There was a time I thought I couldn’t survive without eating roasted catfish. Gone are those days, my dear. With the way prices are going up, I’m convinced that I don’t need meat or fish in my food again. How about you though? Here are the foods ten Nigerians are cancelling for the sake of their account balances.
1. “I’ve convinced myself that corned beef is too unhealthy to be almost ₦2k.”
— Ebere, corned beef
Everyone talks about how expensive sardine is, but how about its cousin, corned beef? In 2015, I could eat it with every meal because the big can was just about ₦500. If I was frying eggs, cooking jollof rice, or just looking for something to munch, I’d add corned beef. Now, not even the smallest can of corned beef is ₦500. It’s triple the price, and I’ve convinced myself that it’s too unhealthy to eat. This isn’t life sha.
2. “It’s not like my salary doubled, so why am I still buying grapes?”
— Uche, grapes
I’m the kind of mum who wants her kids to have fruits every day. I stay in Abuja, and at some point, I could buy apples and grapes for my two kids for ₦4000, and it would last two weeks. Now, I spend the same amount for half the quantity. It’s not like my salary doubled since January 2022, so how can I keep up? I’m convinced they can do without grapes. After all, Ribena has vitamins too. At least, a carton can last for two weeks. 3.
3. “I really don’t need shrimps to survive.”
— Lanre*, shrimps
Shrimps used to be my go-to seafood. There was a time I couldn’t live without them, but look at me now, thriving in Bubu’s economy. Last year, a small portion of shrimps was ₦1200, but in a matter of months, they’re going for ₦1900. That’s a no for me, please.
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4. “I can’t look at the price of turkey without getting angry.”
— Pam*, turkey
The price of turkey has doubled in the last two years. I thought not eating it would be the death of me, but seeing how much it costs makes me so angry now. I spent ₦3600 the last time I closed my eyes to buy a kilogram of turkey. I can’t keep doing that. Since chicken breasts cost the same thing, I’ve decided that it’s a healthier option for me.
5. “I don’t mind if soda kills me.”
— Linda*, black Bullet and 5Alive Berry Blast
Black Bullet once retailed for ₦350. The moment the price reached ₦800, my alcoholism was cured right away. The other thing is 5Alive Berry Blast. I would drink it every time, forming “it’s healthier than soda.” When it reached ₦500, I realised that soda can kill me, I don’t mind.
6. “I went from eating steak bi-weekly to only monthly.”
— Maxwell*, steak
I used to buy steak bi-weekly for about ₦7k – ₦15k, from supermarkets around Lagos. Now, I buy it online, and to be fair, the price isn’t significantly cheaper than in the stores. Also, I can’t keep eating it every other week, so I’m down to just once a month.
7. “I can’t think of buying suya anymore.”
— Chinwe, suya
There was a time I could get a stick of suya for ₦500. Right now, that amount buys like six small pieces of suya, and that’s if the vendor likes you. They don’t even garnish it with onions and cabbage anymore. How am I supposed to drink garri without decent suya? Even the milk I’m trying to maintain is getting so expensive.
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8. “Until the price comes down, I’ll live without plantain.”
— Chris, plantain
In 2016, ₦200 could get me enough plantain to eat with beans, and still cook into a porridge the next day. It’s 2022, and I can’t even buy a banana for ₦200. I didn’t actually stop buying plantain with my money until ₦1000 became useless though. I love plantain, but I’ll wait for the price to come down.
9. “Granola for ₦3k can’t work for me.”
— Chuka, granola and pringles
How pringles went from ₦600 to ₦1200 in a matter of months still shocks me. I can’t even imagine swiping my card to pay for it anymore, so it’s been almost six months since I had any. Then, there’s the granola that I used to eat for breakfast every day of my life. When it went up to ₦3k, I knew that the mallam’s bread and fried eggs close to my office were good enough for me.
10. “I’ll fully break up with shawarma when my guy starts selling to me at the normal price.”
— Mark*, shawarma
In 2019, I was working in Yaba, Lagos, and shawarma cost ₦400 or ₦500. I’d buy at least three almost every night! In 2020, it jumped to ₦800 or ₦1k, and I stopped buying so much. Eventually, it went up to ₦2k in Lagos, and by the time I moved to Anambra in 2021, it cost almost the same there. My only saving grace now is one particular shawarma guy. He sells to me at a special price, two for ₦1600 each, because I’m consistent. The day he decides not to sell, it’s all over.
