By Tessy Igomu
Merry Christmas! That’s the refrain that will reverberate across the world on Sunday, as Christians across the globe celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But for millions of Nigerians, this Christmas might not be so merry. Like a harsh storm, the current economic recession sweeping through the land seems to have assured most Nigerians of bleak Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Rosemary Odo, a dealer in children’s clothes at one of the shopping complexes in the Lagos International Trade Fair grounds, was intermittently lost in thought as she stared at the crowd of shoppers milling around.
“Please madam, if you can’t pay N3,000 for that shoe, just drop it. Last week, I brought in those shoes at the rate of N1,500 but when I went back this week, they sold it to me at N2,500 each. There is no gain in it. Just drop it. Others will buy it in no time,” she said.
Her neighbour, a man, also lamented to the reporter that traders were experiencing low sales because of the unrealistic prices.
It is a few days to Christmas, but things appears bleak for most Nigerians. The Christmas bells are not jingling, neither are the lights blinking. Many places that usually had colourful Christmas decorations are looking bland and dreary.
Usually, this ought to be boom time for traders selling clothes, as those in search of choice apparels for the Yuletide would have visited various markets across the country. But this year, it is not business as usual.
According to some traders that spoke with Daily Sun at markets in Lagos Island, Trade Fair and Oshodi, there has been a lull. They noted that, despite the large turnout of shoppers, patronage was very low. The mood was not different for those who were into the sale of decorations, Christmas trees and lights.
Across different markets and shopping malls in Lagos, the prices of must-buy items for the period have skyrocketed, leaving the average family desolate. For many, Christmas is a time to give their families and loved ones a great treat. Many people are sad that, with the economic situation in the country, this might have to be suspended for now.
Basic necessities have become so expensive. Aside from paucity of funds and volatile foreign exchange rate, prices of goods and services have gone up without commensurate increase in income.
Not long ago, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the Nigerian economy had recorded two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.
According to the agency, in Q1 2016, the GDP growth was negative (-0.36 per cent). The Q2 2016 data reflects even a larger contraction, which was -2.06 per cent. The worst was yet to come as the GDP in the third quarter shrank badly to 2.24, thereby worsening the chances of the country getting out of the economic recession this year.
The agency also noted that the rate of price inflation for the months of September and October 2016 were 17.9 per cent and 18.3 per cent, respectively, while official statistics also indicated that the country’s unemployment rate increased to 12.15 per cent and 13.3 per cent during the first and second quarters of 2016.
The reality of the analysis is evident in the food and commodities markets.
A market survey conducted by Daily Sun showed that prices of everything, especially food items, have increased by more than 100 per cent.
In these markets, it was more like the survival of the fittest, as market women brusquely yelled at those who could not afford their wares to make way for more willing customers. To a first-time visitor, the impression of the markets would be that of a warfront.
Many shoppers can’t believe that prices of commodities have more than tripled, just days to Christmas and the New Year. For them, it was just a taste of things to expect in 2017.
A bag of rice that was sold at N11,000 last year now costsr between N18,000 and N23, 000. A bushel of rice, which hitherto cost N150 is now pegged at N300. The traders complained about the soaring prices of food items, adding that they also bought the items at very high prices. They were unhappy, noting that buyers were cutting down on their expenses. They all concurred that this year’s celebrations might be low-key.
From all indication, most homes would have to do without live chickens this Christmas and opt for processed ones. Now, chickens that cost N1,500, N2,500 and N4,500 last year are now being sold at N2,500, N5,000 and N6,000, respectively, with the possivility of further increase in price before Christmas and New Year.
At the Mile 12 Market, where goods vehicles from the North offload a wide range of foodstuff daily, a basket of tomatoes costs between N4,500 and N7,000, while a basket of pepper is sold at N7,000. A basket of onions is pegged at N16,000 and N18,000.
Presently, a small paint bucket (four litres) of gari sells for N900 while a small tuber of yam is sold at N500. The big ones, depending on the bargain, can be bought for between N600 and N1,200.
Commodities like wheat and semolina, among other basic items, have soared beyond the reach of many families. Five kilogramme and 10 kilogramme bags of semolina have moved from N1,100 and N2,200 before, to N3,200 and N4,400, respectively. This is even as the price of a five kilogramme bag of wheat, which previously cost N900, is now N1,000.
Five litres of groundnut oil, which was sold at N2,200 before, has moved up to N3,500. A bottle of groundnut oil previously N250 now costs N500. A 20-litre keg of palm oil that was sold at N7,000 now costs N8,500, while a bottle that was N300 before is now N600.
A carton of frozen turkey parts, which was N7,000 in early December now costs N10,000, even as a kilogramme, previously sold for N750 is now N1,500. One of the brand of noodles, which had its big and small packets selling for N30 and N50, has moved the prices to N70 and N100, respectively. Same also goes for seasonings, tomato pastes and other sundry condiments. In addition, a bag of sachet water otherwise known as “pure water,” now costs N200 against its initial price of N100.
The report of most shoppers that spoke with Daily Sun were filled with anger and bitterness and they consistently blamed the federal government for their woes.
“I walked endlessly in the market under the scorching sun. I finally bought a few things after haggling and being called names by angry market women. It is only women that feel the impact of food crises. The men don’t even understand what is happening. All they know is for their food to be served on time, even if it passes through the eye of a needle,” Chinyere, a housewife, lamented.
Low turnout at motor parks
For transport companies, it is also not business as usual. There has been a lull in their business. The parks have not been as busy as they should be at this time of the year. Most of the transporters described the situation as worrisome. A manager with one of the transport companies said, unlike in the past when all buses in the company’s fleet would have left the park by 7am, these days have been uneventful, with half of the buses empty at the park, waiting for passengers by 10am.
Worried by the situation, Sunday Uzor, a Lagos resident, bemoaned the fate of those who had planned to spend the Yuletide with families and friends in the village. He disclosed that his tradition of travelling home this year was shelved due to prevailing economic circumstances.
