The Hunger Behind the Smiles: How Nigerians Are Struggling, Surviving and Finding Solutions

For Jimoh Habeeb, the financial difficulties facing his family became more than a struggle to afford daily necessities. They affected his education.

 

Recounting his experience, Habeeb, who attends a WASSCE tutorial centre, said he dropped out of school while in Senior Secondary School Two because of financial difficulties.

 

“When am in SSS 2 I dropped out because of money,” he said, describing how the country’s economic situation had affected him over time.

 

His experience illustrates one of the ways financial hardship can affect young Nigerians: beyond the difficulty of meeting everyday needs, it can interrupt education and make the journey towards a better future more uncertain.

 

Across different households, schools and communities, people are finding ways to cope with rising expenses, limited incomes and competing responsibilities. Some are cutting back on spending, others are searching for additional sources of income, while some depend on the assistance of family members, friends and neighbours.

 

Yet behind the efforts to keep going are stories of people who must make difficult choices about what they can afford, what they must postpone and how they can protect their hopes for the future.

 

For some, the struggle is visible. For others, it remains hidden behind smiles and assurances that everything is fine.

 

When Working Is No Longer Enough

For parents, the responsibility of providing for their children does not disappear when the cost of living rises. Food, transportation, electricity, school expenses and other household necessities must still be paid for, even when income cannot keep pace with expenditure.

 

Mrs Oluwatoyosi Abolade, a mother of two, said the rising cost of essential items had made it increasingly difficult to provide for her family.

 

She explained that she now has to manage available resources carefully and sometimes postpone expenses that cannot be met immediately.

 

The financial pressure also affects how parents communicate with their children. Abolade said she sometimes keeps her worries to herself to prevent her children from becoming anxious about the family’s situation.

 

She also encourages them to appreciate what they have, avoid waste and understand the difference between what they need and what they would simply like to have.

 

For Mrs Awe Dupe Adebola, a mother of three and school proprietress, the challenge is captured in a simple observation: expenses are rising while the income available to meet them is becoming increasingly inadequate.

 

“The more we work, the lesser we get. The expenses is higher than income,” she said.

 

Adebola added that the rising prices of goods had made it difficult for her family to maintain its previous eating habits.

 

Despite these challenges, she expressed gratitude for being able to provide for her children.

 

Her experience reflects the difficult balance some parents must maintain: continuing to meet their responsibilities while adjusting their expectations to what their income can realistically support.

 

In such circumstances, providing for a household becomes more than earning money. It also involves deciding which expenses must come first, what can be reduced and how to manage the consequences of financial limitations without transferring all the anxiety to the children.

 

The Teacher Who Must Find Another Way

Teachers are often seen as people who guide children towards a better future. However, they also face personal financial responsibilities, including the cost of transportation, feeding, housing and supporting their families.

 

Mrs Odukoya Temitope, a school head of department, said the economic situation had affected her ability to meet her daily needs.

 

“It has affected it badly, am not able to meet my daily needs but I thank God that I don’t look like my problem am trying to cope,” she said.

 

Her statement points to a reality that can be overlooked when people judge others by their outward appearance. Someone may continue working, interacting with colleagues and carrying out daily responsibilities while dealing with financial difficulties privately.

 

For Odukoya, one way of coping is to seek an additional source of income outside teaching.

 

“Side hustle, that is you have to do something else apart from the teaching, that will fetch you more income,” she said.

 

Her suggestion reflects the growing importance of additional income-generating activities for workers whose earnings may not adequately cover their expenses.

 

However, taking on another job also comes with challenges. Teachers and other workers must consider the time, energy and resources required to maintain additional work alongside their primary responsibilities.

 

Odukoya also called for employers to treat their workers with consideration, arguing that they should not add unnecessarily to employees’ difficulties.

 

She further urged the government to provide more employment opportunities, improve security and ensure access to functional healthcare facilities.

