Remember the joy of laying the first brick for your dream home? Now, imagine that brick costing twice as much, turning your dream into a nightmare. That’s the harsh reality for countless Nigerians as cement prices skyrocketed by 100%, reaching a staggering ₦7,000 per bag.
Back in 2021, a bag cost a manageable ₦3,500. Today, building feels like constructing a pyramid – backbreaking work with costs threatening to bury you alive.
The pain isn’t limited to aspiring homeowners. Builders like Aisha, a single mother relying on construction jobs, see her income shrink with every overpriced block. A six-inch block, once ₦450, now costs ₦500. A nine-inch one? Up from ₦550 to a gut-wrenching ₦600. Building a basic wall feels like building a palace.
Broken Dreams and Crumbling Bricks
“It’s crushing us,” says Igwe Ukaegbu, his voice heavy with despair. He runs a block-making association, witnessing production plummet and dreams of affordable housing fade. He pleads with the government, “Anything to bring prices down before our industry crumbles!”
But it’s not just greed. Experts point to rising costs, a volatile currency, and inflation as culprits in this cement saga. It’s a perfect storm, leaving ordinary Nigerians like Aisha caught in the crossfire.
Remember that warning about concrete roads jacking up prices to ₦9,000? With experts predicting high prices for 2024, the future of construction looks as shaky as a house built on sand.
Will the government act and salvage the dream of affordable housing? Or will Nigerians be left counting the rising cost of broken dreams, one overpriced brick at a time? Forget the diamond ring; can you afford cement now?
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