The invisible stress economy: How mental load reduces national output

Nigeria runs an economy powered not by diesel or data but by the strained minds of its people. The inflation, insecurity, rising living costs, and poor infrastructure are the mental load that millions carry daily; the psychological burden that influences every aspect of national output. This is the constant cognitive pressure created by unreliable systems, unstable prices, unpredictable daily routines, and the absence of institutional support. It is the unmeasured force reducing concentration, slowing decision-making, and shrinking the producti