Food insecurity: Nigerians battle economic hardship over hike in prices of rams, foodstuff as inflation bites harder
…Households spend 60% of income on food as import bill hits N1.4trn
…Families shun Sallah rams, low key celebration imminent across the country
By Our correspondents
Nigerian households are struggling to cope with the skyrocketing prices of staple foods, with the average cost of rice, garri, and tomatoes rising by 141 percent in just one year, according to a recent report.
The prices of these essential items have surged to record highs, with rice increasing by 156 percent to N1,399, garri by 135 percent to N852, and tomatoes by a staggering 700 percent to N100,000 per basket.
The situation is further worsened by the fact that 4.84 million people in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states are facing food insecurity, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The organisation has launched an initiative to distribute crop production inputs to 9,975 households in Borno, aiming to improve food production and resilience among conflict-affected households.
As the Ileya celebration approaches, traders and households are calling on the government to take urgent action to address the rising costs of living in the country.
The soaring food prices have made it difficult for many to afford basic needs, with many fearing that the situation may worsen if not addressed promptly.
While households complained that they lacked money to meet up with the high cost of goods, traders lamented low patronage, saying the high cost of goods and foodstuff have pushed buyers away. Our correspondent visited some markets in the metropolis where Lagosians poured out lamentations.
A food vendor at Ilepo Oja market expressed her frustration and desperation as food prices continue to soar, making it difficult for her to make a living and provide for her family.
Speaking to our correspondent, the vendor lamented that the cost of essential food items like pepper, tomatoes, rice, and garri has surpassed her profit, making it impossible for her to sell and sustain her business.
She recalled that the price of a basket of tomatoes has skyrocketed from N12,000 last year to a staggering N100,000 today, an increase of over 700 percent. This, she said, has made it difficult for the poor to afford basic food needs and has also affected her ability to provide for her family.
The vendor blamed the government for its inability to control inflation, saying “This country is not trying at all! The government is not trying, they can’t control inflation, We are suffering, our families are suffering, Only God can help us.”
Ahead of the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival, traders in Osogbo have decried low patronage from customers, citing economic hardship in the country as a cause.
The prices of animals used for sacrifice during the annual festival have skyrocketed beyond the reach of many celebrants as the killing of rams holds much significance during the celebration.
Findings by our correspondent on Monday showed that the cost of rams sells between N110,000 and N700,000, depending on the size.
One of the ram sellers in Oke-Fia, Mr. Abdu-Rasaq Remi, said that the hike in the cost of basic commodities in Nigeria has reflected on the patronage of the livestock.
Abdu-Rasaq stated that in previous years, 6 days before the festival, Muslims had started buying rams to keep at home for the celebration, saying things have changed completely.
He said, “We are buying one ram at the cost we used to buy four before. The market is very dull and there is a low turnout of buyers.
“The rams are really expensive, such that people who used to buy to distribute before could no longer afford it. The rams we bought at 70,000 before are now being sold for 180,000, and this is one of the reasons we have low patronage.”
Another ram seller at the Old Governor’s office Osogbo, Bukola Omoboriowo, attributed the hike in prices of ram to the hike in fuel prices, and travelling costs as major problems.
Omoboriowo said the money they used to transport rams to Osun State has increased to a higher level.
Also, Muslim Faithfuls in Kaduna state have lamented the hike in prices of Rams, food stuff and other items as they plan to celebrate this year’s Eid Kabir, slated for Monday, next week.
Our Correspondent visited the major Zango market, Tudun-Wada, and the ram Market in Waffroad Kaduna on a market survey to monitor the situation, meanwhile the present mood seems not favourable to both celebrants and marketers as prices of sacrificial animals and food stuff continue to soar on daily basis.
However, we can authoritatively confirm that a Ram in Kaduna state is selling for one million naira, basket of Tomatoes for N140,000, stone-free Nigerian rice for N72,000 while a sack of 50kg pepper sells for N155,000.
One of the Ram sellers, Alhaji Abubukar, in the Zango market said “It is not favourable to the marketers because of low patronage. You can see it yourself. Only this ram you are seeing is one million naira.”
Fielding questions from our Correspondent on what could be the possible reasons for the low turnout and hike in prices, Abubukar said, “the economy is not favourable to the country. There is poverty and at the same time, insecurity. A lot of workers lost their jobs, while many businesses are suffering a lot of setbacks.”
Another marketer, identified simply as Auwalu said that the cost of transporting the animals down to the country is very expensive due to the lingering fuel scarcity ravaging the country.
Auwalu said, “There is fuel scarcity in the country. The animals are expensive because of transportation and their feeding. Most of these animals are brought in from neighbouring countries like Chad, Cameron, Niger, among others, because you cannot keep such a large stock and sleep. Even if you sleep, you either die or run away, leaving the animals.
“Keeping the animals in the town is very expensive because of the cost of feeding and medication, hence they are not in the village to graze freely,” he added.
Also speaking with Adamu, another ram seller in Waffroad Kaduna market, he averred that the economic situation in the country contributed in no small measure to the rising cost of the rams in the market.
Adamu said that, last year he sold the same Ram for N500,000 and N600,000, respectively, adding that most marketers could not afford it, while others just brought in a few rams to the market because of the cost of transporting them.
He explained, “Everything just jumped up at once. The cost of feeding the ram is extremely expensive. The cost of looking after their health, transportation and So on, all these contributed to the current pricing.”
On his part, one of the customers, Ali Ibrahim expressed shock over the hike in the prices of ram.