 

Her recommendations highlight an important distinction: while individuals may explore additional income sources, their ability to cope is also influenced by working conditions, public services and the wider economic environment.

 

When Financial Pressure Enters the Classroom

For students, economic hardship can affect more than feeding and transportation. It can determine whether they can obtain the materials required for their education and how confidently they can ask for financial assistance.

 

Awe Deborah Oluwanifemi, a 100-level student at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), said the cost of textbooks and other academic materials had become a source of concern.

 

She explained that when she asks her parents for money to purchase materials, they sometimes find it difficult to believe the prices she gives them.

 

The situation creates an additional burden for students who must meet academic requirements while depending on their families for financial support.

 

Deborah also recalled a statement made by a lecturer during orientation, according to which students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds would still be expected to meet their academic requirements.

 

The comment, as she remembers it, left her concerned about the possibility of struggling academically if she could not afford what her studies required.

 

Her account should not be taken as a statement of the university’s official policy. Rather, it reflects her personal concern about the relationship between financial limitations and academic expectations.

 

For students, the difficulty may not end with the inability to buy a textbook. It can also involve the discomfort of repeatedly asking for money, uncertainty about whether support will be available and the fear of falling behind their classmates.

 

Deborah said she sometimes finds it difficult to ask people other than her parents for financial assistance.

 

She believes students should be able to seek help without being embarrassed, adding that people who are in a position to assist others today may also need assistance in the future.

 

She also suggested that students consider part-time jobs that would not interfere with lectures, reading and other academic responsibilities.

 

Such work could help students cover some expenses and build savings, although the availability of suitable jobs and the demands of their courses may limit what they can realistically do.

 

The Struggle Behind a Smile

Financial hardship does not always announce itself.

 

Some people openly discuss their difficulties, while others try to maintain an appearance of normality because they do not want to worry their families, attract unwanted attention or appear incapable of managing their responsibilities.

 

Gafar Balikis, an SS2 student and assistant head girl, said the country’s economic situation had affected her education.

 

She explained that she had sometimes pretended to be fine despite experiencing financial difficulties.

 

Her experience shows how young people may carry worries they do not readily express, even while continuing to attend school and participate in everyday activities.

 

Balikis believes students can explore practical ways of earning money, including graphic design and helping other students who need academic support.

 

Students who are strong in particular subjects, for instance, may be able to organise lessons for younger learners after school, provided the arrangement does not interfere with their own studies.

 

She also advised young people to budget and plan for the future.

 

However, the suitability of these options will vary. Not every student has access to the internet, the equipment needed for digital work or enough free time to take on paid activities.

 

For this reason, encouraging students to develop useful skills should go hand in hand with ensuring that financial pressures do not deprive them of the time and resources needed for their education.

 

From Personal Survival to Collective Support

Although the interviewees described different experiences, their suggestions shared a common theme: people need practical ways to manage their resources and support one another.

 

Abolade recommended preparing monthly budgets, prioritising essential expenses, comparing prices before buying and reducing food waste.

 

She also suggested that households look for additional sources of income where possible, including small businesses and skill-based work.

 

Adebola similarly advised families not to depend entirely on one source of income when other realistic opportunities are available.

 

She encouraged parents to teach children how to manage money, save and distinguish between spending and investing.

 

She also suggested dividing money into different categories, including giving, saving, investing and spending. For families who practise it, religious contributions may also form part of their budgeting decisions.

 

These suggestions can help households make more deliberate choices about limited resources. However, their effectiveness depends on whether the income available is sufficient to cover basic needs in the first place.

 

A household cannot budget its way out of an income shortage indefinitely. Cutting unnecessary expenses may help, but reducing spending becomes much harder when most of the money already goes towards food, transportation, education and other necessities.

 

That is why the interviewees also emphasised the importance of community support.

 

Adebola believes people should assist those around them whenever they have the means to do so.

 

“Helping one another. Supporting people in your community,” she said, describing ways communities could assist people experiencing hardship.

