A trip from my house to the school that used to cost me just N500 now costs me over N3000.
Since President Bola Tinubu’s sweeping reforms began in May 2023, Nigerians have been paying more—often far more—only to receive less in return. Removal of petrol subsidies sent pump prices soaring from around N185 to between N500 and N700 per litre, triggering transport fare hikes and supply-chain disruptions.
Student Paul Kunle lamented, “A trip from my house to the school that used to cost me just N500 now costs me over N3000. How is that fair?”
The naira’s free float pushed its value to around N1,600 per dollar by early 2024, further inflating the cost of essentials — food, medicine, and building materials. Inflation reached 34.8 percent by December 2024, the worst in nearly 30 years.
Meanwhile, successive levies—from cybersecurity to customs surcharges—have compounded the burden, prompting protests and business closures. “They said pain now, gain later,” says Umi Saidu. “But for us, it’s been pain, pain, and more pain.”