HARDSHIP: JIGAWA ALMAJIRI PUPILS LAMENT DECLINE IN FREE FOOD

There are strong indications that life is no longer the same for almajiri pupils in Jigawa State as the pupils, who hitherto depended on charity food from residents, now decry the harsh reality of going hungry due to rising economic hardship and inflation in the country.

The Jigawa almajiri pupils free food crisis reflects the deepening poverty that has followed the removal of petrol subsidy and the surge in food prices across Nigeria.

THE ORDEAL

Almajiri pupils, who traditionally rely on alms and charitable donations from community members to survive, say the generosity that once sustained them has dried up.

Residents who used to provide food to the pupils say they can no longer afford to do so. The cost of staples has risen sharply, and household budgets are stretched to breaking point.

The result is that many almajiri pupils now go hungry for days, eating only when they are lucky enough to receive something from a passerby or a sympathetic neighbour.

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THE BROADER CONTEXT

The almajiri system is a traditional Islamic educational system in northern Nigeria in which young boys are sent to live with a Quranic teacher, known as a mallam, to memorise the Quran and receive Islamic education.

Many almajiri pupils depend on begging and charity for their daily sustenance. In better economic times, communities provided food, clothing and sometimes small amounts of money.

But when the economy contracts, the first casualties are often those who depend on the generosity of others. The almajiri pupils, who have no safety net, are among the most vulnerable.

THE ECONOMIC REALITY

Nigeria’s economic hardship has deepened since the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023. Petrol prices rose from about ₦185 per litre to over ₦1,300 in many locations by August 2025, while food inflation crossed 40 per cent at some points during the period .

Transport costs surged, and the cost of moving goods from farms to markets increased. The result was higher food prices across the board.

For households that were already struggling, the additional burden was devastating. For almajiri pupils who depended on those households for food, the result has been hunger.

WHY IT MATTERS

The hunger among almajiri pupils is not an isolated phenomenon. It is a symptom of a broader crisis of poverty and food insecurity that has engulfed Nigeria.

The World Bank estimated that 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty directly by subsidy removal.

Other estimates suggest that by 2025, 63 per cent of Nigerians, about 152 million people, were below the poverty line .The almajiri pupils are among the most visible victims of this crisis. They are children. They did not choose their circumstances.

And they are going hungry in a country that produces more than enough food to feed them. ValidViewNetwork reports that the situation remains dire. There is no indication that relief is coming.