A daily budget of 2,000 francs CFA barely covers survival needs for most Chad households, explained sociologist Remadji Ngaba. For a family of five or six, this amounts to just 375 francs per person. What does that mean in practical terms for a typical family meal in Chad?
With such extreme financial constraints, families first sacrifice protein sources, then vegetables. Meals become unbalanced, consisting of whatever is available just to stay alive. Children grow up malnourished, their development stunted by insufficient nutrition. The harsh reality is that survival—not health or well-being—has become the primary daily concern.
Ngaba’s assessment is blunt: “Today, Chad is suffocating under the weight of skyrocketing prices. The average household basket is nearly empty.” He emphasizes how this crisis has forged a mindset of forced resilience: “Without this psychological endurance, the situation would be unbearable for millions.”
Who bears the brunt of the crisis?
The weight falls disproportionately on women, Ngaba stresses. As traditional household managers, they face the immediate consequences of price hikes. “When the wife returns from the market complaining about inflated costs, she’s not exaggerating—she’s bearing the visible burden of a system that has failed her family.”
Despite government attempts at price regulation, intervention efforts prove ineffective. “Any temporary measures eventually collapse, and we’re back to square one,” he observes. Markets have become places of daily distress, where families confront harsh economic realities with no sustainable solutions in sight.
Rural and urban struggles
The cost-of-living crisis isn’t confined to cities. While urban areas face higher living expenses, rural communities endure their own hardships: crop destruction by wandering livestock, threats to personal safety, and a complete absence of justice. Many rural residents abandon farming out of desperation, yet Ngaba warns: “N’Djamena cannot absorb an exodus from the countryside. The capital isn’t safe either.”
Ongoing conflicts between farmers and herders disrupt local food production, which could otherwise stabilize urban prices. Ngaba argues for dual protection: “We must safeguard farmers’ livelihoods and secure herders’ access to resources.” Without this balance, both groups—and the nation’s food security—suffer.
Stagnant wages, soaring costs
A critical factor in this crisis is the unchanged minimum wage: 60,000 francs CFA since 2011, despite prices doubling. Housing costs in N’Djamena now range from 20,000 to 25,000 francs per month, while utilities and basic expenses consume most of a worker’s income. Financial survival has become nearly impossible.
Actionable solutions proposed
Ngaba outlines clear steps to address the crisis. First, agricultural subsidies would boost local food production and reduce dependency on imports. Second, water resource management could unlock irrigation potential, improving crop yields. Third—and most critically—implementing a systematic market price monitoring system would provide transparency and curb exploitative pricing.
He challenges leaders directly: “They experience the same daily struggles as their people. If they travel abroad, they see how other nations support their citizens. Chad must do more.”