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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Survival politics: How cost-of-living crisis is shaping 2027 voting in Delta

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • In Delta State, Nigeria, the upcoming 2027 elections are increasingly shaped by the daily struggle for survival due to the cost-of-living crisis.
  • Residents report that rising prices and economic hardship have fundamentally altered their lives and political perspectives.
  • The difficulty in affording basic necessities like food and transport is impacting household spending and business sales.

Politics in Nigeria's Delta State has shifted from party slogans to the pressing reality of daily survival, with the cost-of-living crisis emerging as the defining issue for residents. From bustling markets in Okpanam to quiet homes in Asaba, the escalating prices and economic hardship are profoundly influencing how people live and view their political leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The economy has affected us very negatively. Things are now costly, but there is little money in circulation. People are struggling to survive.

— Fish sellerDescribing the economic downturn's impact on traders and consumers.

For many families, political discourse now centers on immediate needs: affording food, covering transport fares, and meeting rent obligations. The economy's increasing difficulty is palpable across all segments of society, affecting civil servants, traders, farmers, and transport workers alike. The consistent message is that life has become significantly harder, and citizens are paying closer attention to the economic policies and performance of those in power.

The major problem is that people don’t have enough purchasing power. The products are here, but customers do not have the money to buy them.

— Fish sellerExplaining the disconnect between product availability and consumer affordability.

In Okpanam Market, a fish seller described the severe negative impact of the economy, noting that while goods are available, purchasing power is critically low. "The products are here, but customers do not have the money to buy them," she explained. This hardship is visible in many homes, where families struggle to afford even two meals a day, a stark contrast to previous times. The trader also reported a significant drop in sales, with the price of a carton of fish nearly doubling, forcing customers to buy smaller quantities.

Many families that used to eat three times a day can barely afford two meals now. That is how bad things have become.

— Fish sellerIllustrating the severity of the economic hardship on household food security.

This economic squeeze directly impacts traders whose daily income depends on sales volume. Many spend long hours in the market with minimal profit. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that salaries no longer stretch as far as they used to, making daily survival a primary concern for a growing number of people in Delta State.

A carton of fish that we used to buy for about N50,000 now sells for between N90,000 and N95,000.

— Fish sellerProviding a specific example of price increases impacting the cost of goods.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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