The term "cost of living" is something every Nigerian understands and can one way or another personally have something to say. In our case, while growing up, it was something our parents said, but everyone is affected in this current generation. I was shocked to see some little children around my side going about looking for scraps and tears almost came down my eyes because these children shouldn't be exposed to this level of hardship at this time. The cost of simply being in this country has become an everyday battle for many of us, and the struggle is only getting tougher. I don't think there is anything as middle class anymore. It is either you are poor or you are a politician because those are the only people that haven't spoken up concerning the hardship.
If I tell the recent generation that there was a time you'd buy food at a food spot for 300 and be satisfied, I am 100% sure that they either stone me or call me a liar. Personally, when I opened up my food spot, I was selling a plate of noodles for #500 (2 noodles and 1 egg) but the case now is double. This is not something I am happy about but I also have some expenses to make. Everything has either doubled or tripled. The price of rice, which is usual in most Nigerian homes, has skyrocketed. A bag of rice that used to cost around ₦8,000 a few years ago is now around ₦60,000. Even garri (a produce of cassava), once considered the "student's survival meal," is no longer as cheap as it used to be.
Going to market means you have done your intense calculations at home and that still doesn't mean you won't get to the market and still be short on cash. Not because you went outside your budget but because prices have changed. There is now a morning price, afternoon price, and evening price meaning that there are scenarios where you might something at a price in the morning but if you want to get the same thing in the evening, the prices would have changed. There's no stability, and budgeting has become a guessing game before planning to visit the market, one has to call a person for the updated prices.
Feeding is one thing, there is still rent, transportation, light bills, health, and waste disposal amongst others.
RENT - Everyone has to maintain a roof above their head. Some settle for just a room, others for a studio apartment (self-con), and most families can go for a 2 2-bedroom flat. The prices of all these used to be reasonable but now is a different case. I was in Lagos (a major city in the country) and was contemplating moving to Lagos and renting my own space since I didn't want to stay with my family. I asked my sister for the price of a self-con and what she told me shook me to the bones. To cut the story short, I decided to run back to where I was coming from.
Yes I know that the cost of living is on the high side but the set of people I pity are those staying in the big cities. The rent in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan is very high compared to those here in Kwara State.
The transportation in those place are too much compared to Kwara State. Even some market expenses is still better here compared to Lagos. Putting all those into consideration, I decided to renew my rent here in Kwara State to avoid going wrecked.
The worst part about this entire surge in prices is that the salaries are not increasing. There is no balaiand it is causing a lot of damages in families. Recently, the youths went around to start 30 days rant challenge on social media just to scream it in the ears of the government that things are hard but I wonder what might happen next if that plan doesn't work.
In conclusion, no matter how money conscious or economist you are, the cost of living will still reach your side because you will feed, pay electricity bill, transport lets not even talk about data.
The only hope we the citizens have is to find alternatives such as hive just to get something to sustain ourselves.
Thank you hive and all the developers sustaining the ecosystem and supporting us. Because it won't be easy without platforms like this.
Image was edited using canva.
