customers who buy things in quantity cannot afford to do so again. Everyone is just managing; sale is low,” she lamented. “I went out to buy an egg some days ago and I noticed that the egg that I used to buy for N120 now goes as high as N140 per one, some places are selling N150. The government should look into the plight of the masses,” John Ade noted.

Mr. Isaka Abubakar who recalled that last November, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said at least 26.5 million Nigerians in Borno, Sokoto and Zamfara states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, may face food crisis between June and August 2024, lamented that; ‘’We are not even in June yet, see what we are going through, the government and even businessmen should help us because one thing in Nigeria is that once the price of a product increases, to come down is usually an issue, let us be our brothers’ keeper in a time like this.’’ In an attempt to boost agricultural productivity and reduce the high prices of major staple foods in the country, President Bola Tinubu in July last year declared a state of emergency on food insecurity.

“Mr President is not unmindful of the rising cost of food and how it affects the citizens. While availability is not a problem, affordability has been a major issue for many Nigerians in all parts of the country. “This has led to a significant drop in demand thereby undermining the viability of the entire agriculture and food value chain,” Dele Alake, who was then presidential spokesperson, had said in the statement announcing the government decision at the time. Despite the move, many Nigerians are yet to get relief as the situation has since worsened. The Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, have expressed concern over the prevailing harsh economy, declaring that the suffering in the country is becoming unbearable to ordinary Nigerians. Besides, the organisation noted that of grave concern was the increasing security challenges as well.

This is coming on the heels of similar concern raised by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar lll-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam that urged both federal and state governments to intervene in the prevailing economic hardship which had forced Nigerians into protests.

Some weeks ago, angry youths and women took to the streets of Minna, the Niger State capital, and Kano to protest what they described as the rising cost of living in the country. Man united:00 / 0:00 Similar protests also erupted in Ondo State in the Southwestern part of the country. In Niger, a group of women reportedly blocked the ever-busy Minna-Bida Road at the famous Kpakungu Roundabout and called on the Tinubu administration to address the challenge of ‘hunger in the land.’ In the face of this, the Northern CAN, in a statement released by its Secretary-General, Elder Sunday Oibe, in Kaduna, called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, step in and address the depressing economic and escalating security situation in the country.

According to the organisation Secretary-General, the suffering in the country is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerian as the high cost of foodstuffs, transportation, goods, and services have made life difficult for many Nigerians. All these, he argued, were being compounded by the escalating insecurity occasioned by rampant killings and kidnapping for ransom.

He also said the Christian body was sad over the continued attack on Plateau State, where no fewer than 300 people were killed while calling on the government to do everything possible to halt the killings not only in Plateau but across the country. The statement is titled, “The Federal Government should urgently address the escalating insecurity and hunger in the country.”

It said, “The Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory wishes to express its deep concern over the prevailing economic hardship and the increasing security challenges across the country. “The suffering in the country is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians. The high cost of foodstuffs, transportation, goods, and services has made life difficult for many Nigerians.

“The epileptic power supply has led to the collapse of many small businesses. “The continued decline in the value of the naira and the seeming inability of the government to address the situation has completely weakened the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians. “The situation is further compounded by escalating insecurity occasioned by rampant killings and kidnapping for ransom. “Unless justice is done, by ensuring that the perpetrators and whoever are the sponsors are brought to book, all the talks about peace may be mere rhetorics. “Government must take urgent steps to address the depressing economic and escalating security situation in the country. “We called on governments at all levels to support our security agencies with all that is required to fight these criminals.

“We also called on Nigerians to cooperate with security personnel and pray for them as they confront these enemies of the nation.” The Tinubu administration has nonetheless promised that all will be well especially as it prepares to celebrate its one year in office come May, 29.

The President said that the reforms put in place by his government would in the long run, cushion the effect of hardship and launch Nigeria into economic prosperity. He promised that the CNG buses and its conversion stations will ameliorate the present transportation challenge and its astronomical rise, a claim, his opponents described as putting the cart before the horse. Those who belong to this side of the divide, contend that the President ought to have put such measures long before the ‘subsidy is gone policy’.