Easter: owners of leisure venues denounce low attendance

Some leisure venue owners in Abuja on Monday complained about low attendance during the Easter festivities.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), they blamed weak patronage on economic hardship caused by inflation, insecurity and shortage of cash.

According to Istifanus Nanu, the manager of Taminus Garden, Asokoro, sales have decreased significantly compared to 2022.

"During the Easter period in 2022, we had more sales.

"Maybe it was because there was money available, but this time we have low attendance.

"I think people are saving the money they have," Nanu said.

Julius Eke, general manager of Islands Bar and Lounge in Guzape, said he has seen a decrease in the number of customers.

"Customers don't come like they used to and it didn't just start with Easter, we started to see the decline since the introduction of the currency overhaul," Eke said.

For his part, Mr. Fidelis Ehizoje, owner of a beer bar in Karu, said that the weekends when he usually made around 80% of sales had seen a dramatic drop to 60%.

“The rising price of drinks and other things we sell here is not just the problem; the major problem we face is the price of diesel, fuel and electricity bills” , said Ehizoje.

"Beer, wine, catfish and other price increases can be adjusted to the customer, but diesel and fuel prices are taken from the company's account, which can ruin the business.

"Even more, we have difficulties with electronic transactions, because some people come to buy things but cannot make electronic payment successfully.

"I would like to urge authorities to ensure that adequate infrastructure is in place to enable seamless electronic money transfer.

“It is important because it will help our business. Many customers lament the lack of cash and it affects our sales significantly,” said Ehizoje. Some customers have blamed their irregular visit to leisure venues on inflation .

Mr. Emeka Anosike, who said he was a regular customer at leisure venues, expressed concern about the rising cost of things.

He said: "I like to visit the Gardens to watch football, especially at weekends, but the high cost of things scares me these days.

"Previously my brand of beer was N500 but now it's N700.

"I used to buy a medium-sized roast fish for 2,000 naira, but the price went up to 2,000 naira and in some cases 2,800 naira.

"If the trend continues, the chances of visiting recreational places would decrease," Anosike said.

Another client, Mr. Sampson Salewa, said that despite the challenges, insecurity was a major factor that discouraged him from going to recreational venues.

"But with the improved security conditions, I am comfortable going to recreational places to relax, especially during festive periods.

"You may have heard people say a lot about how important tourism is in many ways.

"When developing its economic effects, I'm more interested in its impact on my life," Salewa said.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the country's headline inflation rate rose to 21.91% in February 2023 from 21.82 in January, an increase of 0.09%.

The price of diesel has also risen from around 600 naira per liter in 2022 to over 800 naira in parts of Nigeria, putting unprecedented pressure on the economy and threatening businesses in the country.< /p>

The report comes as Nigerians are beginning to feel relief after two months of naira shortage caused by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) currency overhaul policy.