By Latifat Shittu
Amid the soaring cost of living, campus life at the university has quietly become a story of survival. For student entrepreneurs, every sale is a test of balance between rising prices and dwindling demand. For those who buy, each purchase now requires sacrifice and calculation. Together, they navigate an economy built on endurance, where creativity, compromise, and resilience have become the true currencies of survival.
Inflation has redrawn the map of campus business, forcing many young entrepreneurs to rethink how they trade, price, and connect with customers. Yet, beyond the figures and frustrations, what emerges is a portrait of determination of students refusing to give up, even when survival, not profit, has become the goal.
For Oluwakemi Owolabi Omowunmi, a Mass Communication student, she felt the weight of inflation on her bead-making and snack business. “The cost-of-living crisis has definitely affected my business. Some of the materials I use, like beads, now cost almost double. I’ve had to adjust prices slightly, but I try my best to make my products affordable because many of my customers are students or young people,” she says. To cope, she buys materials in smaller quantities and focuses on customer loyalty through discounts.
One of her hardest choices came when prices soared. “There was a moment when I needed to get materials for customized beaded bracelets, but the price of quality beads had gone up. I had to choose between buying cheaper materials and risking product quality, or increasing my prices and possibly losing customers,” she recalls. Still, Omowunmi says the joy she sees in her customers keeps her motivated to keep building her brand despite current challenges.
Mustapha Sekinah, a 300-level Mass Communication student and founder of Keynah’s Couture and Accessories, says the cost-of-living crisis has changed how she runs her business. “Prices skyrocket every now and then. Sometimes it brings inconsistency towards the business, and it takes a lot of convincing, advertising and persuasion to my customers. I've had to be very transparent and slightly increase the prices of some of my most (best-selling) bags, focusing on justifying the value of the craftsmanship and durability,” she explains.
She recalls a tough moment when loyalty came at a cost. “A moment when I had to make a hard choice because of prices would be a faithful business morning. I got a message from my returning customer who wanted to buy an expensive bag, and I had given her the price. Unbeknownst to me, the price had increased in the market, and because she's one of my best customers, I had no choice but to add my own money to the price of the bag she wanted,” she says. Despite such challenges, Sekinah believes her resilience will outlast the crisis.
While entrepreneurs are struggling to stay afloat, buyers, mostly students themselves are also feeling the sting of inflation.
For Ogunbayo Oreoluwa, a 300-level Mass Communication student, the rising cost of living has changed her daily life and spending habits.
“The rising of prices has reshaped my plans for school drastically. For example, I used to spend N800 to and from school before, but now, I spend almost N1400 just to come and go to school. Prices in the market have so made me reduce my plans for cooking most times. The prices of things have made me reduce the amount of data I do every week,” she says. “I don't blame the sellers. I blame the economy and those in charge. May God help us in this country.” she further explained.
Similarly, Oloruntola Tolulope Ruth, a final-year student, says inflation has reshaped her habits and outlook.
“Rising prices have made me adjust a lot in school. I now cook more often instead of buying food outside and avoid unnecessary outings to save money. It has taught me how to plan and manage my expenses better,” she says.
Like many students, she understands the struggle extends to both sides of the market.
“I don’t really blame sellers because they’re also trying to survive. The main problem is the economy inflation and unstable prices make everything more expensive for everyone
As inflation tightens its grip, students on both sides of the market , those who sell and those who buy continue to navigate the storm with grit and hope. Their stories, though different, share a single truth: survival on campus is no longer about academics alone. It is about adapting, enduring, and redefining success in a time when even the simplest act of buying or selling has become a test of resilience.
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