Urban Nigerians Grow Food in Sacks and Buckets to Beat Inflation

Persistent price hikes for basic staples are forcing urban families to bypass traditional neighborhood markets. Residents in Lagos, Ibadan, and other urban centers are cultivating peppers, tomatoes, and leafy greens in confined spaces where traditional soil is unavailable.

The makeshift gardens rely on simple container methods. Gardeners pack sacks and plastic buckets with nutrient-rich topsoil, positioning them along fences, rooftops, and stairwells to maximize exposure to sunlight.

“We cannot keep depending entirely on market purchases when prices shift every week,” said Abiodun Adeleke, a Lagos-based accountant who converted his apartment balcony into a vegetable patch. “Growing a few peppers and scent leaves at home cuts our immediate grocery bills.”