“In my home, bread used to serve as a meal and snack for my children. They’ll have bread accompanied with something else maybe for breakfast and then eat it again at any time of the day in-between meals so we always had bread at home. All that has however changed in the last few months since the price of bread increased.
“Now, we know how many slices of bread are in each of our favourite brands and how many each family member can eat per meal, for a family size loaf to go round. In fact, my husband and I have exempted ourselves from bread consumption, citing health reasons and age but this is just to ensure the children have enough since its one of the staple foods they love.”
This is the experience of Hajiya Maimuna Ado, a resident of Abuja and mother of four, ever since the price of bread increased.
Checks by this newspaper showed that the price of bread has increased by between N100 and N300 per loaf, depending on the brand, since the beginning of this year.
The increase is not limited to bread alone as over the past months, prices of staple foods have risen almost beyond the reach of thousands in Nigeria.
According to a report by Statista, a market and consumer data research company, compared to the previous year, in September 2021, food prices in Nigeria increased considerably, with the prices of beans, maize, and oil increasing the most.
In particular, the price of beans grew by over 60 percent compared to the previous year, while the price of palm oil added up to 40 per cent more.
The prices of grains such as rice, maize, sorghum, and millet compared to last year have also risen.
Among all selected food products, none of the foods recorded a decrease in price. Nigeria is among the countries with the highest inflation rate in the world and recorded a fast growing Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The survival strategies
Madam Elizabeth, an owner of a local restaurant (Mama Put) in Central Area, Abuja told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that things are no longer easy compared to last year.
She said, “last year a plate of food was N250 but now its N500 and the quantity is not as much as that of last year. This is because the prices of food stuff have gone up and even with the prize increase, we still make far less profit compared to last year.
An online food vendor, owner of Lois Foods and More, Patience Ada, also decried the increase in prices of food stuff, saying the prices have almost doubled, compared to what was obtainable around this time last year.
This, she said, has affected her business as not many people can afford to buy her meals which prices now start from N2,000.
“The items we bought last year at the rate of N1,000 now go for between N2,000 and N2,500. People are starving, the price of food this year is very high and some people cannot afford to eat three times a day. This has taken a toll on my business,” she stated.
According to Ada, in 2020, she sold a 50cl bottle of fresh tigernuts drink for N500 and a 35cl bottle for N200 but same now goes for N1000 and N500 respectively, due to the high cost of input.
“Last year, a measure of dry tiger nuts in the open market was between N300 and N500 but same is now sold for between N1,200 and N1,400,” she added.
Good food is now a luxury
A mother of four, Margaret Isaac, said her family has adopted a one-zero-one pattern of feeding to survive the difficult times.
According to her, unlike in the past when different family members made different food choices, they now make family meals which everyone is obligated to eat and even snacking for the children is regulated.
“I prepare breakfast which the children also take to school then they have a snack when they return from school and wait till it’s dinner time. Even the quality of food and portion sizes have reduced.
“We no longer serve meat or fish with every meal but do more of eggs, which we mostly fry to ensure everyone gets a tiny piece so that way, we may end up not serving one or two eggs per person as it was before,” Isaac stated.
Blessing Ayegba, a staff of a private firm in Abuja told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that she can no longer afford to eat what she wants, when she wants.
She said the high cost of food items has made her readjust her eating patterns and even food choices as her salary has not changed from what it was last year when food, though expensive, was considerably more affordable.
“Last year, I could comfortably buy and eat anything I wanted but now, I consider it carefully.
“Due to the high cost of food, I now eat twice or even once a day to be able to save some money. I also cook at home more now because the price of a plate of food in the office canteen has also gone up to N500 from N250.”
For Bright Igwe, who used to eat up to five times a day, there has been a drastic change as she now eats twice a day and complements with bread or garri.
A resident of Lagos, Ezumbe Blessing, lamented the cost of food, saying a sizeable tuber of yam is now sold for N2,500.
To survive the difficult times, Ezumbe said she now eats one major meal during the day and snacks or fruits at night to be able to save money for the next day’s meal.
