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By Sunday Ogbonna
Most of us here grew up in one disadvantaged economic situation or another. At one point in our lives, we became aware that there were things people we regard as being fortunate had, which were not readily available to us. It became evident to us that we were deprived of some basic things that life was made of. In other words, we were faced with some level of hardship or another. Recently, a student in the Department of Mass Communication, where I teach, who gained admission in the 2024/2025 session, sent me a text inquiring how she could get her transcript to enable her transfer to another institution. When I asked the reason behind her decision? Her response was that her father could no longer afford the school fees in a private university. This could as well apply to some students in public institutions, depending on the resources available to them.
Simply explained, hardship is a state of difficulty or suffering, often caused by not having enough money or resources. It can be as a result of factors like job loss, poor health, or economic downturns and affects people physically and mentally, potentially leading to stress, anxiety and other health problems. While some hardships are temporary, others are prolonged situations that make it hard to afford basic necessities like food, housing and healthcare. The Cambridge dictionary defines hardship as something that causes difficult or unpleasant conditions of life; the Merriam Webster dictionary adds the words ‘scarcity or challenges’. According to the Cambridge Business English Dictionary (2011), economic hardship is said to be trouble caused by having too little money or too few resources.
The economy is a determinant of the wealth or resources of a country, notably in terms of the production and consumption of products and services. In the past, Nigeria’s economy was ranked as one of Africa’s fastest expanding economies, until lately when the economy plunged into recession. As a result, it became difficult for people to meet fundamental demands of life such as food, shelter and clothing. This economic recession in Nigeria has impacted all sectors (Sabitu, Johnson, Oyenike & Solademi, 2025). The World Bank (2025) report shows that poverty remains very large in Nigeria, with over 46% of Nigerians living below the poverty line in 2023. In this very month of October 2025, the World Bank update estimates up to 139 million Nigerians living in poverty (the report indicates a big rise in poverty even as some macro indicators improve) [World Bank, 2025]. Reuters and Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN] reported headline inflation around 24% in early 2025 and falling to 18% by September 2025 (Reuters, 2025) There is high job informality plus underemployment, which means that many have jobs but earn very little or unstable income (NBS, 2025)
Hardship is the outcome of economic recession as studies carried out on economy or financial hardship have shown. For instance, one of such studies by Sabitu, Ezekiel & Lamidi (2025) examined how economic hardship influences students’ attitude toward mathematics learning in secondary schools in Oyo Metropolis. The study found that the attitudes students exhibit toward mathematics learning as a result of economic hardship are negative and the extent to which economic hardship influences students’ learning in mathematics is very high.
In a related study by Sabitu (2023), which investigated the influence of economic hardship on undergraduates’ disposition to academic activities in Oyo State, Nigeria, findings revealed that the contemporary economic hardship influenced undergraduates’ dispositions to academic activities. The study recommended that parents should provide as much as possible for the needs of their children in tertiary institutions.
A similar study by Offor, Offia, Nwaru & Onunkwo (2024) investigated the impact of economic hardship on academic engagements of postgraduate students in public universities in southeast Nigeria. The findings of the study showed that the removal of fuel subsidy, high cost of living, inadequate funding of public universities, delayed payment of bursaries and scholarships and high tuition have cumulatively contributed to the economic hardship faced by postgraduate students. The removal of fuel subsidy, which was announced in 2023, has had a devastating impact on postgraduate students. The consequences of economic hardship on the academic engagement of postgraduate students in the South East are far-reaching and devastating such as brain drain, decline in academic performance, research productivity, and overall engagement among postgraduate students.
The study further noted that, due to economic hardship, many postgraduate students are forced to take on part-time jobs, leading to a decrease in the quality of research and academic output. The study concludes that the economic hardship in Nigeria has had a profound negative impact on the academic engagement of postgraduate students in South East Nigeria. The study recommended among others that government should offer financial assistance, such as loans and grants, to support postgraduate students.
In another study on hardship in Nigeria, Onwubiko (2022) examined the economic hardship and intention of businesses to quit using a quantitative study of small businesses enterprises in Enugu State, Nigeria. The primary purpose of the study was to examine the intention to quit a business based on economic hardship. The result indicated that due to economic hardship businesses significantly predicted intention to quit. Having said these, what are the impacts of hardship on the economy and individual citizens?
Reduced investment and quality:
Economic hardship increases the operational costs for schools, slows down investment, and reduces school revenue. This leads to poor-quality education and a lack of instructional resources.
Increased dropout rates:
Financial strain forces students to drop out to work or because they can no longer afford school-related costs like transportation, books, and fees.
Studies show that the decline in economic activity can negatively affect students’ attitudes toward education, with economic hardship making it difficult to study effectively.
Link to violence:
Economic deprivation, high unemployment, and limited opportunities make youth more vulnerable to recruitment into violent communal conflicts like crime, prostitution, etc.
Motivation for violence:
Some studies suggest that when conventional means like employment or education fail, young people may see violence as a viable way to gain material rewards or assert identity.
Psychological and health impacts
Economic hardship is directly linked to increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. This is compounded by inadequate mental health services and social support systems in Nigeria. Recent data reveals that suicide cases is on the increase in Nigeria.
Health care financing:
Many households face financial hardship when seeking healthcare, leading them to rely on out-of-pocket payments or to sell household assets.
