Nostalgia over the cost of goods and transportation in previous years has triggered fresh reactions from Nigerians, with many lamenting the rising cost of living and worsening economic pressures in the country.
The issue resurfaced as Nigerians reflected on how much everyday commodities and transport fares used to cost compared with current prices, particularly amid continued increases in fuel prices.
An old price shared online has sparked a wave of reactions, with some Nigerians expressing disbelief at how dramatically the cost of living has changed over the years.
One commenter simply wrote: “Now ₦1,200. 2026.”
Another pleaded: “Take us back there, please.”
A third commenter asked: “We always complain, from ₦1 to date. What is the way out?”
For some, the memories brought a sense of nostalgia.
“Olden days good oo, I wish I will forward myself back,” one person wrote.
Another recalled the year attached to the old price, saying: “Just yesterday, 2003 fa.”
Others, however, pointed out that things were not necessarily easy even then.
One commenter recalled the poor state of road infrastructure, saying: “Ikom to Calabar, six hours. Sometimes you spend the whole day on the road.”
Another observed that people complained about the cost of living even in the past, but noted that the situation has since become significantly more expensive.
“Back then many people complained about it and many people could not afford it back then. See reality, next 10 years cost of commodities will still increase, and people will say, ‘I wish I can go back,’” the commenter said.
A comment written partly in Hausa also reflected the emotional weight of the situation, while another dismissed the old-price comparison as “Dream, dream, dream!”
One commenter attributed the worsening situation to the current administration, writing: “Then it was still costly, now APC has worsened it.”
The reactions highlight the growing public debate over Nigeria’s economic trajectory, as citizens compare past prices with the realities of inflation, rising fuel costs and the broader cost-of-living crisis.
While nostalgia for the past may not necessarily mean that Nigerians were better off in every respect, the reactions underline the financial pressure many citizens currently face and their concerns about what the future may hold.
Credit: North Book,
