Poor Nigerians have been unable to breathe under President Bola Tinubu who assumed office in Abuja on May 29, 2023.
The first decision Tinubu took on becoming president was to put an end to the payment of subsidy on fuel.
President Tinubu’s administration also took a controversial decision by overhauling the foreign exchange in a bid to strengthen the naira.
However, these economic reforms have instead of making Nigeria better only brought about untold hardship on the citizens, especially the poor.
The Guardian, hereby, takes a look at five ways which poor Nigerians have found it extremely difficult to breathe under Tinubu.
- Increase in fuel price
When former President Muhammadu Buhari left the seat of power last year, one litre of fuel sold for between ₦185 and ₦200.
Tinubu during his inauguration speech as president in May 2023 said the era of fuel subsidy was gone for good.
Since petrol subsidy was removed, the entire economy has been thrown into crisis with one litre of fuel selling for no less than ₦615.
- Hike in transport fare
Majority of the common Nigerians do not own their personal cars, therefore, they board buses to their various destinations but transport fare has increased astronomically.
This is as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy which in turn led to an increase in the price of the commodity with poor Nigerians bearing the brunt.
- Increase in price of cooking gas
Majority of the common Nigerians now find it very difficult to fill their cooking gas as the price per kilogram is out of their reach.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in March 2024 said the average cost to refill a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) increased by 7.10% from February, reaching ₦6,591.62.
Also, according to the NBS, year-on-year, this marks a 42.97% increase from ₦4,610.48 in March 2023, attributing the incessant increase to various economic factors, including higher import costs.
The Guardian’s findings revealed that the price of one kg of cooking gas in the Ikotun area of Lagos currently stands between ₦1,300 and ₦1,400.
- Rising cost of drugs
The poor in Nigeria can barely afford to buy drugs or visit the hospital when they fall ill due to the rising cost of drugs and medication.
Common Nigerians have resorted to taking local herbs known as ‘agbo’ in the Western region of the country.
- Insane increase in food prices
Nigerians, especially the poor must have forgotten what it means to take a balanced diet on a daily basis due to the insane increase in the prices of food items and ingredients.
Nigerians are barely managing to survive even as garri which used to be the go to food for the poor is now for the rich in the society.
The removal of fuel subsidy which led to an increase in transportation costs have had a negative effect on the prices of foodstuff.
A market survey in the Ikotun area of Lagos State revealed that one derica of garri which sold for ₦200 in 2023 now costs as much as ₦700.
Food items such as rice and beans which costs nothing less than ₦2,000 for one derica now appear to be exclusively for the rich.