 

She also encouraged those who can afford it to give to people in need, even if the assistance is occasional.

 

Abolade proposed community support funds, cooperative groups and skill exchanges as possible ways to help households facing financial difficulties.

 

Such arrangements can allow people to pool resources, access assistance during emergencies and support small businesses within their communities.

 

For students, mutual assistance may involve sharing useful learning materials, organising affordable lessons or helping classmates locate legitimate opportunities to earn money.

 

For families, it may mean sharing food, assisting a struggling neighbour or helping someone develop a skill that could improve their earning capacity.

 

However, community support must be approached with dignity and care. People experiencing hardship should not be humiliated for seeking assistance, and those offering help should respect the privacy of recipients.

 

Mutual support can reduce isolation and help people manage immediate needs. It cannot, on its own, provide all the jobs, affordable services and public infrastructure that a functioning economy requires.

 

Why Government Action Still Matters

The people interviewed offered several suggestions for addressing the wider difficulties affecting households.

 

Abolade called for government action to improve access to affordable food, reliable electricity and transportation, employment opportunities and support for farmers and small businesses.

 

Odukoya also called for more job opportunities, better security and functional healthcare facilities.

 

Their recommendations point beyond the decisions individuals make at home. The cost of essential goods, the availability of work and the quality of public services all influence how far a household’s income can go.

 

A parent who budgets carefully may still struggle if food prices remain beyond the family’s means. A teacher who takes on extra work may still find it difficult to meet basic expenses if the additional income is inadequate. A student who wants to work part-time may be unable to do so without affecting academic performance.

 

Government policies that support employment, improve productivity, strengthen essential services and address barriers to affordable food and education therefore remain important to the search for lasting solutions.

 

Employers also have a role to play by providing fair working conditions and treating employees with consideration.

 

At the same time, schools, families, community organisations and individuals can help identify people at risk of being left behind and provide practical assistance where possible.

 

The responsibility is shared, but it is not identical. Individuals can make choices about their spending and support their neighbours; institutions and government have responsibilities that personal effort cannot replace.

 

Rebuilding Hope, One Step at a Time

Despite their different circumstances, the interviewees did not describe hardship as a reason to abandon hope.

 

Their suggestions included learning useful skills, seeking additional income where feasible, saving what can reasonably be saved, avoiding waste, planning expenses and helping people who may be worse off.

 

For students, this also means finding ways to continue learning without allowing the pressure to earn money to undermine their education.

 

For parents, it means making difficult financial decisions while trying to protect their children’s wellbeing.

 

For workers, it may mean searching for additional opportunities while calling for better conditions and more adequate earnings.

 

For communities, it means creating an environment where asking for help does not attract ridicule and where people contribute according to their means.

 

Habeeb, whose education was interrupted by financial difficulties, emphasised unity and helping one another without selfishness or betrayal.

 

His experience also serves as a reminder that the consequences of hardship can extend beyond the present moment. When financial difficulties interrupt education, they may affect the opportunities available to a young person later in life.

 

Preventing such outcomes requires more than encouraging resilience. It requires practical support for struggling learners, opportunities for families to earn adequate incomes and policies that make essential services more accessible.

 

The smiles people present to the world do not necessarily reveal the full weight of their responsibilities. Behind them may be a parent calculating household expenses, a teacher looking for another source of income or a student wondering how to afford the materials needed for the next lesson.

 

Their stories show both the resourcefulness people use to survive and the limits of what individual effort can achieve.

 

As Adebola put it when discussing the importance of helping others, “Whatever is in our hands to do or give to people, let’s do so.”

 

It is a call for compassion and collective responsibility. But compassion must also be matched with sustained efforts to address the conditions that make basic necessities difficult to afford.

 

For Nigerians struggling to keep their households together, the goal is not merely to endure hardship. It is to reach a point where earning a living, obtaining an education and providing for a family no longer require such constant sacrifice.