In separate interviews with SaharaReporters, some of them say that this is yet another hard Christmas season where the prices of food, drinks, household items and luxury goods are out of reach
Nigerians have lamented the rising prices of commodities including essentials such as food during the Christmas season as well as the slow sales and businesses as a result of the economic hardship and insecurity in the country.
In separate interviews with SaharaReporters, some of them say that this is yet another hard Christmas season where the prices of food, drinks, household items and luxury goods are out of reach of the average Nigerians.
My Christmas Shopping Badly Affected – Businesswoman, Oluchi Eze
With the rate at which the prices of items are skyrocketing, I think this Christmas will be one of the least celebrated. Parents are going through a lot; from school fees to feeding. The Christmas fun will be the least of their worries for now.
The way I spent before now is not the way I am shopping for this Christmas. It has been badly affected. Before now, I could go to the market with as little as N3,000 and get a lovely gown or buy some good clothes. But this year, it is not possible.
Check the price of fuel. It will discourage a lot of people from travelling because transport fares will increase. Tell me how a family without a car will pay for four seats and the villagers will still expect them to come home with goodies. As of yesterday, a pack of attachment that sold for N1,000 last month goes for N1,300 now and when we are still in the first week of December. Just think of what will happen as we proceed to the other weeks.
Bag Of Rice Not Affordable This Christmas – Private Company Worker, Iyanu Adeniran
With the COVID-19 pandemic and all, many businesses are yet to pick up, and many companies are running at a loss. The company I work for; we are closing with a loss this year for the very first time in seven years. In previous years, once it was the first week of December, the office distributed welfare packages to the members of staff. But that is not even certain this year. The company cannot afford it when there is no profit.
The same pandemic affected our salaries for some months. The celebrations will be minimal this year. I would cut many expenses on items such as clothes, shoes and bags. I can’t afford a bag of rice this year so we would manage only morning and evening meals.
Whatever money anyone has during this period should be managed well, because we don’t even know what January 2021 holds.
No Christmas Fun As Everything Is Expensive – Trader, Mobolaji Akintoroye
Generally, we can attest to the fact that things are getting more expensive each passing day. Salaries are not being paid and seeing Christmas around the corner; this would create some tension in parents because they cannot afford the things their children desire at Christmas as a result of inflated prices.
For me, this Christmas celebration will be below standard. Virtually everything needed to make Christmas fun is expensive. This would also tell the income of traders. When people don’t have money to purchase things, traders will experience less patronage. People will only go for what they can afford and what is necessary at this point.
No Christmas Trip To Abia This Year For My Family – Precious Kalu, Businesswoman
Christmas celebration is no longer like before. Prices of goods have gone up in the market. People are just managing to buy what they can afford. This government is getting wicked every day with the way the prices of things are going up. For instance, my family is not travelling to our hometown in Abia State because my husband said there is no money to travel. More so, the way kidnappers are killing people these days is enough for one to stay where one is.
I Don’t Pray To Encounter A Year Like 2020 Again – Wasiu Akanji, Meat Seller
I don’t pray to encounter this kind of the year 2020 again. Trade has been so devastating due to the COVID-19 that started in March. Customers that usually bought N2000 worth of meat have reduced it to N500. Even, some now buy N200; it is that bad. I have told my wife and children that we are going to wear some of our old clothes that are still relatively new, and cook rice and eat foods we can afford.
There are debts to pay back. We have to save money for their school fees next year. Everybody knows that this year does not have good records. We believe next year will be better.