Nigeria is experiencing its deepest economic crisis in a generation
People in Nigeria are struggling because the cost of food, fuel, and medicine has gone up so much that many can’t afford them.
Nigeria is in its worst economic crisis in decades, with high inflation and a currency losing value, making it hard for millions to buy food. Just two years ago, Nigeria was Africa’s biggest economy, but now it is expected to fall to fourth place.
The suffering is widespread. Unions are striking because workers earn around $20 a month. People die in stampedes trying to get free rice. Hospitals are overwhelmed with women suffering from calcium deficiencies.
The crisis is largely due to changes made by a president elected 15 months ago: partially removing fuel subsidies and floating the currency, which have caused prices to rise.
Nigeria has over 200 million people who are used to managing tough situations without much help from the government. They create their own electricity and water, protect their communities when the military can’t, and negotiate with kidnappers when necessary. But now, their resilience is being pushed to the limit.
No Money for Milk
Recently, in the largest emergency room in northern Nigeria, three women were convulsing from calcium deficiencies. The Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital in Kano used to see one or two such cases a year. Now, it sees many every day because people can’t afford food.
Health worker Salisu Garba tried to find affordable nutrition for the women’s husbands. He suggested baobab leaves or tiger nuts for the poor, and boiled bones for those slightly better off. He laughed at the idea of anyone being able to afford milk.
Over 87 million Nigerians live below the poverty line, making it the country with the second-largest poor population in the world, after India. With high inflation, poverty rates are expected to rise even more this year and next, according to the World Bank.
Last week, unions shut down hospitals, courts, schools, airports, and even the country’s Parliament, trying to force the government to increase the $20 monthly salary for the lowest-paid workers.
