Nigerians have lamented sharp increment in costs of food items ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.
This is as many civil servants and other small business owners, in different states of the country, said celebrations would be low-key because of high inflation.
Checks in major markets showed a sharp rise in prices of chickens, turkeys, pepper, onions, groundnut oil and other commodities.
This is amidst the cost of living crisis in the country, which is believed to have been triggered by the present administration’s policies of petrol subsidy removal and currency floating.
The latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Nigeria’s headline inflation increasing to 34.60 per cent in the month of November.
For food inflation, the NBS said it increased to 39.93 per cent on a year-on-year basis, 7.08 per cent points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (32.84 per cent).
Findings showed that the price of chicken has increased by 20 per cent compared to what it was around this time last year.
Prices of chicken ranged from N15, 000 to N40, 000 in Oluode market in Osogbo, capital of Osun State.
Some of the sellers attributed the hike to the high cost of transportation and feeding.
A seller of chickens and turkeys at the market, who simply identified herself as Iya Bimpe, said, “We have prices ranging from N15, 000 to N40, 000 for chickens; while turkeys cost between N50, 000 and N80,000.”
She lamented that the current prices are discouraging people from buying, resulting in low patronage.
A five-litre gallon of groundnut oil costs N17, 500.
The seller, Mujidat, disclosed that the rise in price of groundnut was responsible for skyrocketing cost of groundnut oil.
Also, pepper sellers at Sasa market in Osogbo, have refused to sell below N300, blaming high cost of transportation fare as one of the reasons for the situation.
Muhammed, an onion seller at the market sells a very small onion for N300 while the big ones go as high as N500.
Many Nigerians have expressed displeasure over the continuous rise in prices of food items, calling for a quick fix.
They said at a time when Nigerians should celebrate at Christmas and New Year, expensive prices of food should not pollute their mood.
A shopper, Tunde Omole, told The Point how he had to beg before an onion was sold for him at the rate of N300.
“Things are getting out of hand and our government should not fold their arms. From January to December, we struggle to eat. At a time when the whole world is celebrating, they still expect us to starve. This is wicked and something urgent should be done to make food affordable for us average Nigerians,” he said.
Other citizens expressed similar views, calling for the government to take necessary actions to ameliorate their suffering.
For Iya Aduni, a retired government auditor and now a philanthropist, the harsh economy cannot be an excuse for those who love sharing with others, especially during this festive season.
“I usually visit some orphanage homes during Christmas and give them food items and cash. I am doing the same this year, just that I will limit my movement to orphanages within my reach and send money to some I can’t reach,” she said.
She encouraged many who usually give others gifts during the festive season to find a way around the harsh economy to continue the good gesture.
“You must not give a full bag of rice, which is over N100, 000 now. Buy half or a quarter bag, buy other items, just give out something no matter how small. You can even pay someone’s transport fare, just give something to someone this season, it brings joy,” she urged.
As expected, many parks, beaches and public spaces are ready to host patrons this festive season as the owners and operators have stocked drinks, food items, souvenirs and casual staff to meet the festive rush.
“Yes, we know that the economy is not smiling, but it will not stop people from coming out to enjoy themselves this festive season.
“They will squeeze out money because it is once a year fun for many,” Yakubu Pam, a theme park operator in Abuja said.
On his part, Magnus Ibiwari, an operator at Port Harcourt beach, noted that even insecurity will not stop people from visiting the beach this festive season.
“We know there is no money, but people have been coming here and spending. More will be visiting this festive season and we will make a killing because people don’t want to die from the troubles of this country, they want to enjoy their small money as much as they can,” he noted.
Already, all the beaches in Lagos, from Elegushi, Tarkwa Bay to Badagry have started receiving visitors for the festive season, amid hike in entrance fees and the vendors are very anxious to make a kill.
