Surviving in Today’s Economy: A Struggle for Many

After going through posts from some Hive Learners members, I realized that many of us across different countries are facing similar struggles.

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I am a Nigerian, and the minimum wage here is ₦77,000, recently declared by the government.

Unfortunately, many private companies, factories, and organizations have not complied with this law. Some schools still pay teachers as little as ₦20,000 to ₦30,000. Even in cases where someone earns above ₦100,000, transportation costs alone can take up a large share of that income. Imagine earning ₦150,000 monthly and spending ₦100,000 on transport. What meaningful impact can the remaining ₦50,000 make in today’s economy?

Living close to your workplace might seem like a solution, but rent in those areas is extremely high. In places like the Island or nearby environments where better-paying jobs are located, rent can range from ₦1.5 million to ₦5 million annually.

Because of this, many workers are forced to share apartments in groups of four or five just to survive. Government jobs that pay the official minimum wage are also very difficult to secure due to the high level of unemployment in the country.

This is what fuels the high rate of corruption and crime. When an entrepreneur hires someone with an offer of ₦20,000 per month, many accept it out of necessity. Unfortunately, some end up engaging in theft or other dishonest acts to make ends meet.

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In a country like mine, where prices of everything have skyrocketed, the minimum wage is far too little for a family to survive. Garri, once considered a poor man’s food, is now expensive. Gone are the days when a bachelor could survive on ₦1,000 a day. It can’t even cover a proper breakfast nowadays.

People still have rent, electricity bills, children’s school fees, textbooks, medical expenses, and countless other emergencies to handle. Even if the minimum wage were doubled, it still wouldn’t be enough for a family to survive.

Earning ₦150,000 a month barely scratches the surface. Food alone can consume that, and we are just talking about basic meals. If you break it down, that is only about ₦3,333 per day for a family of three. What can ₦3,000 buy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for three people? The truth is, people are struggling, and many are suffering quietly.

Nowadays, it seems like landlords can increase house rent whenever they want. Some double or even triple the rent without a second thought. I won’t blame them completely.

The country is tough, and they need to survive, especially if renting is their only source of income. But it still feels heartless to triple someone’s rent without any prior notice for a house you built years ago. Sadly, it is what it is.

Many people are now leaving the city to find cheaper apartments in smaller towns and villages.

If the government could regulate rent and work on reducing the prices of food and other essentials, then maybe doubling the minimum wage could help. But if nothing changes, even tripling the minimum wage wouldn’t solve the problem.

Just call me Burl.
I am a professional gamer, motivational speaker and a crypto enthusiast
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