FCT residents make ‘tough’ adjustments over rising cost of living

Rising living costs are forcing residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to make difficult sacrifices, including reducing meals, selling cars, relocating to cheaper neighbourhoods and changing their children’s schools to cope with mounting household expenses.

Residents, who spoke about their experiences said rising food prices, transportation fares, rent, school fees and utility bills had made it increasingly difficult to maintain their previous standard of living, forcing them to prioritise basic needs over comfort and savings.

While some have reduced the number of meals they eat daily, others have abandoned recreational activities, changed their commuting routines or sold valuable possessions to meet essential financial obligations.

A resident, John Okafor, said his family could no longer afford the three meals a day it enjoyed a few years ago, as economic hardship had reduced its food consumption to twice daily.

“Some few years ago, I could comfortably say that we ate three square meals a day. But now, we struggle to eat twice a day because of the economic hardship and what I consider difficult economic policies,” he said.

Okafor said his family had also changed its diet to reduce spending while prioritising children’s school fees, water bills and electricity payments.

He said transportation and rent had become major drains on his income, leaving him with little money for other household needs.

“I spend about N3,000 daily on transportation to work and usually go to work three times a week. That amounts to N9,000 weekly and approximately N36,000 monthly, excluding the money I spend on feeding while at work,” he said.

He added that he set aside N100,000 monthly towards his rent, a commitment that had made it increasingly difficult to provide for his family.

The financial pressure forced him to sell his car last year when his rent became due.

“Selling the car was not something I wanted to do, but I had to make that sacrifice because paying my rent was a priority,” he said.

Okafor called on the government to review its economic policies and introduce measures to ease the burden on households struggling to meet basic needs.

Another resident, Benson Benjamin, said the rising cost of living had made it difficult to balance food, school fees, rent and transportation expenses with his income.

He said expenses that were previously manageable had become a daily source of concern, forcing him to reconsider how he spent money on his family.

“Some years ago, we did not have to worry so much about what to eat with our families. But now, every day, you have to think about what to eat and how to cope with your children’s school fees, rent and many other expenses,” he said.

Benjamin said rising transportation costs had also affected his work routine, forcing him to commute three times a week instead of daily to save money.

For Haruna Musa, the economic situation has changed not only how he spends money but also where he lives and how he spends time with his family.

Musa said he no longer took his children on outings around the city or ate out as frequently as he used to because such activities had become difficult to accommodate within his budget.

He said he previously lived in Gwarinpa, Wuse and Jabi but relocated to Kubwa because his salary and business income could no longer sustain the cost of living in those neighbourhoods.

Although he said his family had not reduced its daily meals, he explained that transportation and other household expenses continued to put pressure on his finances.

“I spend about N50,000 on fuel weekly, which amounts to approximately N200,000 in four weeks. This excludes feeding, which can cost as much as N10,000 weekly,” he said.

Musa added that he sometimes borrowed money to meet family needs, leaving him with little opportunity to save.

“These days, whenever my salary comes in, I am already thinking about the numerous expenses waiting for me at home. Before you know it, the money is gone, leaving little or nothing to save,” he said.

Similarly, Ahmed Aliyu said the rising cost of living had forced him to relocate to Kubwa and change his children’s school to reduce household expenses.

Aliyu, who works for a private firm, said his income could no longer comfortably sustain his family’s previous standard of living amid rising rent and other expenses.

He said private-sector workers who did not receive bonuses or allowances and had no access to loans were particularly vulnerable to increasing costs.

“I have made a lot of hard decisions to accommodate the current economic situation, like relocating and changing my children’s school,” he said.

Aliyu expressed hope that the government would urgently address the situation and introduce measures to ease the financial pressure on households.

Transportation has also become a major concern for Christopher John, who said he now walks part of his journey to work before boarding a vehicle to reduce commuting costs.

John said his transport fare had doubled from N500 to N1,000 per trip, increasing his weekly expenses as someone who commutes five times a week.

“I have had to reduce many expenses because the economic situation is no longer friendly. Sometimes, I walk part of the distance to my workplace before boarding a vehicle to reduce my transportation costs,” he said.

He said his weekly transportation expenses had risen to about N10,000, making it harder to save while setting money aside for rent and possible medical bills.

John called for a review of economic policies and measures to make life easier for ordinary Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Grace Danjuma, who runs a small business, said she had cut spending to ensure that her children’s school fees were paid when due without borrowing money.

Danjuma said she earned about N5,000 daily and relied on the income to support her family and meet other financial obligations.

She said walking to her place of business had helped her avoid transportation costs, but her earnings still required careful management to meet competing household needs.

“I do not want to find myself moving from one person to another, asking for loans whenever it is time to pay their fees,” she said.

She urged the government to address the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians and make basic needs more affordable.

The residents’ experiences illustrate how rising living costs are reshaping household decisions in Abuja, from the food families eat to where they live, how they commute and the schools their children attend.

For some, coping means reducing meals or changing their diets. For others, it involves moving to cheaper neighbourhoods, selling assets, walking part of the way to work or cutting back on activities that once brought their families enjoyment.

The pressure is also limiting households’ ability to save, with some residents saying their earnings are exhausted after settling rent, transportation costs, school fees, food and utility bills.

They appealed to the government to introduce measures that would ease the cost-of-living burden, improve household purchasing power and make basic necessities more affordable.