In Lagos, food vendors all have a tough story to tell.
These small business owners are having a hard time because prices are going up and fewer customers are coming.
Every vendor has their own story, but they all share the same problem: they spend more to buy food but make less money from selling it.
Ms. Fumi runs a small restaurant and sees her profits shrinking. “The market is slow. There is no money,” she says. “What we buy for N2,000 is now N8,000. Beans that used to cost N2,800 to N3,000 are now N10,000. Garri that we bought for N1,400 is now N3,800.”
The numbers are shocking. The cost of beans has gone up by about 257%, and garri has more than doubled.
Food Vendors Talk About Price Hike
With prices rising, Ms. Fumi has changed how she cooks. “We are not cooking as much as we used to,” she says. “People come to eat, but in small numbers.” Her expenses are more than her earnings.
“When we go to the market, we spend more than we make. Customers are not coming in as expected.” She also talks about gas prices. “I remember a time we filled gas for N4,800, now it is almost N16,000.”
Ms. Fumi says a pot of jollof rice now costs her about N15,000 to N20,000 to make. “This is not how it was last year, at least with N5,000 we could prepare jollof rice,” she says.
“Even the jollof rice that we cooked yesterday is still remaining because there is no money. That is why we cook in small portions now, so we don’t waste it.”
This is a huge increase of up to 300%. The high costs are clear in her kitchen, where food sits unsold.
Mrs. Fausat, another vendor, shares the same frustrations. “Before, panla fish was N7,000. Last week, it cost me N33,500.” That’s a 376% increase.
She says this is because the dollar rate goes up. “Anytime the dollar increases, our prices follow.”
Her other costs have also gone up. “Five liters of oil that cost N1,700 are now N10,000. Gas has gone from N2,700 to N15,500.”
She says customers are also struggling. “People can no longer afford full meals,” she says.
“Things are so bad that some come here just to buy meat for (N150-N200) a piece, to take home because they cannot afford to buy a full meal here, and meat is very expensive in the market.”
“Now, going to the market to buy N1000 meat is almost impossible unless you have a good relationship with the seller.” She says.
Ms. Ugochi, who sells food at Grandmate road Okota, adds more to the story. “When things become tough, some people are smiling while others are crying,” she says.
“The market price is going up, and everyone sells at whatever price they choose.”
She mentions banga, a local ingredient, that now costs N4,000 to N5,000 per paint, compared to N2,000 last year—a 100% increase.
Despite the challenges, Ms. Ugochi tries to keep her prices the same. “I earned N20,000 last year, and I do not want it to drop,” she says. She keeps selling her plates of swallow for N1,000, while others have raised their prices to N2,000.
“What I do now is if you want an extra plate, you pay N300 instead of N200,” she notes. This is her way to keep customers while adjusting portions.
There is a big change in how customers buy food now. “Some sell their plates for N1,200 or more,” she says. “I do not want to drive my customers away.”
She also mentioned that where she used to give two spoons of soup for one portion, now it is just a little over one and a half.
These small changes help her keep customers while dealing with a tough market.
Mr. Chiadozie from TPoint Kitchen feels the same way. “My capital has changed,” he says. “If you were using N1,000,000 before, now you are using N3,000,000 to run the business.”
He recalls that a bag of garri cost N18,000 last year but is now N53,000—an increase of over 194%.
He says sales are still happening, but the food quantity has gone down. “We still sell, but the profit margins are different. Expenses have cut into our gains,” he explains. “Before, my wife would go to the market at 8 a.m. and return by 10 a.m. Now, it’s closer to 12 p.m. because she is searching for cheaper options.”
The market has changed a lot. “Many vendors who sold at lower prices have left,” he notes. “If you do not have money, you cannot run this business.”
Customers Complain:
“Food now is expensive,” Mr. Emeka, who works for an IT firm at Jakonde, said to Newslodge.
“Before, in a week I would rely on the food joint close to the office, but now I just buy bread and keep or wait to go home. In the end, I just drink water.”
Peace, who works for an NGO, said she has cut down on her reliance on food vendors. “Who has money to spend? There is no money. I have not finished worrying about my transportation, now I have to buy food?” She said.
“Please, with everything going on, I am careful with money now. I only buy when I am desperate,” she said.
The Strength of Food Vendors During Hard Times
Through these stories, we see how rising costs affect food vendors. They try to keep quality and customers even while facing money problems. They change their menus, reduce portion sizes, and look for the best prices in a changing market.
These food sellers, who serve working-class customers, have a tough job. Their struggles show a bigger picture of Nigeria’s troubled economy, where inflation and currency changes make it hard to survive.
Each vendor’s story shows Nigeria’s economic problems and their strength to keep their businesses going.
“Where there is life, there is hope. If you don’t keep moving, nothing will happen. Like now I am not strong for myself, but for my daughter as well. So I have to keep pushing,” Fausat said.
Their experiences remind us of the hard work that goes into every meal and the daily challenges they face.
As prices keep rising, these vendors look for solutions, hoping for a more stable market. Their drive to survive stays strong, even as they face an uncertain future.