My Roommate Just Bought Fuel At ₦1,360 Per Litre And I'm Supposed To Be Happy For Him

My roommate came back from the filling station this morning grinning like he won a bet. He said the queue was short and he filled his generator can for just over ₦5,000. Five thousand naira for a small jerrycan. I just looked at him and kept quiet because what exactly am I supposed to say?

We are surviving on 2,500 naira per day for feeding in this hostel. That same money he used to buy fuel is two full days of food for me. And the government is saying there is no going back on subsidy removal, that it is the right thing for the economy. Maybe it is. But when I convert my monthly allowance to dollars at ₦1,360, I realize I am not even middle class in my own country.

So I opened my Notes app and typed something for my younger brother: 'Learn a skill that pays in dollars before you learn to complain about naira.' I don't know if that is advice or just coping. But I typed it anyway. How are we even supposed to plan a future when the price of everything keeps moving like it has legs?