For the past few weeks, frustration has been building up due to the relentless rise in the cost of living. Every day, the value of the naira continues to drop, making basic necessities increasingly unaffordable. With petrol prices climbing past one thousand naira per litre, many citizens are abandoning the use of power generators because the fuel costs have become impossible to manage.
Comparing the current administration to past leadership reveals a stark decline in purchasing power. During the tenures of Muhammadu Buhari, Goodluck Jonathan, and the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, fuel was significantly cheaper, allowing a thousand naira to stretch much further. Beyond fuel, the prices of food items have surged, with a bag of rice now costing sixty-five thousand naira compared to fifty-two thousand naira just months ago.
While global geopolitical issues, such as the conflict involving Iran and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, have pressured global oil markets, many other nations have introduced policies to mitigate these costs for their citizens. Nigeria, however, remains without a clear strategy to alleviate the burden on the public. Meanwhile, essential services like education, healthcare, and electricity continue to suffer, and insecurity remains a grave concern with frequent kidnappings reported across multiple states.
Infrastructure is also failing; Lagos roads are plagued by massive potholes worsened by rain, and poor waste management has left garbage piling up on medians. Despite these challenges, there is a visible lack of effective government intervention. While other nations provide financial aid and disaster relief to citizens affected by environmental issues, Nigerian leadership appears disconnected from these hardships. Many citizens remain trapped in cycles of endurance while the governing class continues to live in luxury, leaving the public to question what benefits they are truly receiving from their government.