The covid pandemic has exposed many countries to untold hardship and thanks to sensitive administrations around the world who are so humane in reducing hardship for their citizens. Contrary to the situation in Nigeria, the government instead sees the pandemic as a way to further exploit its citizens. Obviously, they've created several businesses around the pandemic to further exploit citizens of their hard-earned resources.
I remember my first trip to Nigeria immediately after the first lockdown was eased, I had to do my covid test in one of the neighboring countries where I was stranded due to the lockdown. It was quite a stressful experience to stay away from family and friends, the excitement of going to see my family was such that I was willing to pay any price to come home. When I arrived at the covid test center, I was asked to pay 40,000 FCFA, which is equivalent to 28,000 naira as at the time (no thanks to the bad monetary policy of Nigeria leading to the daily decline of the naira) . It was a great relief for me after receiving my covid test results which were negative, the joy of meeting my wife and children had no limit.
Fast forward to my arrival in Nigeria, I was commissioned to undergo another covid test after 7 days of arrival and I was shocked to accept the fact that, the same test I did a few days ago for about 28,000 naira will now go for 52,400 naira. Sho! Wetin dey happen for here, ain't that same covid test where dey put cotton on my mouth and nose? How come the price is different here?
Already, I was pissed off, I decided to check the cost of the covid test in other countries, USA (56 USD on average), UK (69 pounds on average) so I was consoled after all, the different was not much.
It is no longer bearable to have discovered that the French-speaking countries of West Africa had cooperated with each other through a bilateral engagement and have graciously reduced the cost of the covid test on their territory from 40,000 FCFA to 25,000 FCFA, which is even less than 20,000 naira. I expected Nigeria to go even lower considering the influx of travelers due to its population but this has not been done as they are on the verge of exploiting innocent Nigerians in the name of protecting the country from the pandemic.
I won't even mention the blatant extortion shown by those they placed at the airport in the same way. Until we start doing things right, no country will take us seriously.
I see no reason why the covid test is always above 50,000 naira in Nigeria. That's a shame!