“We were very clear with the Nigerian people when the decision was made: it will bring discomfort temporarily, but the long term is what we are looking at.”
Daniel Bwala
Nigerian presidential adviser on media and policy communications
6 March 2026.
The fuel subsidy removal was implemented immediately after the new administration assumed office in May 2023. In its defence, the government argued that the policy would reduce financial leakages, curb corruption within the petroleum sector, and redirect public funds toward national development.
In theory, the decision was presented as a painful but necessary reform, a short-term sacrifice for long-term stability.
Yet nearly three years later, the “temporary discomfort” that Nigerians were asked to endure has become an enduring reality for millions.
Since the removal of the subsidy, Nigeria has experienced significant economic strain. The cost of transportation surged almost immediately, and because transportation affects nearly every sector of the economy, the ripple effects spread quickly across food supply chains, markets, and households.
Food prices rose dramatically and remain volatile across the country. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that food inflation reached over 26% year-on-year in early 2025, meaning that the average price of food items increased by more than a quarter within a single year. Even when inflation slows statistically, the reality for consumers often remains unchanged: prices rarely return to their previous levels.
In some parts of the country, the situation has been even more severe. For example, food inflation in Benue State widely regarded as Nigeria’s “food basket” reached over 51% in 2025, driven partly by insecurity that disrupted farming activities and reduced agricultural output.
These numbers are not abstract economic indicators. They represent daily struggles faced by millions of Nigerians.
As a student, I cannot remember the last time I comfortably bought animal protein for consumption. Something as simple as eggs, meat, or fish now requires careful budgeting. Many households are forced to choose between quantity and nutritional quality.
According to global development estimates cited by the World Bank, about 27% of Nigerians cannot afford a healthy diet even if they spent their entire income on food.
At the same time, hunger continues to threaten large parts of the country. The World Food Programme has projected that up to 35 million people in Nigeria could face severe hunger, one of the highest figures on the African continent.
The cost of living has reached unprecedented levels while the value of the naira continues to fluctuate against global currencies. For ordinary Nigerians, economic statistics translate into everyday compromises.I remember a time when ₦100 could buy a decent meal. Today, it is not even enough to purchase a bag of sachet water.
When people struggle to buy water, struggle to eat, and struggle simply to live with dignity, education inevitably becomes a secondary concern. Survival begins to replace ambition.
Who will prioritize knowledge when basic needs remain unmet?
According to UNICEF, Nigeria has one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world. Millions of children who should be sitting in classrooms are instead caught in cycles of poverty, labor, and survival. Without education for the next generation, the future becomes uncertain and dangerously fragile.
As a young Nigerian, I sometimes feel trapped between aspiration and reality.
The system no longer seems designed to improve lives. Instead, it often appears to deepen hardship and widen the gap between survival and dignity.
Basic necessities such as stable electricity now feel like privileges rather than infrastructure. Access to reliable power, decent food, or affordable transportation increasingly feels like a luxury reserved for a shrinking minority. I remember a friend calling me a “rich kid” simply because I bought a crate of eggs.
It sounded like a joke, but it revealed something deeper.
How did something as basic as eggs one of the most accessible sources of protein become a symbol of wealth?
Perhaps the most troubling consequence of Nigeria’s economic hardship is how quickly people adapt to suffering. Over time, what once felt unacceptable begins to feel normal.
Citizens complain less. Expectations shrink. People learn to survive with less.
Hope gradually fades into resignation.
The “Renewed Hope” promised by the current administration now feels distant to many Nigerians. For ordinary citizens navigating rising costs and shrinking opportunities, the promise of a better future often feels abstract.
And when policies that were meant to improve lives instead deepen hardship, people begin to wonder whether they are participants in the nation’s progress or merely pawns in decisions made far above them.