LAGOS – Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has spoken out about the growing economic hardship in Nigeria, revealing that many former middle-class citizens have been pushed into poverty and are now forced to beg.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Amazing Africans, Adichie described the situation as deeply worrying. She said people who once managed to get by are now struggling to meet basic needs.
“Life has become so hard in Nigeria. People who were formerly securely middle class are now people who beg and are in need,” she said.
Adichie blamed the soaring cost of food and essentials on poor governance. She said the true measure of government success should be how well ordinary citizens live.
“People talk about the stock market, but what matters most is how the person earning minimum wage is coping. The suffering is terrible,” she added.
The award-winning novelist also warned that prolonged hardship could push even law-abiding citizens toward crime, threatening social stability.
“It’s not to excuse crime, but when life gets very hard, even people who would never consider certain things might be willing to, and that’s dangerous,” she said.
Adichie also shared personal reflections on her writing journey, recalling early rejections before the success of her debut novel Purple Hibiscus. Despite setbacks, she said quitting writing was never an option.
“Writing is my vocation. It’s a gift I was given, so even if I hadn’t been published, I would still be writing today,” she said.
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