Nigerians are celebrating Christmas today amid sharp increases in the prices of food items and transportation fares. In some cases, the cost of goods has doubled, tripled or risen by as much as 1,000 per cent. Transportation fares have also increased significantly on routes such as Oshodi to Mile 2 and across other parts of the state.
Speaking with The Guardian, a livestock seller, Balogun Ganiyat, said sales had dropped sharply due to rising prices. “The situation is tough; there are no sales because everything is on the high side. People come to the market to price chicken and leave. People are not buying,” she said.
“I sold over 30 chickens before 12:00 p.m. last year, but I have not sold up to 10 chickens this year, despite arriving at the market very early. Chicken is costly this year. I sold chicken for N7,200 last year, but it is N11,500 this year. People just window-shop and go home.
“I am not happy because I have wasted gas, money and time.”Another resident, who identified himself simply as Crown, said the economic strain had made the festive season difficult for families. “I have five children, and I have not bought anything for them, but I must squeeze myself to do something. Many men are going through a lot because it is not easy to make money,” he said.
“I also have between now and December 31 to pay my house rent or pack out. I never knew Nigeria’s situation would turn out this way; I would not have attempted to have five children. The situation is tough, but I must still provide for my home.”
On transportation costs, a bus driver explained that fares had risen due to increased congestion. “We used to charge N200 from Secretariat to under the Ikeja flyover, but we have increased it to N400 because of the traffic logjam caused by the festive season. The price may come down after Christmas,” he said.
“It is normal to increase fares during the Yuletide and whenever it rains because vehicles consume more fuel due to traffic.” A kitchen utensils seller, Amina Aribidesi, also lamented low patronage, noting that while Nigerians were willing to buy, their purchasing power had weakened. She said last Christmas was far better than this year and added that the exchange rate of the dollar continued to affect both buyers and sellers.
Calling for economic relief, she urged a reduction in the dollar rate and fuel prices to stimulate spending. “Money is not flowing, so there must be a change,” she said.
