Economy: Roadside restaurants drop food quantity, forcing customers to cut budgets

By Elizabeth Adegbesan

The aroma of smoky jollof rice and boiling pepper soup still wafts through the bustling lanes of various busy business locations in Nigeria, but the portions being served tell a grim story of survival.

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*Economy&Lifestyle *discovered that as skyrocketing inflation continues to erode the purchasing power of average Nigerians, roadside food vendors across major cities are forcing a tough compromise on their customers.

They dish out smaller portions of food at very high costs, amid complaints by artisans, who form the bulk of their customers.

For decades, Nigeria’s vibrant informal food sector, locally known as ‘buka’ or ‘mama put’, has been the saving grace of low and middle-income workers looking for affordable, hearty meals.

Today, that safety net is fraying.

Driven by the removal of fuel subsidies, currency depreciation and soaring transportation costs, food inflation, despite being slow in rate, has forced vendors to restructure their business models just to stay afloat.

But the artisans are complaining

Emmanuel Osarumwense, a structural technician, looks disappointed as his plate arrives.

He explained the cause of his disappointment to Economy&Lifestyle, saying: “Before, N1,000 food from Mama Rukayat would fill my stomach completely, gesturing toward his plate.

“Now, I spend N1,500 and I leave the table still feeling hungry.

“I have to drink two sachets of water right after eating just to feel heavy. It is survival eating.

“We are no longer eating to enjoy; we are eating so we don’t collapse.”

Mr. Sunday Agbonkhese, a bricklayer, said: “Before, you can get cooked beans (ewa agoyin) and bread with N700.

“You will be full. But now, that N700 can hardly get you a loaf of bread to make you full.

“To get full now, you will need up to N3,000 for a meal of bread and beans.

“After eating this, which is also a small portion, compared to a few years back, I don’t eat for the rest of the day till evening.

“I eat twice a day now just to be able to save a little from my earning which is also little.

“It is only God that is feeding me.”

Why the portions are shrinking

Mrs. Kudirat Adeyemi, who has operated a popular food canteen for over 12 years, stares at her large aluminum pots.

According to her, a year ago, a single standard scoop of rice alongside a piece of beef cost N800.

But today, maintaining that same quantity would require her to charge N2,000; a price her regular customers, mostly motorcycle riders and traders, simply cannot afford.

“If I increase the price to what it actually costs to cook this food, nobody will buy.

“So, I had to change the strategy.

“The price is now N1,200, but the portion is nearly half of what it used to be.

“The piece of meat is smaller, and the rice spoon is no longer heaped.

“My customers complain bitterly, but they know it is not my fault.

“Even sales have reduced because now I cook two rubbers, almost 5 kg of rice compared to 25kg I was cooking before.

“The market is hot.”

The reality is visible on the plates of her patrons. What used to be a mountain of rice that could sustain a manual laborer for an entire day has shrunk to a modest mound.

Customers adapt to survive

The reduction in food portions has drastically altered the eating habits of consumers, many of whom have seen their disposable incomes evaporate. With salaries stagnant and the cost of basic commodities tripling, eating has transformed from a convenient necessity into an exercise in strict budgeting.

Economists point out that the food vendor crisis is a direct reflection of a deeper macro-economic strain.

The cost of a bag of rice, a staple food in Nigerian households, has hit record high ranging from N60,000 to N100,000, while prices of cooking gas, tomatoes, onions, and vegetable oil have followed a similar trajectory.

Many food vendors have closed their shops entirely because they lack the capital to restock.

For those remaining, portion control is the only alternative to bankruptcy.

A food truck owner, Musa Ibrahim opined that reducing quantities is an act of desperation rather than profit-seeking.

“Every morning at the market, the prices of ingredients change. A basket of pepper that was N25,000 last week can increase to N35,000 next week.

“If the quantity of food on the plate is not reduced, food vendors will be cooking at a loss and we won’t have money to buy ingredients tomorrow.

“Our customers’ pockets are dwindling, so we must give them what their money can buy, even if it is just a few spoons.”

Until structural changes occur in agriculture, security, f, both vendors and consumers are trapped in a cycle of diminishing returns.

For now, the plates at Nigeria’s food stalls will likely remain light, serving as a stark, daily reminder of the economic pressures squeezing the nation’s tables.

Vanguard News

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