“I Used ₦200 to Buy Crayfish and This Is What I Got” — Nigerian Man Laments Food Price Hike

In a post that has quickly gone viral on social media, a Nigerian man has captured the nation’s frustration with inflation in just a few words: “I used ₦200 to buy crayfish and this is what I got.”

Attached to the message was a photo of a pitiful handful of dried crayfish, barely enough to season a pot of stew—let alone feed a family. His caption ended with a pained expression: “😩🦐💔”

The man’s lament, though simple, struck a deep chord with Nigerians everywhere. Across platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok, citizens have been sharing their own struggles with the skyrocketing cost of food items—from tomatoes and pepper to garri, rice, and protein.

“₦200 no fit buy sachet pepper again,” one user replied. “We are just surviving on vibes.”

Another wrote, “Na by God’s grace person dey cook now. Even crayfish don join the list of luxury items.”

Crayfish, once considered a staple for flavoring traditional Nigerian soups like egusi, okra, and ogbono, has become so expensive that many now buy it in teaspoons rather than cups. Traders in markets across Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and Enugu confirm the steady rise in prices.

“Last year, ₦500 could buy you a decent portion,” said Mama Nkechi, a crayfish seller at Oyingbo Market. “But now, ₦1,000 sef no reach for a family-size quantity. Transport, dollar, and insecurity for water areas dey affect everything.”

The rising cost of food is part of a larger inflation crisis in Nigeria, with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently reporting food inflation at over 40%—the highest in decades. And while official explanations point to fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate instability, and insecurity in farming regions, ordinary Nigerians are feeling the pinch at the most basic level: the dinner table.

The viral crayfish post has now become a symbol of everyday hardship in Nigeria. It’s no longer about politics or policy—it’s about how much food ₦200 can buy in today’s economy. And increasingly, the answer is: almost nothing.

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