Welcome to the newsletter for people who love to eat, drink and travel. Every Thursday, by 3pm, you’ll receive the tastiest stories from Africa’s dining tables. Forward to someone!
In light of recent developments at the AFCON, happy Awapiano Day, fellow Nigerians. In case you weren’t aware, the Amapiano derby happened yesterday and haibo bathong wena Nigeria.
This is South African internet-speak for “Nigeria really handed it to us.”
Until both countries meet again in June, we own Amapiano music and the internet trolling rights. It would have been a great time to take the celebratory party to Capetown if the adventure cost in today’s Nigeria didn’t cost as much as the moon landing cost NASA. I’m talking ritualistic figures here. Have you peeped business-class ticket prices for a London flight from Lagos? Holy Mandela!
The first flight I ever took cost me 13,000 naira back in 2014. It was a Lagos to Enugu flight. This seems like a lifetime ago when love was cheap, and you could at least jump on a bus with your pocket money to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your partner in another state. If you’re currently in a long-distance relationship, the distance just got longer, given the current cost of transportation.
We are moaning about this on today’s episode of your favourite foodie mail, the Deliciously Newsletter.
Last December, travelling from Lagos to Abuja on GIGM cost 41,000 for one trip. This is about the same price I paid for a return flight ticket from Abuja to Enugu during my law school days. (This is the part where you express surprise that I’m a lawyer who now writes about food and adventure for a living).
The consequence is that adventure lovers are finding it a little harder to pursue any adventures outside their immediate environments properly. In 2022, one could travel to Cotonou with a 150,000 budget and have a good tourism experience. But in 2024, 1000 Naira now exchanges for around 600 Cefas and a bottle of Coke in Cotonou costs the equivalent of 2500 Naira. Your 150,000 Naira budget will only get you halfway across the waters before your boat gets turned around back to Lagos.
While we had a fantastic experience with our last Abeokuta adventure, and we can always count on great adventures to nearby cities (side-eyeing Ibadan), what about those dream long-distance adventures and fun road trips?
RELATED: There’s more to Abeokuta than Olumo Rock
Speaking of road trips, aside from the fact that the budget has exponentially increased, you have to consider overhead costs in the event of unfortunate circumstances such as kidnapping. Not to make jokes out of serious issues, but did you know that the kidnappers of the Ekiti students asked for energy drinks as part of their ransom demands? Energy for what nitori Olorun? 🥲
Now that it’s becoming increasingly expensive for Naira earners to plan adventures, we are putting together a community of people who love to eat, drink, travel, and generally enjoy life. The Open Sauce Community project is in the pipeline, and we promise to make every member of the community part of an exciting adventure experience within and beyond Lagos. Our Open Sauce’s first anniversary is coming up, and we have big plans for it. Watch this space for updates.
So that’s it on today’s episode of your favourite newsletter, folks. Adventure don cost, but we’ve got you covered. Something huge is in the works. But before then, you can watch a recap of our mini adventure at Abeokuta a few weeks ago here.
