Tunde Chris Odediran
In the streets of Lagos, where vendors once boasted of fresh produce and cheap fuel, the chatter now centres on survival.
Nigeria, a country rich in natural resources, is sinking deeper into a crisis that is both predictable and preventable.
Fuel prices have skyrocketed, leaving many to scramble for alternatives, while foodflation gnaws at household incomes.
From Abuja to Kano, families that could once afford basic necessities are now drowning in hardship.
Yet, amid this struggle, another truth emerges, one that is even more difficult to confront: the collective failure of the Nigerian people.
While it’s easy to point fingers at poor governance and a flawed system, the role of the citizenry in perpetuating their perdition cannot be ignored. Greedflation,- the unchecked price gouging – lawlessness and repeated election of greedy morons as leaders exacerbate the nation’s descent into chaos.
Fuel scarcity is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria, but the current crisis has taken on a life of its own.
Nigeria, despite being the largest oil producer in Africa, remains dependent on imported petroleum products due to the inefficiencies and corruption within the oil sector.
For decades, the country’s refineries have been operating below their capacity, if they operate at all.
The country has been forced to import refined fuel at a premium price.
And so, the endless cycle of fuel shortages, long queues at petrol stations, and unpredictable price hikes continues.
The opening of the Dangote Refinery, the largest in Africa, was heralded as a potential solution to Nigeria’s fuel crisis.
Built by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, the refinery promised to end the nation’s dependence on imported petroleum products, boost local supply, and ultimately lower fuel prices.
But the reality has been extreme politicisation with no easy way of tracking the truth between Dangote and the national oil company, NNPCL.
Instead of offering relief, the sales price of petrol from Dangote’s refinery has become a point of controversy.
While Nigerians expected lower prices with local refining, the Dangote refinery’s fuel is priced significantly higher than it should.
The reality that fuel refined on Nigerian soil will be sold at a price comparable to the imported has left citizens feeling betrayed or bemused.
The government’s removal of fuel subsidies earlier in 2023 created a layer of hardship that keeps going even higher.
Dangote-refined petrol or not, price gouging continues.
Black-market dealers, taking advantage of the absence of regulation, hoard fuel, driving up prices in anticipation of further shortages.
And it’s not just a few rogue individuals; fuel station owners are complicit, selling at exorbitant rates under the guise of “market forces.”
Ordinary Nigerians are caught in the middle, facing inflated prices for a product that should be cheaper given the local production capacity.
Although the failures of government policy and corporate greed play a role in the fuel crisis and food price hikes, there’s a deeper issue: the behavior of ordinary Nigerians themselves.
The illegal hoarding, smuggling, and manipulation of fuel prices are not orchestrated by a foreign entity; they are perpetuated by Nigerians preying on the desperation of their fellow citizens.
This exploitation exacerbates the fuel crisis, driving prices higher and deepening the suffering of millions.
The problem is no longer just about fuel—it’s about the moral and ethical choices of a society unwilling to confront its own demons.
Just as the fuel crisis is gnawing at the heart of Nigeria, so too is the food crisis.
Food prices have ballooned.
Staples like rice, beans, and garri — once affordable for the average Nigerian family – have become luxuries.
Even bread, a basic food item, has seen its price soar, forcing families to cut back on meals.
Nigeria, a country with vast arable land and rich agricultural heritage, is now importing yam from Ghana.
Part of the problem lies in the country’s struggling agricultural sector.
Insecurity, particularly in the northern regions, has forced many farmers to abandon their fields.
Banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping have made farming a perilous venture, while poor infrastructure, such as inadequate roads and lack of storage facilities, has crippled food distribution.
The result is a vicious cycle: less food is produced, leading to scarcity, which in turn drives prices higher.
Yet, as with the fuel crisis, food inflation is not solely the result of external forces.
The market is rife with price gouging, as traders seize the opportunity to inflate prices far beyond what is reasonable.
In many markets, prices are dictated not by supply and demand but by the whims of unscrupulous middlemen, common Nigerians who exploit their fellow citizens because they simply can.
Nigerians are victims of Nigerians in the shameless opportunistic drive where everyone becomes complicit in perpetuating these cycles of exploitation.
Rather than unite in times of crisis, many choose to turn on each other, hiking prices and hoarding essential goods.
Instead of holding themselves accountable, they focus on blaming the government and external factors, all while continuing to engage in behaviors that undermine collective progress.
Fuel and food shortages, price gouging, and insecurity all point to one overarching issue: leadership.
Nigeria’s political elite are hosts of corruption, inefficiency and indifference to the plight of the people.
The country’s rich natural resources have been squandered by leaders more interested in self-enrichment than national development.
The failure to maintain the country’s refineries, the removal of fuel subsidies without adequate cushioning for the populace, and the inability to address the root causes of food inflation all reflect the systemic failures of governance.
However, the blame does not rest solely on the shoulders of those in power.
The Nigerian electorate bears responsibility for continually electing the same leaders who perpetuate these problems.
Tribalism, religious bias, and the lure of short-term financial gain often dictate voting patterns, resulting in a political leadership that is neither accountable nor competent.
Many Nigerians lament the state of the nation, yet during elections, they are swayed by empty promises, handouts, and political showmanship.
This failure to elect competent and visionary leaders is the greatest tragedy of all.
Time and again, the electorate has been presented with opportunities to demand better governance and to find an honest person to lead, but short-sightedness prevails.
Rather than seeking leaders who prioritise long-term development, Nigerians have too often settled for the same figures.
While fuel and food shortages are urgent issues, they are merely symptoms of a larger problem: a society that refuses to confront its own failures.
Nigerians often look to the government for solutions, but the government is a reflection of the people.
The lawlessness, price gouging, and poor leadership that define Nigeria’s current crisis are not imposed from outside; they are born from within – they reflect the foolishness of the people.
The refusal to obey laws is rampant at all levels of society.
From motorists flouting traffic rules to market traders manipulating prices, there is a widespread disregard for order and fairness.
This culture of impunity feeds into every aspect of Nigerian life, making meaningful progress almost impossible.
Reform efforts are routinely undermined by those who stand to benefit from the status quo, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of chaos and corruption.
Rather than coming together in times of hardship, many Nigerians see crises as opportunities for personal gain.
This shortsightedness, this willingness to exploit one another, deepens the very problems the people claim to detest. Until Nigerians recognize their own role in perpetuating these crises, no amount of government reform will suffice.
And then there is the issue of leadership.
The refusal to elect upstanding, accountable leaders is classic self-sabotage.
Every election is an opportunity to change the course of the nation, yet time and again, Nigerians settle for leaders who lack the vision, integrity, and ability to address the country’s challenges.
Nigeria’s crises—fuel, food, and leadership—are complex and interconnected.
Solving them will require more than just policy changes, wishful thinking, prayer or protests.
It will require a collective reckoning with the nation’s own failures, and the courage to make difficult choices.
I’ve got bad news for Nigerians.
There will not be an easy way out of the logjam.
The fuel, food, education, energy, transportation and many other problems are symptoms, not root causes. The root cause is the inability of the Nigerian to analyze their situation and dispassionately make good choices in daily or political life.
Nigerians must take responsibility for the outcome of their own behavior; from the way they vote to the way they act on the street or conduct business.
They must demand accountability from their leaders and from themselves.
The path forward will be long and fraught with challenges, but it is not impossible. Nigerians have the power to change their circumstances, but only if they are willing to confront the “foolishness” that has plagued the nation for so long.
In the end, Nigeria’s greatest resource is not its oil, its fertile land, or its wealth of culture – it is the people. And until the people rise to the occasion, the cycles of hardship will continue to repeat themselves.