“Lagosians like enjoyment, they will come in great numbers and we are waiting to excite them with many beach activities. Again, they will come because Lagos beaches are safe, no incidents year-on-year,” Saliu Gbogun, a beach operator at Elegushi, assured.
Edem Utuk, an operator at Marina, Calabar, is expecting good business this festive season as visitors are already arriving Calabar for the annual carnival, which he described as the biggest street party in Africa.
“We keep saying there is no money, but the Calabar Marina is always full every evening with people enjoying themselves, as well as many open-space restaurants in Abuja, Lagos and even Uyo.
People will come this festive season to enjoy here, we are seeing them already and more will come. Nigerians are coming to Calabar this festive season because it is safe,” Utuk said.
But what speaks more of resilience is the way many are undermining the economic hardship to travel, especially for inter-state journeys.
A visit to the Utako District in Abuja, where most inter-state transport companies are located, tells a better story.
On December 20, the district was in lockdown due to the incredible number of passengers traveling out of Abuja to their states for the festive season.
The same is the case in Lagos’ major inter-state transport hubs of Jibowu, Mile 2, Maza Maza and Oyingbo.
While motorists are complaining of the traffic caused by the festive rush, transport companies are smiling as the passengers are gladly paying the fares that have doubled since the second week in December.
From N30, 000 in the first week in December, fares to South East routes are now going from N50, 000 per passenger; South South routes like Uyo and Calabar are even higher, from N60, 000, while Abuja is from N45, 000.
“Considering the steady hike, I anticipate that the fare will get to N70, 000 per passenger by December 24. It is unfair, but the passengers have no option. Flights are very expensive and night buses are cheaper, but the risk is much,” Anselm Odika, a passenger, lamented at GUO bus terminal in Jibowu.
Abasiama Ufot, a passenger at the Okota terminal of Akwa Ibom Transport Company, lamented that the fare is unbearable and that this is the time various state governments should introduce free buses to alleviate passengers’ sufferings.
“The governors keep telling us that they are working for our good. We need them to help now and not during the campaign because transporters are reaping off passengers this festive season. We need free buses to ease our sufferings in the hands of these profit-seeking transporters,” Ufot decried.
But Bruno Ezeokoye, a transporter, said that the fare hike is in response to the high demand and passengers’ rush this festive season.
“Every business has a peak season and ours is now and we have to maximise the opportunity. By January it will end and governments at all levels are collecting taxes and levies from the fares too.
“We need to maintain our buses, pay staff, especially drivers, pay and service loans used in purchasing new buses and other expenses. So, we make money this season and we also spend it,” Ezeokoye said.
While transport companies make money during the festive season, Hyacinth Idama, a driver with Agofure Motors, decried that the drivers bear the brunt.
Idama, who plies the Lagos-Benin-Warri route, said that an average bus driver is overworked during the festive season, with little to show for it.
“Passengers complain of high fares, we work, but owners make the money,” he noted.
Apart from transport companies, food and drinks companies are also making a kill this festive season as patronage soars despite the harsh economic realities.
From beer, spirits, wine, local drinks to carbonated drinks, it is incredible patronage as many undermine the hardship to celebrate for once.
Many dealers usually run out of stock as the demand outweighs supply.
“The festive spirit, starting from Ember Month until New Year, is very strong on people considering the way they drink like never before. Our stock is decreasing and that is good patronage. It means that people will even drink more this festive season no matter how lean the pocket is,” Yemi Olajide, a drinks merchant, said.
Ike Ogbonna, another drinks dealer, noted that nobody is hoarding drinks now unlike before because the price is high, but patronage is sustainable.
“We did not buy large stock to hoard ahead of the festive season because many are drinking what their money can afford now. So, we have varieties for our customers to choose from and profit comes from across the varieties unlike before when it is mainly Nigerian Breweries and Coca-Cola products that sell most during festive season,” he explained.
While Christmas is a day that will come and go, the reality is that many want to enjoy it the best way they can, and those who cannot afford celebration, await another season.