Yakubu manage!!
Why is life so expensive??
What's up guyyyy?
This is an investigation and it started the way most Nigerian investigations do.
You check your account balance.
You blink.
You refresh.
You blink again.
And you ask the most honest question of our generation:
“Why is life so expensive?”
Because somehow, money disappears faster than motivation during an 8am class. One minute you’re budgeting carefully, the next minute you’re broke and wondering what exactly you spent money on.
So, as responsible Nigerian students, we decided to investigate.
Exhibit A: Feeding.
Feeding well is now a luxury.
Once upon a time, food was survival.
Now, food is a financial decision.
You’re standing in front of a food vendor doing mental math like:
“If I buy rice now, can I afford transport later?”
Snacks that used to be casual are now “special occasions” or even main meals for the day.
Noodles is no longer emergency food. It’s a strategic meal.
Eating three times a day?
That’s premium subscription behaviour.
Exhibit B: Transportation.
Transportation is actively hostile.
You leave your room with one transport price in mind.
You return home with a completely different amount gone from your account.
Transport fares change without notice, explanation, or apology.
Today it’s ₦300. Tomorrow it’s ₦500 “because fuel”.
And you can’t argue too much because you still need to get home.
Walking becomes a budgeting strategy.
Standing becomes the norm.
Exhibit C: School Expenses.
School fees were just the beginning.
Nobody prepared us for:
handouts, printing, surprise dues, “just small money” and group work contributions.
Every week, something new needs payment. And it’s always urgent.
School says education is important, but the process feels like a subscription service with hidden charges.
Exhibit D: Existing Is No Longer Free
Let’s talk about the small things that add up.
Data.
Soap.
Toothpaste.
Sanitary products.
Basic self-care.
Everything costs money, and somehow you need all of them to function like a human being.
Being broke is expensive.
Because when you don’t have money, every purchase hurts twice.
Exhibit E: Social Life = Financial Trap
You want to be social.
You want to belong.
But every hangout has a budget.
Birthdays.
Group outings.
“Let’s just chill small.”
Nothing is ever actually “small”.
So you start declining invites with creative excuses.
Or you go and order water with confidence.
Interim Findings
After careful observation, calculations, and emotional damage, we have discovered the obvious truth:
Life is expensive because everything is competing for your limited resources at the same time.
As a Nigerian student, you’re expected to:
eat
move
study
socialize
stay clean
stay sane
All with money that finishes quickly and comes slowly.
How Students Are Coping (Field Report)
Despite everything, students are adapting.
- Budgeting like accountants
- Choosing meals strategically
- Turning “I’ll buy it later” into a lifestyle
- Finding joy in free things
- Learning to stretch money like it’s elastic
It’s not easy, but somehow, we’re surviving.
So, if you’ve ever wondered why your money disappears so fast, you’re not imagining it. Life really is expensive, especially as a Nigerian student.
You’re not irresponsible.
You’re not bad with money.
You’re just navigating a system that makes basic living costly.
So give yourself grace.
Spend carefully.
Rest when you can.
And remember: if life feels expensive, it’s because it is.
CASE CLOSED.
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Until next gist,
Detective Gbemi from 10.8.8 Africa.🔍