Living on the Edge: How Rising Food Prices Are Reshaping Students’ Lives in Nigerian Universities
By Kareem Kerimot Opeyemi
Kerimoh, a Mass Communication major in her final year at Fountain University in Osogbo, takes inventory of her current food supply because she is running low. She carefully measures out what is left of her food; she needs the rice to last her for the next three days.
Food prices have skyrocketed recently, and as a result, students across Nigeria are finding new ways to satiate their hunger while trying to maintain their education and achieve academic excellence.
In Nigeria, food inflation and its effects are now being felt by students across all Nigerian universities every day.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, food inflation in Nigeria was at 28% in late 2022, and this increase is greatly hurting students. Students who rely on their parents for financial support are finding that food is becoming a luxury item for those whose parents are already struggling to pay for all of their bills; their expenses are rapidly increasing due to the rise in fuel, transportation, and housing costs.
Students stay in hostels around Osogbo, but the cafeterias that used to provide inexpensive meals have raised their prices. Two years ago, you could get a plate of rice for N300; now you have to get it for N300 per spoon. Many students do not eat meals anymore, or eat instant noodles or cook in large quantities to save money. “I only eat twice a day now,” states Ibrahim, who is in his final year.
“Sometimes I only eat once. Hunger has become a way of life while attending university,” he added.
Teachers and lecturers can also see how this is affecting the students. Some students have trouble concentrating in class, and others do not come to class at all because of being tired. Health officials warn that if the students continue not to have enough food, there is a chance they will develop fatigue and have a weakened immune system, which will affect their grades.
However, students have created solutions to deal with the struggles. There are now many different types of food programs, including: cooperative cooking clubs, small-scale campus-based businesses and social media-based food-sharing communities. Some student unions are advocating for subsidised meals (in-campus) and food banks.
Socio-economic experts believe that longer-term solutions to business visibility outside of the campus walls will help many students. As an example, Dr Funke Adeyemi, an economist, says that stabilisation of food prices is dependent upon government investment in agricultural practices, transportation (in terms of how products get to the market) and market regulation of food items.
“Students are only one of many groups dealing with this issue. What we see amongst students on-campus is what we see amongst families across the country,” says Dr Adeyemi.
The strength of students in Nigeria as they face difficulties related to the economy is admirable. However, the fact that they have bounced back does not mean that we should stop holding them accountable.
It is not charitable to provide students with food while they are studying; it is an investment.
READ MORE: Nigeria’s inflation eases to 15.1% in January — NBS
