Economic Hardship Drives Lagos Residents to Buy Fish Heads for Protein

• Economic hardship has driven some Lagos residents to buy fish heads from cold rooms as a source of protein
• In small quantities, these fish heads, sold for between N500 and N1,000, highlight the struggle faced by many
• The demand for fish heads, once disregarded, underscores a broader economic challenge impacting daily life in Nigeria

In a striking sign of hard times, some residents of Lagos have turned to buying fish heads from cold rooms to meet their protein needs.

According to a report by Vanguard, heads of fish containing little flesh are being sold in small quantities for between N500 and N1,000.

This new trend reflects the economic hardships many face today.

Hardship forces Nigerians to buy head of fish

Mrs. Shade Ayinde, a cold room worker, revealed that while fish heads were initially asked to be removed from actual fish, individuals have recently begun requesting them for consumption purposes.

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"But when individuals started asking for heads of fish for consumption purposes, we had to start portioning them as you can see in batches of N500 to N1,000," she said.

Another market fish seller, Mrs. Grace Arogundade, recounted her surprise at the demand for fish heads.

"Recently, some individuals do come to the market sourcing fish heads," she noted, adding that she initially thought they were buying for their dogs.

"But one day, I visited the cold room to get fish and saw them display heads of fish for sale... I wept because this was my very first time experiencing this and I knew right then that this country was finished," Arogundade lamented.

Racheal, a mother of five, shared her story of financial struggle and the need to provide for her family.

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"I don’t have N10,000 to feed the whole house with fish... I do buy heads of fish most times and mix it with kpomo to give my soup taste and enable my children to have protein," she explained.

The National Bureau of Statistics' 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index survey highlighted that 63 percent of Nigerians (133 million people) are multidimensionally poor, with 65 percent of the poor residing in the North and 35 percent in the South.

Economic hardship: Group urges others to emulate Dangote

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigeria's foremost billionaire, Aliko Dangote, and his firm, Dangote Group, have been commended for their unwavering commitment to corporate social responsibility and support of host communities, particularly during the current period of economic hardship.

Three community groups - Obajana Development and Peace Club, Benue Youth Alliance for Good Governance, and Lekki Development Initiative - issued a joint press statement to express their profound appreciation and commendation to the company.

Source: Legit.ng