Why Panic Buying Isn’t A Big Deal In Nigeria
Bar the gore and insane plotlines, apocalyptic movies are always right about one thing, human beings tend to act batshit crazy when faced with adverse situations. Perhaps, this was what drove Americans to clear out entire food aisles in fear of a coronavirus-induced apocalypse.
To flatten the coronavirus curve and reduce the transmission of the virus, it is advised that citizens practice social distancing to stop the spread. While panic-buying was expected in the advent of a lockdown, what no one saw coming was how quickly stores would sell out, with people going as far as reselling toilet paper on online platforms like Amazon. Elsewhere in the world, people have been arrested for stealing toilet paper.
Image Credit: Aljazeerah
As such the low-income earners in those countries who can only afford to shop in small quantities could not access these items.
In the Nigerian context, however, the case is different. Following the outbreak of these excessive stockpiling news, I followed the stories and understandably had similar expectations for Lagos. As the number of reported COVID-19 cases in Lagos started to rise, my trip to the Shoprite outlet in Surulere proved that Nigerians were not necessarily on the panic-shopping wave. Either that, or we just weren’t taking the coronavirus pandemic as seriously as we should have, as the aisles were fully stocked with people shopping as if the world isn’t about to end.
And this brought me to the conclusion that Nigerians probably can’t afford to buy food in bulk. People who reside on the island, however, reported that supermarkets in Lekki were starting to clear out, a development possibly linked to the high concentration of expatriates and foreigners on the island.
Jane, a Fitness and Lifestyle Instructor, who lives on the island narrated how uncomfortable her shopping experience was.
“It was surreal having to queue to buy stuff especially at major retail stores that are open for walk-in anytime. Spar had the social distancing markers on the floor where the queue was but most people didn't follow it. Open market was more interesting, there was no social distancing and things were sold out.”, she said.
Image Credit: Business Day
My postulation is that the expatriates who live on the island followed the supermarket rush trend abroad in fear of things being sold out in Lagos. Moreover, compared to the average Nigerians, they most likely have more disposable income to spend on bulk shopping.
Let’s face it, how many Nigerians actually shop for food essentials in supermarkets? The go-to destination for food shopping for most Lagosians is open markets, like Eko, Oshodi and many more around the city. These markets might not be convenient or sanitary for shopping, but they’re more accessible and affordable for the average Nigerian than supermarkets, if we’re keeping it a buck. And this is probably where most Nigerians did their bulk buying (let’s try not to think of how all those milling crowds will probably contribute to our COVID-19 numbers).
By March 23, markets in Lagos and Abuja were given directives to close down to prevent the spread of the virus, and Nigerians trooped out to stock up in the case of a full-blown lockdown. Expectedly, the increased demand only resulted in a price hike as the prices of perishable items like tomatoes, meat, and fish almost doubled. This price hike translates to fewer people having access to the funds to shop for enough food items to last at least two weeks. In summary, we as Nigerians are too poor to stockpile food, whether logically or senselessly.
On the other hand, those who can afford to shop in bulk have to contend with storage and preservation in light of erratic power supply. For some, the designated power distribution company in their area has gone on an extended break, and the raw food bought in panic is starting to go off.
Speaking to EDL about dealing with inconsistent power supply during a lockdown, Bola*, a physiotherapist who lives in Lagos said, “What’s the point of buying a basket of tomatoes and blending it when there’s no light to preserve it in the fridge? I had to cook everything because it was already starting to go bad”.
While countries like Canada and America are providing financial aid to their citizens, this does not look likely for us because again, we are poor.
It’s not all bleak on this side, though. Lagos State Government has established an emergency food response program to cater to an estimated 200,000 people following the 2-week long lockdown in Lagos and Abuja, and I can confirm that this is happening because the government officials visited my neighbourhood to this effect.
Restaurant owners like Chef Eros are also doing their part by donating a chunk of the proceeds from their delivery services on the island to a relief program dedicated to feeding people during this time. So far, proceeds raised are at N809,000!
If anything, this pandemic has once again demonstrated the reality of Nigerians and food. My only hope is that this ends soon, because we might descend into anarchy when supplies run out.