Eggs, yams, and 'thick soup': The common foods Nigerians are becoming too poor to afford

The country’s current economic situation is beyond terrible. Citizens are taking to their social media pages to express their dissatisfaction and to predict what would happen if the current administration is re-elected in the upcoming election. 

One of these predictions is that two people will join forces to buy eggs. An egg costs between ₦200 and ₦250.

With the life expectancy of an average Nigerian sitting around 50+, the inability to afford basic nutritious meals boldly shows the miserable reality for many Nigerians.

When I put out the question to my WhatsApp comrades, asking what common foods are slowly disappearing from their plates, I laughed until the sad reality sank in and took over my mind. The saddest entry was thick soup. 

In many Nigerian homes, soups used to be thick and rich with assortments. Now, for millions, even that has become a stretch. Soups are now diluted to last longer.

What this reflects is a deeper economic strain.

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As of recent estimates, about 139 million Nigerians (over 60% of the population) are living in poverty. Rural poverty is even worse, with rates as high as 75.5% in some areas. Nigeria’s poverty rate remains above 50% in recent World Bank data estimates, showing widespread economic hardship.

The World Bank notes that food inflation remains a major burden on Nigerian households, especially the poor, with poor households spending up to 70% of their income on food. The cost of a basic food basket has reportedly increased up to fivefold between 2019 and 2024.

According to a Pulse Nigeria article, many Nigerians now maintain the 001 (one meal a day) eating pattern, which further represents how tough the economy is. 

To cut a long story short, here are some of the everyday foods Nigerians say they are quietly dropping:

Eggs were once the easiest source of protein. In 2019, you could easily buy three eggs for ₦100 and one egg for ₦50, depending on the size. They were that cheap. Today, an egg is sold for ₦200 to ₦250. 

A respondent mentioned that before, she bought eggs in crates, but later started to buy them individually based on craving and not as an essential protein. And now, she can’t remember the last time she ate eggs. 

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Yam and egg, fried yam and stew, yam and beans, or just yam for the sake of it – that was how well many Nigerians ate yam. I’m not street smart, but as of 2021, I bought three tubers of yams for ₦3,500. 

According to a 2024 BusinessDay article, a sizeable tuber of yams goes for between ₦5,000 and ₦10,000. 

Although in most families, chicken has always been reserved for special days like Easter, Christmas, birthdays, and other functions, an average Nigerian can wilfully decide to eat chicken on a Tuesday. 

Today, even a hard-working lawyer in Nigeria can’t do that without bringing out a calculator to calculate the financial mistake and the sufferings to come as a result. 

RELATED ARTICLE: Can’t Afford Chicken? Here Are 7 High-Protein Foods Nigerians Now Eat Instead

Boarding house students who were schooled in the West would be familiar with the word "tinko". This is a shrunk meat portion that’s slightly overfried and as hard as a rock. Between 2009 and 2015, it sold for ₦50.

Today, that size sells for ₦200 in many roadside bukas. And yet, not many can afford to have it on their meal, let alone a moderately sized beef portion. 

Fish, especially popular varieties like Titus and croaker, are increasingly out of reach. Many respondents mention that they avoid certain types altogether. Croaker is for the 'rich-rich', while dried stockfish is now eaten sparingly for flavour's sake.

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Saturdays or weekday holidays used to be a blast with tin milk and Milo, plus bread and butter. Children nowadays might not be able to relate to that. 

There are mixed opinions regarding this. Some respondents mentioned that they no longer eat bread as often, while some said they’ve replaced most of their meals with bread. 

A bachelor particularly mentioned that once he buys a big loaf of bread for ₦2,000, he eats it throughout the day with beans to make it more filling. 

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A pack of instant noodles was once ₦4,000. Today, a mid-tier brand costs ₦8,500. This used to be the go-to meal for students and young hustlers because it was cheap, quick to prepare and satisfying. 

According to a respondent, garri and sugar are now the new-new.

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As weird as this may seem to many readers who find tomatoes and peppers an essential part of a meal, not many Nigerians can afford them. Even TribuneOnline highlighted five substitutes for tomatoes as hardship kept dealing Nigerians blows from different angles. 

Good, nutritious food is good for brain development and cognitive functions. If Nigerians can’t afford basic nutrition, how then can we think of a way forward to build a better Nigeria? How then can children, who are the leaders of tomorrow, grow to become one?