Lagos, Nigeria – December days in Fade Bey are usually full of activities. Accompanied by friends and family, she hops from one bar, club and concert to another, braving Lagos’ congested traffic to sample cuisine at different restaurants around the city.

But this year, the holidays are bare bones. The T-shirt-clad public relations consultant said she had compromised on stylish clothes for affordable hobbies, while moving between her sofa and bed to read books and watch movies she had missed during the year.

“I love eating out and buying gifts for people I love, but that changed this year because of the economy,” Bai, who is in her late twenties, told Al Jazeera. “I can’t buy for one person and leave others standing. I also refuse to receive gifts from people because I don’t want to feel indebted.”

Bay was not the only one to abstain from voting on “December” this year – the month-long end-of-year celebration popular in Nigeria and across West Africa and filled with concerts, carnivals, beach activities and visits to bars and restaurants, among other things. The phenomenon is very popular among locals in the area as well as the large diaspora community that returns for the holidays, and is an opportunity for people to socialize, reconnect and relax after a busy year.

But recently, the economic downturn in Africa’s most populous country has weakened this beloved tradition. This year, restaurants and bars are not as full as before due to the erosion of purchasing power caused by President Bola Tinubu’s economic stimulus. SizesExperts say.

The country’s inflation, the highest in nearly three decades at 34.5%, has left millions of people suffering, straining the middle class and making life unbearable for the working class – which has been disproportionately affected – while the minimum wage has been set at 70%. One thousand naira. $45.30) per month.

For many, basic amenities are now out of reach, forcing them to give up meals, let alone leisure activities.

According to Lagos-based intelligence firm SBM, it costs 21,300 naira ($13.75) to cook a bowl of basic jollof rice, up from 20,274 naira ($13.09) in June. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, two out of every three families suffer from hunger.

“This price tag makes it difficult for many Nigerians to even think about travel, sapping the energy and enthusiasm usually associated with the holiday season,” said Adewunmi Imurowa, chief strategist at Gatefield, an Abuja-based public strategy group.

“There is desperation in the air, so clear it’s as if you could cut it with a knife. It’s a stark reminder that declining purchasing power and inflation are reshaping Nigeria’s social and cultural traditions.”

dec ditty

Celebrations are very popular in cities and towns across Nigeria, with small street carnivals, mass festivals, food and fireworks taking center stage in many places in December.

But Lagos, the country’s economic and entertainment capital, boasts the most dynamic itinerary, including concerts, parties and a range of activities extending over the entire month until the first weeks of the new year.

Restaurants are usually fully booked, beaches are full and concert venues are packed. At their peak, clubs remained in business 24 hours a day.

Historically, December, filled with important holidays, has always been a time of fun and relaxation. Since 2016, entertainment has expanded further.

Music played a big role in this, explained Oluwamaywa Idowu, a Lagos-based cultural expert who runs a company focused on African culture and entertainment. As the Afrobeats music genre grew and began to gain wider global appeal, the deity culture expanded in December – the word “deity” is a mild derivative of the word “dirty”.

Artists will also target December to launch their major projects, with concerts, festivals and shows specially prepared for the holiday period as promoters soon find out.

“As for when we started using Dete December as a label, I think it was in 2016. It came from Mr. Eazi when he used it as a hashtag for his concert in Lagos in 2016 and the name just caught on,” Idowu said, speaking about the Nigerian singer, adding That the phenomenon quickly spread throughout the region was also helped by the fact that Mr. Eazi had a large following in Ghana.

In the years since, major artists such as Burna Boy and Wizkid have held concerts in December, drawing crowds to the festivities. But many see a change this year, with many major companies not joining the event.

“I just got back”

One group that has become synonymous with December festivities are the IJGBs – or Nigerians living in the diaspora who return home for visits, earning the nickname “I Just Got Supported”.

Every year, the IJGBs make a trip to Nigeria to participate in the celebrations and feel the pulse of the season.

In December this year, 33-year-old Valerie Eguavon was among the members of the diaspora who returned to Lagos to satisfy their overwhelming desire to return home and spend time with family and friends. Early in the year, she began planning her trip, inviting a few of her friends to accompany her.

“They are African-American and this was their first time on the continent — as you can imagine it was an important trip for them,” she said, also explaining the work that goes into planning their travel and applying for visas for non-Nigerians.

“It was a huge ordeal and very expensive,” she said, adding that although fun can be had, it is also a stressful time in Lagos.

Lagos is already buzzing. But it comes into full effect in December, when roads are regularly closed, especially on the affluent island, halting traffic for hours. Those who remain mobile are usually government officials and celebrities who are wealthy enough to be able to afford a caravan that provides protection and clears the way on congested roads using military force.

For visitors like Iguavon, who often use taxis and ride-hailing services like Bolt and Uber, a 30-minute ride can take two hours, and prices rise with them — often beyond the means of the average person.

