Nigeria: Being Online Now Costs Like Food

If survival in Nigeria were a game, it would be a brutal one—where the rules keep changing, and the price of staying in the game keeps rising. Right now, two heavyweight contenders are fighting for dominance in the ring of price hikes: telecom tariffs and food prices. And in the middle of this unrelenting battle? The average Nigerian, struggling to keep up.

Imagine picking up your phone to make a simple call, only to realize your airtime vanishes twice as fast. Or trying to buy data for work, school, or just to stay informed, only to find that what cost N1,000 last month now costs N2,500. That’s the reality millions of Nigerians woke up to when telecom operators quietly adjusted their tariffs, citing increased operational costs, forex issues, and regulatory approvals.

Even though MTN reversed its shocking 200% data tariff hike after public backlash, the fact that such an increase was even considered signals an alarming trend—connectivity, a basic necessity in today’s world, is gradually becoming a luxury.

As painful as expensive calls and data might be, they pale in comparison to the agony of hunger. Nigerians already struggling with the highest inflation rates in decades are facing yet another brutal wave of price hikes at the market. A bag of rice, once N35,000 in late 2023, now sells for N70,000 or more. Bread, a staple for many, is now almost out of reach for lower-income families.

For many, the question is no longer “Can I afford to buy data?” but rather, “Can I afford to eat?”

These hikes are not happening in isolation. Transport fares have doubled. Electricity bills have skyrocketed. Rent is climbing. It’s an endless cycle where survival becomes an extreme sport, and Nigerians are the unwilling participants.

The irony? Wages remain stagnant, unemployment is rising, and the few financial safety nets available are crumbling under the weight of economic hardship.

For many Nigerians, hope is running thin, but the conversation needs to shift from mere survival to sustainable solutions. The government must take strong regulatory actions to prevent unchecked price hikes, especially in sectors like telecoms that have a direct impact on economic productivity. The rising cost of food must also be addressed with policies that encourage local production and tackle supply chain inefficiencies.

As it stands, both the cost of staying connected and the cost of staying alive are rising at a breakneck speed. And if something doesn’t change soon, Nigerians may find themselves forced to choose between talking and eating—a choice no one should have to make.

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