Ali said, “This is not what I planned for. The price almost tripled compared to last year. Although I know it is not easy for them to risk their lives due to the insecurity in town, I wish it was something lesser. I priced it for N700,000. But he said N950,000 last,” He stressed.
In the same vein, one of the pepper sellers who spoke with NewsDirect on the condition of Anonymity said, “a sack of fresh 50kg pepper is N155,000. You can see that the market is dry. If it were to be before, this whole place would have been very crowded.”
“But you can see now. Even some of our customers that are retailers are also complaining that people are now going for dry pepper as an alternative because of the high cost of fresh pepper.”
Yusuf, a Tomato seller, also confirmed to NewsDirect that a basket of Tomatoes sell for N140,000. He said that the weather is not friendly for tomatoes and because of that they are also praying for the price to drop as soon as possible.
Mrs. Loveth Ifeanyi, a major dealer in provisions and other food stuff in Narayi disclosed that a bag of stone-free Nigerian rice goes for N72,000. She reiterated that the price is not just for the sake of Sallah but an aftermath of the dollar rise.
She urged the government at all levels to come up with better policies and create an enabling environment that would be favourable to both sellers and their customers, during and after the festive periods.
Ifeanyi opined that aside from providing political guidance, the government can also exercise the executive function and regulatory powers on businesses for the sake of national interest.
A low key 2024 Sallah celebration in Bauchi State is imminent as many families cannot afford to buy rams to perform their religious obligations and others have to rebate their budgets.
When our correspondent monitored the popular ram market along Murtala Way in Bauchi metropolis, sellers lamented low patronage attributing the development to inflation and biting hardship among families.
It was observed that an affordable small ram sold between N70,000 and N100,000 while bigger rams were being sold between N300,000 and N500,000. Biggest sizes were being sold between N800,000 and N1million.
According to a seller, Abubakar Usman who spoke with our Correspondent said that out of about 140 animals he put out for sale, he has not sold 20 percent of it.
“Previously, people book ahead while we supply them in their various houses but this time they are nowhere to be found. When we called them that we have livestock for sale, many of them complained of money.
“Those who are buying are requesting smaller sizes and many of them are jointly buying smaller ones. Things are really hard for people,” he said.
A resident of Bauchi, Alh. Mahmoud Isah said that he might not celebrate the Sallah like in the previous years.
“Someone like me that has 15 children and all of them will need new clothes, shoes, caps and others. These won’t cost less than N150,000 and with a ram of about N200,000. This is already N350,000. You have not talked about the prices of tomatoes and peppers which have skyrocketed. I don’t think I have this amount,” he said.
Abubakar Umar, a resident of Nasarawa Jahun in Bauchi said that his children would be using the last Sallah items to avoid economic crackdown on his budget.
According to him, “There is no need for me to buy any Sallah clothes. They are using old materials. This economy is not friendly to any family at all.”
Tailor sections at the Wunti Market Bauchi also recorded low patronage where fashion designers were seen complaining that they have not seen “traffic” of materials for the Sallah. One of them, Jamilu Suleiman said that “by this time, we are known for sleepless nights but with what some of us have at hand we don’t have to go through night work.”
Since the ban on market unions in Akwa Ibom State by Governor Umo Eno recently, the situation reports from the markets have not really changed as food prices continue to spike.
Observation of major markets by our Correspondent in Uyo revealed that, though the market unions merely went underground, the ban by the State Government does not have much impact.
Traders who spoke to NewsDirect at the daily Etaha Itam Market complained that prices of staple foodstuff have still not really changed. Mrs Eno Ukpong, who sells yam, said a small tuber goes for N3,000.
Another trader who deals in garri gave out at 5 cups for N1,000, while Mallam Aligo Sanusi sells his local rice at N400 to N500 a cup and stone beans goes for N450 a cup.
Rice dealer, Mr. Obinna who spoke to our reporter said, 50 Kg bag of local rice is sold for N74, 000, N78, 000 and 50 Kg bag of foreign rice for N79,000.
They lamented that, although Governor Umo Eno had announced the ban of unions in markets across the State, for the ban to be effective and impactful, it should set up taskforce to monitor the policy, as the unions which had been outlawed are still carrying out nocturnal activities within the markets.
President of the Market, Mr. Ubong Sunday Archibong who commended the Governor for the ban said they pose a danger to free market operations.
According to him, “Before the banning of market unions, traders were made to suffer because, if you don’t register with them, you won’t be allowed to sell your goods or agricultural produce.
“For instance, the registration ranges from union to union and every commodity has its union otherwise, you do not sell.
“Registration with the unions used to be from N120,000 to N150,000 as the case may be and because of that, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the market unions prior to the government ban, suspended the vegetable section of the union for being asked to pay N150,000 before it could be allowed to operate for making it too high.
“The Governor, on hearing about operations of market unions, banned them from existence and ordered that every trader can now bring their goods to sell.”
On why staple food stuffs like garri, rice and beans etc are still being sold at high prices he said, the spike in those commodity prices are due to the cost of transportation, not unions related issues.
“I want to tell the public that the governor has banned market unions in Akwa Ibom State. That traders can now have the freedom and freewill to bring the goods to the markets to sell without registration or anybody disturbing them.”
He appreciated the governor describing him as a trader-friendly person for listening to the plights of the people.
Efforts to speak with the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Market Matters, Mr. Idorenyin Raphael on the matter were not successful as at press time, as he was difficult to reach.
