For the average Nigerian, the rising cost of food items has become a harsh reality, with food inflation hitting 39.84 percent in December 2024, according to recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The rise In Food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increase in prices of the following items: Yam, Water Yam, Sweet Potatoes, etc (Potatoes, Yam and other Tubers Class), Beer, Pinto (Tobacco Class), Guinea Corn, Maize Grains, Rice, etc (Bread and Cereals Class), and Dried Fish-Sadine, Catfish Dried, etc (Fish Class).

Despite government?s interventions, the daily challenge of affording basic necessities persists, leaving many to wonder when relief will come.

The impact on everyday life

Across markets in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, the prices of staples such as yam, maize, rice, and dried fish have skyrocketed. In Ikotun Market, Lagos, yam sellers lament the dwindling purchasing power of customers.

?A tuber of yam that sold for N1,500 this time last year now goes for N3,500 or more,? said Aminu Lawal, a yam trader.

?Customers complain every day, and many leave without buying. It?s hard for us too because we have to make a profit.?

For many families, meals have become less varied and more rationed.

Mary Olawale, a mother of four, shared how her family has had to adjust. ?We now eat rice only on Sundays. Most days, we eat garri and beans, even beans are expensive, but they sustain us longer than rice. Feeding my family has never been this difficult,? she said.

The crisis has been exacerbated by economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?s administration, including the removal of fuel subsidies and a unified exchange rate policy. While aimed at stabilising the economy in the long term, these reforms have significantly reduced purchasing power, plunging more Nigerians into poverty.

No fewer than 50 Nigerians, including children, queuing up for freebies died due to stampedes at the venue in December 2024.

The 2024 Global Report on Food Crises ranks Nigeria second globally in terms of acute food insecurity, with over 24 million people classified as food insecure.

The World Bank projects that over 129 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line, further straining household budgets already stretched thin by high food costs.

Nigerians are spending an alarming 65% of their income on food, according to the World Food Programme. For many, this has meant sacrificing healthcare, education, and other essentials.

Government interventions yet to bear fruit

In response to the crisis, the government has implemented several measures such as duty waivers on certain imported food items and the plans to distribute 2000 tractors to farmers nationwide being the latest. These efforts are aimed at boosting local food production and reducing import dependency. However, experts argue that these measures may take time to yield results.

Despite these interventions, many Nigerians remain skeptical. ?We?ve heard promises before, but prices keep rising,? said Yusuf Olaitan, a schoolteacher. ?What we need is immediate action to stabilise prices, not just long-term plans.?

Despite the grim situation, Nigerians are finding ways to adapt. Urban farming is gaining traction, with many cultivating small gardens in their backyards. Cooperative buying groups are also emerging, allowing families to pool resources to buy food in bulk and share the costs.

?I started planting vegetables and cassava on a piece of land in my compound,? said Jemila, a petty trader in Lagos. ?It doesn?t solve everything, but it helps reduce how much I spend on food.?

As 2025 begins, Nigerians are hopeful that the government?s efforts will start to yield tangible results. However, experts caution that sustainable solutions require a combination of policy consistency, investment in agriculture, and addressing broader economic challenges.

Nigerians on ?survival mode?

The cost-of-living-crisis in Nigeria is negatively impacting the mental health of many citizens.

Explaining ?survival mode?, an Outpatient Supervisor, Danielle Young, said: ?Have you ever heard of flight, fight or freeze??

According to her, ?During times of crisis, chaos, and traumatic experiences (as in Nigeria), we enter survival mode.?

Nigerians are daily experiencing stressful events in terms of feeding, transportation, housing, education, among others, which force their brain to function in a different capacity. (BusinessDay)

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