As Nigeria grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades, young parents across the country are facing an increasingly difficult challenge raising children amidst soaring prices for basic necessities.
With food costs spiralling out of control, many families find themselves living below the poverty line, struggling to provide essential items like baby food and diapers.
Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office and initiated a series of economic reforms, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, the cost of living has increased.
Fuel prices have skyrocketed, and food and transport costs have more than tripled in the last year and a half. For many parents, this has led to heartbreaking decisions about how to allocate limited resources.
“It has really not been easy, especially this year. The prices of baby food, milk, diapers, and other essentials have more than doubled, and our salaries have remained the same,” Tayo Balogun, a mother of three told Business Day.
“My husband and I are just trying to survive, prioritizing our needs one at a time,” she added.
Inflation has reached record levels, with food inflation in particular driving the majority of the increase. As of October 2024, inflation surged to 33.88 per cent, with food inflation climbing to 40.9 per cent in June.
The relentless rise in prices is leaving many young parents with no choice but to ration food, including basic items like eggs, which have become too expensive for most families to afford regularly.
“I think the hardship has taught everyone to plan ahead,” said Dotun Lawal, a banker who married last year.
“My wife and I agreed on having only two children, so we can give them the best care and not stretch ourselves too thin,” he added.
New parents like Seun Ogunjimi, who gave birth just three months ago, are calling for government intervention to ease the burden.
“There should be some form of support for vulnerable families. The rising costs of everything, including delivery fees in hospitals, are becoming unbearable,” Ogunjimi said.
The cost of essential items like diapers, baby formula, and school fees has led many parents to re-evaluate their family planning decisions.
Francis Godwin, a lawyer and father of two, admitted that raising children in the current economic climate has become increasingly difficult.
“My salary hasn’t increased in three years. How do you cope with such a situation?” he asked.
For many young families, survival has become a daily struggle, with parents like Caroline Oji, a seamstress, having to make difficult choices.
“We skip meals so our children can eat. We have two daughters, and we can’t afford to feed everyone three times a day,” she explained.
