Bolga — “I will never vote again in my life,” says Mary Akurugu as she arranges the firewood she sells at a bustling market in Ghana’s Upper East region. Like many across West Africa, Akurugu is confronting financial hardship she has never experienced before. Her previous venture—a small table market where she sold provisions—allowed her to afford more, but it did not survive the Covid‑19 lockdowns. Forced to turn to firewood sales, she now struggles to pay her children’s school fees. “This government promised us better lives, yet we are facing severe hardships. Many of us cannot afford three square meals,” she says. “There is no income from the business, and because of that one of my children, who was attending a private school, has been sent home because I cannot pay her fees.”
Akurugu’s plight reflects the millions of West Africans hit by a cascade of global crises. The Covid‑19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns disrupted supply chains, causing food to rot before it could be harvested and raw materials to miss factories. As those chains began to recover, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—one of the world’s major wheat producers—triggered sanctions that limited oil exports and drove fuel prices up worldwide. In October, the International Monetary Fund projected global economic growth would halve from 6 % in 2021 to 3.2 % in 2022, slipping further to 2.7 % in 2023. Apart from the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic, this marks the weakest growth in two decades. West Africa, dominated by fragile economies, is among the hardest‑hit regions. Across the area, people protest rising fuel and food prices as their currencies depreciate against the US dollar, exposing poor economic management. Countries burdened with large debts face major challenges; Ghana recently defaulted technically and is in talks with the IMF about a possible program, though experts warn that assistance will be limited and could spark political instability.
“There are challenges in the economy. Our people are facing a significant level of hardship,” says Dr. Lester Tenny, professor and dean of the College of Business and Public Administration at the University of Liberia. “The government’s role is to address controllable variables that impact ordinary lives, and people must also manage domestic factors to improve their quality of life. If they cannot, political instability may follow.” Liberia has experienced rice shortages, its staple food, in September and October. Sellers and buyers queued for hours at major importers’ offices. “I slept in long lines for many days hoping rice would be available the next morning, but it never was,” recounts Miata Kollie, a rice seller in Duala. After almost a week, she finally secured stock for her shop, but the shortage crippled her business and forced her children out of school. “I recently enrolled them in a government school because I am no longer earning as before,” she says.
The government attributes the shortage to global supply‑chain disruptions, while importers demand higher prices to cover increased costs. In November, authorities yielded, raising the price of a 25‑kilogram bag of rice from US$13 to US$17. The hike has hurt both consumers and sellers. “I am begging the president to talk to importers and lower the rice price because customers have stopped coming,” Kollie pleads. “If he doesn’t act, we will lose all our customers.” Other Liberian businesses are also suffering. Susan Tamba runs a soap-making operation and a salon in Soniwein Community, supporting four children. “I braid hair and make soap, but people can’t afford them because of the economy,” she explains. “If I don’t get customers, my children and I will starve; this business is hand‑to‑mouth.”
Liberia’s average annual income, measured by GDP per capita, rose only slightly from US$595 in 2020 to US$675 in 2021, according to the World Bank. After Ebola, incomes had improved, peaking at US$722 in 2016, yet the country remains among the world’s poorest despite its natural resources. “Five years ago it was better; there were buyers and people could pay school fees,” Tamba notes. “Now schools overcharge, and everything has changed—people are crying everywhere.” Dr. Tenny warns that decades of underinvestment in human capital have left Liberia vulnerable. “The problem is not just a lack of jobs but a lack of qualified people,” he says. “Most of our population has not added value to themselves, and we face significant challenges in human‑capital formation. Without massive investment in education and health, these crises will recur.”
The rising price of rice is especially concerning. Liberia’s history shows that rice‑price hikes can trigger unrest; in 1979, a proposal to raise the subsidized price sparked chaotic protests, looting, and ultimately a coup that led to two decades of conflict. Similar economic grievances are fueling protests across the region. In Ghana, more than a thousand demonstrators marched through Accra in November, demanding the resignation of President Nana Akufo‑Addo and Finance Minister Ken Ofori‑Attah. “Nana, have mercy on us, we are hungry, we are tired,” said market woman Afia, who struggles with the cost of corn, the key ingredient in kenkey, her staple dish. “The high cost of maize and other foodstuffs has made it impossible to continue my kenkey business, and my children are starving.”
Ghana has entered a full‑blown recession. Since January, petrol, diesel, and public‑transport fares have doubled, while official inflation rose to nearly 40 % in September—some analysts estimate it could be as high as 98 %. Bloomberg ranks the Ghanaian cedi as the world’s worst‑performing currency. Sierra Leone faces similar turmoil; violent protests in August over economic hardship in Freetown resulted in at least 21 protester deaths and six police fatalities. Burkina Faso’s political instability has deepened, with two coups in eight months as armed groups vie for control of gold mines and trade routes. The UN estimates harvests have fallen by 50 % due to climate events and instability, driving up malnutrition.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine drags on and climate change worsens, relief remains distant. Many experts predict that increased international financial support will be necessary to stem the growing crisis. This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigate Liberia project. Funding was provided by the US Embassy in Liberia; the funder had no influence over the story’s content. Forgbe Emma Kloh with New Narratives.
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