As the Christmas holiday draws nearer, Nigerians are lamenting over the staggering inflation rates impacting essential commodities and daily expenses across the nation.
The once vibrant and bustling markets that typically brim with excitement during this season now echo with concerns and lamentations.
From Lagos to Adamawa, the tale remains distressingly similar. In Lagos, the heart of commerce, prices of essential food items like rice, oil, and vegetables have skyrocketed. Items that were once affordable have surged to unreachable heights.
A pack of Spaghetti noodles has escalated from N250 to N800, while the cost of a bottle of red oil has soared from N350 to N1,200. Such drastic increases have made staples like rice a luxury, with a 50-kilogram bag fetching as much as N54,000.
The festive cheer, often marked by vibrant decorations, Christmas trees, and exchanges of hampers and gifts, has taken a hit. Sellers of Christmas trees and decorations in Ibadan reported a significant decline in sales due to reduced patronage. The once-affordable hampers, priced at N30,000, now command a staggering N65,000.
Transportation costs have surged alongside food prices, exacerbating the challenges citizens face. Routes from Ibadan to various destinations now demand exorbitant fees, making travel for the festive season an unattainable luxury for many.
A resident in Enugu, Chika Mamah, decried the high cost of things in the market. He said that with the current situation, the excitement that naturally comes with the season would not be there.
“I doubt if Christmas this year will be like other years. Everything is costly now. This is not even about food. Money no longer has value. The N30,000 I went to the market with last week could not get the few things I wanted to buy,” he said.
