Nigerian actress Zainab Balogun has sparked a debate on social media after publicly calling out IJGBs, the popular term for Nigerians returning home in December, for contributing to the sharp rise in prices during the festive season.
In a candid video shared on Instagram, the actress said she needed all the IJGBs doing Dirty December in Ghana, Nigeria, wherever to step forward, because local vendors were dealing with them seriously this year.
According to her, the seasonal inflation currently affecting hair, beauty, and lifestyle services is something the returning crowd unintentionally created.
Zainab explained that many IJGBs frequently make content bragging about getting services for cheap back home, like $60 braids, despite warnings from locals to stop publicizing those comparisons.
She said such posts opened vendors’ eyes, inspiring some of them to take advantage by drastically inflating their prices this December.
She cited an example of a woman who allegedly paid ₦800,000 for braids and ended up with a ₦2.5 million bill because the extensions were human hair–infused.
According to the actress, these inflated prices are not the norm for residents; she argued that the price surge is strictly seasonal, and it is the IJGBs who will face it while locals avoid the exploitative costs.
Her comments have since triggered widespread reactions, with many Nigerians agreeing that returning visitors often worsen seasonal market behaviour, while others argue that service providers should be held accountable for their excessive pricing.
Watch the video below,