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Brain drain:
Hardship encourages skilled citizens to emigrate in search of better opportunities, leading to a “brain drain” with grave consequences for the country’s socioeconomic development.
Humanitarian crisis:
Nigeria is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with a large portion of the population living in poverty, high food prices, and millions displaced by violence. How does creativity come in in all these?
What is the place of creativity in the midst of hardship in Nigeria? The English word “creativity” comes from the Latin terms creare (meaning “to create”. Its derivation suffixes also come from Latin. The word “create” appeared in English as early as the 14th century – notably in Chaucer’s The Parson Tales. To indicate divine creation. The modern meaning of creativity in reference to human creation did not emerge until after the Age of Enlightenment. Creativity is commonly defined as the production of ideas, products or solutions that are both novel and useful/appropriate in a given context. Studies on creativity show it is influenced by factors like the environment, individual traits, and mental state. Creativity is defined as a multidimensional construct that integrates cognitive abilities, environmental influences, and motivational factors to generate novel and useful solutions (Graciano et al., 2023).
Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas to produce something new—flourishes most when resources are scarce, when survival is at stake, or when conventional solutions fail (Amabile, 1996). It is in these critical moments that human beings tap into their deepest ingenuity, producing innovations that not only help them cope with immediate challenges but also leave lasting legacies. Hardship is an inevitable part of human existence. At one point or another, individuals, societies, and nations face situations that test their resilience and resourcefulness. Yet, history consistently shows that hardship does not always lead to despair; rather, it often ignites creativity.
The old saying, “necessity is the mother of invention”, is not a cliché but a profound truth. When people encounter hardship—be it economic crises, wars, pandemics, or social upheaval—they are compelled to look for alternatives. Limited resources force individuals to think beyond conventional methods, while adversity fosters determination and resilience (Sawyer, 2012). Creativity in the midst of hardship is therefore not just about invention; it is about survival, adaptation, and transformation. The following instances will surface:
Nollywood:
Nollywood is one of the key areas that creativity has improved due the hardship in Nigeria. Thousands of films are produced annually estimated at 2,500/year and sizeable box-office/revenue contributions. These figures show that film production has been a major pathway from limited formal employment into paid creative work most often driven by economic recession.(Tech. Culture Africa, 2025).
Music:
Many Nigerians have been driven to become creative in the midst of hardship in area of musical talent. It is estimated that Nigerian music export grew by 49% over three years (BusinessDay, 2025).
Streaming payout:
It is estimated that Nigerians became creatively conscious due hardship which resulted to a sharp rise in royalty payouts to Nigerian artists in 2024 (tens of millions USD) translating informal music making it a monetized careers for some artists (Reuters, 2025).
The Biafra War (1967–1970, Nigeria):
The Nigerian Civil War, often referred to as the Biafra War, provides a striking example of creativity under severe hardship. With blockades cutting off access to food, medicine, and weapons, the people of Biafra had no choice but to innovate. Local engineers and artisans developed the infamous “Ogbunigwe” (homemade bombs) from scrap metal. Fuel shortages forced people to refine palm oil as a substitute for petrol, and hospitals improvised medical solutions with limited supplies (Madiebo, 1980; Siollun, 2021). These innovations may not have been perfect, but they exemplified human resilience and resourcefulness in the darkest of times.
The COVID-19 Pandemic (2020–2022):
The COVID-19 outbreak created a global health and economic crisis, but it also unlocked unprecedented levels of creativity. Fashion designers and tailors turned their workshops into mask production centers. Schools and universities swiftly adopted online learning platforms such as Zoom and Google Classroom to continue education (Dhawan, 2020). In places where ventilators were scarce, local engineers designed low-cost alternatives using available materials (Abdelrahman, 2020). Small businesses shifted online, leveraging social media platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok to survive (Igwe & Ochinanwata, 2021). The pandemic demonstrated that even under global disruption, innovation thrives.
Global examples:
Hardship-driven creativity is not unique to Nigeria. After World War II, Japan was devastated—its cities destroyed and economy crippled. Yet, through innovation and focus on efficiency, Japan rose to become a global leader in technology and automobile production (Cusumano, 1985). Similarly, India has developed a culture of “Jugaad innovation”—the practice of creating low-cost, makeshift solutions, such as inexpensive water filters, solar lamps, and medical devices (Radjou et al., 2012). These innovations, born out of scarcity, have improved millions of lives
In conclusion, creativity in the midst of hardship is more than just problem-solving—it is the triumph of the human spirit. History shows that even in the harshest conditions, individuals and societies can innovate, adapt, and survive. From war-torn regions to pandemics, from economic recessions to global conflicts, human creativity has consistently provided pathways to hope and progress. Hardship can force hidden talents and creativity to emerge. Community support and resilience grow stronger. Innovation can become permanent solutions even after hardship ends. As we reflect on the world today, it is clear that hardship is not the end of the road. Instead, it is a beginning—a spark that ignites imagination, resilience, and innovation. The greatest challenge, therefore, is not the hardship itself but our response to it. If we embrace creativity, we can turn adversity into opportunity, and transform moments of struggle into milestones of human achievement.
•Ogbonna, PhD, is the Acting Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected] Phone: 08051411125
