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Laura Ikeji Kanu, a Nigerian entrepreneur and influencer, has criticised rising service costs of the Detty December festive season, saying Nigerians are greedy and exploiting visitors from abroad, in a video shared on her Instagram page on Dec 16, 2025.
Detty December is a popular festive period between mid-December and early January when Nigerians in the diaspora return home for holidays, concerts, weddings, and tourism activities, leading to a surge in demand for flights, accommodation, transportation, beauty services, and short-term rentals.
Recently, a number of Nigerians have repeatedly complained about the inflated prices that are not matched by improvements in infrastructure, service quality, or living conditions.
In the video, Laura expressed frustration over hair-braiding prices, revealing that a hairstyle she previously charged ₦70,000 for was now quoted at ₦200,000, with suggestions to charge clients as much as ₦250,000 because it was Detty December. She said such pricing unfairly targets Nigerians in the diaspora, who she noted are often assumed to be extremely wealthy.
“You guys think people who live abroad are billionaires. They’re not,” Laura said, adding that many visitors save for months to travel home and enjoy the festive season. She warned that unchecked exploitation could damage Detty December’s appeal in the long term.
The entrepreneur also linked rising housing costs to the growth of short-term rental platforms, stating that landlords now prioritise Airbnb-style pricing over long-term tenants, driving up annual rents across major cities.
Her comments echo similar concerns raised by artist Uzo Njoku, who posted on X on Dec 17, 2025, questioning whether Detty December should continue. Uzo criticised escalating costs of flights, accommodation, food, and services, while pointing out persistent challenges such as poor road conditions, unreliable electricity, water quality issues in Lekki, and increasingly difficult visa application processes.
Both comments add to the ongoing public debate about whether Detty December’s economic benefits are being undermined by price inflation and systemic infrastructure gaps.
