Living in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, is both good and tough. The city is well-planned and has many opportunities, but things are very expensive. Prices keep going up, and managing money has become harder. The question is, how do people like me cope? Is there any hope for a better future?
The biggest problem in Abuja is the cost of food. Some years back, I could go to the market with little money and buy many things. Now, the same amount only buys a few items. A loaf of bread that was once 250 naira is now almost 1,000 naira. A small yam that used to be 500 naira is now 1,500 naira. The worst part is that salaries are not increasing, so it is hard to keep up.
Transport is another big problem. If you don’t have a car, moving around Abuja costs a lot. A short trip that used to be 200 naira is now 500 naira or more, depending on fuel price, Even if you have a car, fuel is very expensive. Filling a tank takes a lot of money, and when fuel prices rise, everything else also becomes costly.
Housing is the hardest part. Renting a house in Abuja is not easy. Places like Maitama and Asokoro are too expensive for most people. Even areas like Kubwa and Lugbe, which were affordable before, now cost too much. Landlords keep increasing rent every year, and there is nothing tenants can do about it.
When I first moved to Abuja, I could manage my expenses. A budget of 10,000 naira for food lasted for some time. Transport was okay, and rent was not as high as it is now. Back then, 500 naira could buy a good meal in a small restaurant. Today, that same 500 naira may not even buy a drink. It is frustrating to see how fast things have changed, but salaries and business incomes have remained the same.
The worst thing is that prices change suddenly. You can wake up one morning and find out that the price of rice has doubled, making life harder. There is no warning, no time to prepare, just a struggle to keep up.
Even with these problems, we find ways to survive. I have reduced spending on unnecessary things. Eating out is now a luxury, so I cook at home most of the time. Buying food in bulk helps save money, though it takes careful planning.
For transport, I use alternative routes and sometimes walk short distances to save money. Some people now use their cars as taxis in other to reduce transport costs, many people are also doing side hustles or online jobs because one source of income is not enough anymore.
Will things get better? That's a big question that no one has an answer to but I think If the government controls inflation, increases the minimum wage, and regulates prices, life can be easier. Also, if there are more good-paying jobs, people can afford their needs without so much stress.
For now, we have to keep adjusting and finding ways to survive. Abuja is a great city, but it is becoming a place only rich people can enjoy. The rest of us? We keep pushing, hoping that one day, things will change for the better.
Living in Abuja is not easy, but we survive. Every day is a mix of frustration, managing expenses, and hoping for better days. If things do not improve, many people may leave the city to look for a better life elsewhere. But for those of us who stay, we must continue finding ways to make things work. Because at the end of the day, we have no choice but to survive.
NOTE:- ALL THE PICTURES ARE MINE
This is my response to today's episode of the hive-learners community prompt of #hl-w159e1 which the topic is tagged THE COST OF LIVING
