With rising food prices and household budgets under strain, a small group of Lagos shoppers received unexpected relief this week when their grocery bills were settled during a surprise in-store activation by telecoms firm MTN Nigeria.

The exercise took place at Jendol Superstore, where some shoppers were approached at the point of payment and offered either full bill coverage or shopping vouchers. The selection process was random, and participation was not limited to MTN subscribers.

The intervention comes as Nigeria’s inflation rate remains elevated, with food inflation in particular placing pressure on urban households that rely on daily market purchases and supermarkets for essential items. While limited in scale, the activation offered a snapshot of the widening gap between rising living costs and disposable income.

An MTN official at the event said the company was responding to current economic pressures and seeking to engage more directly with communities. “The economy is difficult, and we felt it was important to provide some support in practical terms,” the official said.

MTN said it had carried out similar surprise consumer activations nationwide before 2018 but suspended physical engagements for several years. The return to in-person outreach, the company noted, reflects a shift towards more visible community interaction.

For some shoppers, the relief, though temporary, proved significant. One beneficiary, Oluwadamilola Olagbenjo, said she received a N10,000 voucher despite intending to purchase only a few items. She said the intervention came unexpectedly at a time when rising prices have made even routine shopping difficult.

Another beneficiary, Sholabi Ginika, who received a N20,000 voucher, said grocery shopping had become increasingly stressful due to persistent price increases. She noted that any reduction in cost now makes a noticeable difference for households.

Another shopper at the store, Isoken Ahigbe, said MTN covered the full cost of her purchases. She described the gesture as unexpected and said it provided immediate relief.

Beyond the individual experiences, the activation reflected a broader reality in which many Nigerians are increasingly reliant on short-term relief from employers, family networks or corporate interventions to cope with rising living costs.

MTN said similar in-store activations would be carried out in other locations in the coming weeks, even as affordability challenges for most households remain unresolved.