Insecurity, supply gaps disrupt livestock flow from Northern Nigeria

…as Cow prices hit ₦2.5m in Lagos

By Usman Yahaya Ismail

The price of cattle in Lagos has surged to as high as ₦2.5 million, as butchers and traders attribute the spike to major disruptions in livestock supply from Northern Nigeria.

Butchers report that cows which sold for approximately ₦1.7 million in 2025 now cost between ₦2.3 million and ₦2.5 million.

They warn that meat prices may continue to climb if supply conditions do not improve.

Industry stakeholders point to worsening insecurity and reduced pastoral activity across key livestock-producing states in the North. Banditry, farmer-herder clashes, and cattle rustling have significantly hindered both the production and movement of animals to southern markets.

States across the North-East, North-West, and parts of the North-Central regions have been heavily impacted.

Herders are increasingly unable to safely move livestock through traditional grazing and transport corridors, which has drastically reduced cattle availability in the major markets that feed cities like Lagos.

Rising transportation costs, fuel price hikes, and poor logistics infrastructure have further compounded the crisis, making it significantly more expensive to move cattle from production zones in the North to consumption hubs in the South.

Butchers and livestock traders warn that unless insecurity is addressed and investment in modern ranching systems is accelerated, the country will continue to face an unstable supply, rising meat prices, and growing pressure on household food costs.