Economic hardship in Nigeria has taken a toll on many including small scale businesses across the country.
WikkiTimes reporter spoke to a tea vendor, Bashir Ibrahim, and other people in Karu local government of Nasarawa state.
Ibrahim whose tea business struggles to stay afloat revealed that prices of commodities have severely affected his business, resulting in a decline in his earnings.
According to Ibrahim, it is becoming difficult to see his regular customers these days, as people can no longer afford noodles, milk or eggs, adding that one pack of noodles costs as much as a plate of rice.
“It doesn’t make sense to get a plate of noodles at the rate of N700 and rice for the same amount. People normally buy noodles because it used to be cheaper not because they like it, but due to the inflation in prices, they can’t afford it any longer,” he said.
He also noted that it is also becoming difficult for him to sustain his family with his meager earnings from the tea business.
He said, “As of last two years, the price of ginger per measure is N600 and now a measure is N4000. Tea bags per pack was N250 but now it sells for N750. This price inflation has changed the level of patronage completely and I am finding it difficult to sustain my family as well.”
Speaking on the matter, Yusuf Adam, Chairman of the Karu Union of Tea Vendors said the union was founded in order to regulate the soaring prices, but this has become almost impossible now due to the inflation.
“Regulating prices is now very difficult because almost everyday prices keep changing. You cannot expect vendors to sell at old prices and therefore, it makes it difficult for us to regulate the price,” he said.
“This hardship and inflation in this country is annoying. Sometimes foreign products are even cheaper than Nigerian products. How does it make sense? For instance, a pack of Milo cocoa powder sells for N2300 but the Champion brand is N2000 only and the Champion is a foreign product.”
Halliru Sulaiman, a regular customer in the area said he can no longer afford to buy noodles and egg as a plate of one of it now cost N1200.
“It used to be my favorite meal but I had to give up because it is too expensive for my pocket,” he said.
They further called for quick intervention from the government to regulate food prices and control the inflation.