Due to the weakness of the naira compared to the US dollar, British pound and euro, IJGBs have higher spending power when visiting home. Their foreign currency also helps the country’s economy as the new year enters. Taking advantage of this, many companies are known to inflate the prices of goods and services in December.

But this year, inflation has shocked even IJGBs, despite their dollar advantage. Food and beverage prices are rising. Eguavon was also surprised.

“There is no doubt that there is a ‘December Tax’ in addition to the current inflation in the country. I was astonished at the cost of meals and clothes in certain places. But, all in all, it is not surprising. We have all noticed the decline of the Nigerian economy in the last few years,” she said. “And it’s getting worse under the administration.”

However, the situation did not stop Iguavon and her friends from planning their vacation.

The group went to some of the “popular, expensive restaurants” and party venues in the city. “But we did not come to Lagos just to celebrate,” she said, adding that they also visited historical sites, markets and local food items.

“In general, I think they had a very unconventional December,” she told Al Jazeera about her friends. But that’s not something to be disappointed about.

As in Nigeria, so in Ghana

Experts say diaspora dollars are no longer providing a major boost to the Nigerian economy, but merely injecting some liquidity, providing a small lifeline.

“[This is] “Because of more money chasing lower supply,” Gatfield’s Imuroa told Al Jazeera. In fact, “their money could easily create the unintended consequence of increased inflation during the holidays, exacerbating the problems of economically distressed local residents who may struggle to compete for the same set of goods and services.”

“That was it [also] “The issue is in Ghana,” he said.

This year has been a particularly dramatic one for IJGBs, who have been met with hostile treatment from housebound Nigerians who feel they are partly responsible for increasing pricing and mobility challenges. Some received undue attention because they were foreigners. Meanwhile, a tense social media struggle between locals and IJGBs, arguing over who deserves attention and belonging, has ensued for more than a week – highlighting divisions between communities.

In neighboring Ghana, there are similar challenges due to the influx of diaspora through the country’s Year of Return program that began in 2019 to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of African slaves in the US state of Virginia. The Year of Return aims to encourage blacks abroad to return to Africa to tour, invest and even settle. In November, 524 members of the diaspora became citizens.

The scheme has been successful thanks to relaxed visa procedures with each tourist spending up to $2,589 during the celebrations, contributing to efforts to support the economy. But this also means that local residents are affected due to higher costs. Ghana, once the shining star of Africa, is facing an economic crisis that makes it difficult for many to indulge in the December holidays. Many Ghanaians are now also considering emigration.

Sidinam Baku is one of the Ghanaians who are celebrating silently this year due to the economy. Financial problems have made her realize not to do things in December that will make her suffer in the new year.

“I usually ask my friends to go to certain places. It was very spontaneous the year before but now you have to know what the menu looks like and the price,” the 28-year-old public health worker told Al Jazeera. “Cocktails used to cost 40 cedis.” [$2.70] Go now for 96 cedis [$6.50] The food is about three times its previous price.

This year, she’s thinking about attending one concert and eating out just once. What’s more, she says, the shows are noticeably smaller in appearance as organizers seek to downsize.

Stark fact

While December usually caters to the urban elite, middle class and diaspora Nigerians, the strange forecast this year also points to a stark economic reality for those living in the lower rungs of society, according to Adesuwa Giwa Osagie, historian and founder of Untold Stories, a trans program. The Internet highlights political and historical events.

“What is most frightening, and requires more urgency, is… [fate of the] The urban poor and the rural poor. December was a time focused on giving and favor. Unfortunately, even those who in previous years shared free bags of rice, bananas and chicken can no longer afford it. “You have more people who need charity and fewer people who are able to donate,” she said.

“This means that the imbalance in Nigerian society is becoming more apparent, and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening, with Nigeria’s middle class declining from struggle to survival.”

Most Nigerians have seen their income eroded by inflation and currency depreciation, and the average person spends more than 65 percent of their salary on food, according to the United Nations. Many cannot even afford to travel home for holidays because prices have skyrocketed.

“This is the highest in the world and is of deep concern,” Gatfield’s Imuroa said. “As energy costs rise, what remains of disposable income is being wiped out by transportation expenses. Nigerians have been reduced to mere necessities. Life’s simple pleasures, like dining out or relaxing at the bar, have become luxuries that few can afford.” People bear the cost.

In Lagos, about eight of Bey’s IJGB friends are in town this December and are asking her to spend time with them. Although she received a 10% increase in her monthly salary of 350,000 naira ($226) this year, she knows that any socialization will have a significant impact on her finances.

On the other hand, she worries that not seeing friends will put a strain on her relationships. Some of her friends offered to pay the bill when they went out.

“Obviously it bothers me, but I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it except try to earn more next year,” Bey said. “But I still don’t know if making more money will help me. I don’t know what inflation will be like next year. It made me feel like I was in a box and… [like] “I have no choice.”