Raising children has become a nightmare, Nigerian young parents cry out

…As prices of diapers, baby formula, egg, others soar

With Nigeria currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades, many young parents in the country are finding it increasingly difficult to raise children this period.

Many parents are groaning as a result of the high prices of food and other essential commodities which have forced them to live below poverty line.

Some families have now resorted to rationing what they give to their children, simply because the essential children’s foods are no longer affordable.

Many children’s needs, from diapers to baby formula- are going out of the reach of many average young parents.

Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office last year and initiated a wide range reforms aimed at repositioning the economy and cutting public spending, part of which was the removal of fuel subsidy, there has been a corresponding increase in the cost of living.

The measures sent fuel costs soaring and the prices of food and transport almost tripled in the last one-and-half-years.

“It has really not been easy, especially this year, the prices of baby food, milk, diaper, and other things have added more than hundred percent and our salaries have remained the same.

“My husband and I have been struggling, we only depend on the grace of God. We try to prioritise our needs. We sort them out one after the other,” Tayo Balogun, a parent of three, said.

Read also: Report projects economic hardship to push 33.1 million Nigerians into food insecurity in 2025

Consumer prices have surged dramat­ically, reaching levels not seen in recent years. As of October 2024, inflation soared to 33.88percent from 32.70percent in September.

This relentless rise has intensified over the year, with inflation rising consistently over the last ten months. Food inflation, which accounts for the bulk of Nigeria’s inflation basket, soared to 40. 9percent in June, compared to April’s reading of 40percent.

For many average and young parents raising children in Nigeria, it has become an uphill task. Due to the economic crisis, intending couples now agree on the number of children they would give birth to before going into the marriage.

“I think the hardship in the land and bad economy has taught everybody a lesson to plan ahead.

“We got married last year; my wife and I already agreed to have two children and we would keep to that; it is better to have few and give them the best of training and your mind would be at rest than having many that you cannot cater for,” Dotun Lawal, a banker, said.

But Seun Ogunjimi, who just gave birth three months ago, suggested that there should be some form of government assistance for vulnerable families to survive the current economic crisis in the country, while rising healthcare costs should be checked.

“It is just that our government (at all levels) is insensitive, there should be support for poor people. How do you explain the rise in prices of everything; even in government hospitals, pregnant mothers pay high delivery fees. Drugs are up more than two hundred percent in the last one year; how do we survive?” Ogunjimi asked

Across Nigeria, even the price of eggs, which is essentially a daily protein need of children, is out of the reach of many families.

With the high cost of eggs, parents are lamenting that their kids no longer take eggs to school; some parents said the increase in the price of eggs had left them with no option but to stop buying them for their children even when they needed the protein for their optimal development.

A crate of eggs sold for N4,000 few weeks ago is now between N6, 000 and N7,000, while a single egg now sells for N250-N300 or more, depending on the location and size.

Francis Godwin, a young parent and lawyer, said it would be suicidal for anyone not to put the current state of economic into consideration before thinking of the size of the family to have.

He lamented the high cost of living, noting that the situation has worsened and is affecting him because his salary has remained the same in the last three years.

Read also: How to reduce the hardship

“For me, the cost of raising a child is becoming difficult, we have a boy and a girl, and I just told my wife recently that we would not give birth again; we should rather look for money to train the two we have.

“You can imagine how much baby food is now, even school fees; it is God that is helping us. My salary has not gone up in the last three years; how do you cope with such a situation?”

According to recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report, Nigeria’s nutrition figures are alarming: One in three Nigerian children suffered stunted growth due to bad diet; one in 10 is wasted.

As a result, close to 17 million children in Nigeria are undernourished, giving the country the highest level of malnutrition in Africa and second highest in the world.

As families face the dual burden of rising living costs and an unfriendly market en­vironment, experts say policymakers, businesses, and communities must collaborate to alleviate this strain.

They also said that as parents strive to provide for their chil­dren, creative solutions and targeted inter­ventions are essential to ensure a brighter future for the next generation.

Lola Taluni, a businesswoman, said the burden of raising her young children is becoming more difficult with the prevailing state of the economy.

“As a parent, I feel the weight of these rising costs on my shoulders. Every day, I wake up won­dering how I’ll manage to provide for my children.

“The market prices seem to climb higher with each passing week. I’ve had to make tough choices, skipping meals, cutting back on essentials, and even delaying medical check-ups for my kids. It’s heartbreaking. We need urgent solutions.”

Desmond Ikhiria, an economist, said the inflation surge in Nigeria was multifac­eted and structural issue, noting that supply chain disrup­tions, and currency volatility all play a role.

According to him, the President Tinubu administration should have put in place measures to check the expected rise in prices of essential commodities across Nigeria upon removal of fuel subsidy.

“As an economist, I see the need for targeted policies; we need to strengthen local production, improve infrastructure, and ensure ef­ficient distribution channels are crucial. Ad­ditionally, a stable exchange rate is essential to mitigate the impact on families,” he said.

Many young, average couples are seeking government intervention in providing targeted subsidies, policies at checking the uncontrollable daily rise in the prices of items in some sectors as drugs and baby food, among others.

“In my family, my husband and I skip meals so the children can eat. We have two daughters now; we can’t afford all of us eating three times a day, not with this little income every month; where you would still pay transport, electricity, school fees and rent,” Caroline Oji, a seamstress, said.