Christmas: Nigerians lament high prices of rice, chicken, onions, other food items

The high prices of basic food items and cooking ingredients dampened the festive mood for many Nigerians across the country as residents join the rest of the world for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Residents and sellers of essential food items who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES expressed worries about the high prices — compared to last year’s Christmas season – and how they put pressure on their budgets.

Also, a survey conducted across major markets in various parts of the country revealed a notable increase in the prices of some essential food items and ingredients, including chicken, turkey, rice, vegetables, and oil.

Bags of rice and other food items

These items are commonly used in households during festive seasons. While the rise in cost presents challenges, it seems to have also encouraged families to explore new meal options and innovative holiday planning that falls within their budgets.

“I can’t afford a live turkey this year,” said Maryam Ibrahim, an Abuja-based teacher and mother of five children.

“I’ll buy frozen chicken instead and skip some other ingredients. Even tomatoes are becoming a luxury,” she added.

She explained that for the celebrations, she would be making rice and stew instead of the popular jollof/fried rice. The choice is due to a change in her budget, especially because her earnings have not changed and do not complement the increased prices of foodstuffs in the country.

“Salaries haven’t increased significantly, yet prices in the market keep soaring. We have to survive, and honestly, we’re tired of complaining,” Mrs Ibrahim said.

High cost of living in Nigeria

In recent months, prices of major staple foods, including rice, beans, bread, and poultry products, have maintained an upward trend across the country.

The rising prices became severe following the implementation of some of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s economic policies, such as the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira.

The cost-of-living crisis, amidst rising inflation figures, made many Nigerians stage a nationwide protest tagged #EndbadgovernanceinNigeria to express their frustration.

The federal government has rolled out measures in the past 18 months to ameliorate the hardship in the country. Among these measures is the recent upward review of the minimum wage, subsidised food items, and input supply to farmers to boost food production in the country.

However, the impacts of these interventions are still negligible as food prices remain high.

Efforts to distribute relief food items/packages to vulnerable people by some groups have also led to fatal stampedes in three different parts of Nigeria: Oyo, Anambra and Abuja.

Some of the foodstuffs whose prices have increased, such as onions, tomatoes, and pepper, are seasonal and tonnes of them were lost to poor post-harvest techniques.

A four-part investigation published by PREMIUM TIMES earlier this year revealed that large quantities of staple foods – including cereals, tubers, vegetables, and fruits produced in the country – are wasted due to inadequate storage, processing and transportation facilities.

High prices of chicken, rice, others raise concerns at Christmas

The market survey showed that the prices of frozen/live chickens have doubled what it was sold for within the same period last year.

A kilogramme of frozen chicken that was sold for N2000 to N2,500 last year now sells for an average of N5,000 per kilogramme.

Similarly, the prices of live chicken (broilers) range between N15,000 (medium size) and N40,000, depending on size. Live turkey birds are priced at N100,000 and above in some markets, as against N40,000-N50,000 and above it was sold last year.

The high prices of the birds are partly caused by the challenges faced by poultry farmers in the country, who are struggling to keep production afloat amidst rising costs of livestock feed/inputs.

PREMIUM TIMES reported recently that many poultry farmers are shutting down operations due to rising prices of poultry feed and unsustainable cost of production.

Apart from the birds, eggs, which used to be a staple meal in many homes, have had their prices increase from about N70 per unit in the past year to about N200 per unit.

Abuja

In Abuja’s popular Gosa Market, the price of a waste-bin-sized basket of pepper has increased to N4,500, from less than N3,000, while neighbourhood markets are selling the same quantity within the range of N5,000 to N6,000.

A small basket of tomatoes now sells for N8,000 and above. Meanwhile, due to the high cost of onions, used in cooking in many homes, many consumers now opt for spring onions, which are relatively cheaper but scarce.

“I used to buy onions in bulk for Christmas,” said Mary Adewale, a trader at the Lugbe Federal Housing Authority market.

She lamented that onions have become expensive, with small bulbs selling for about N200 each, while large bulbs are nearly impossible to find.

“The worst part is that onion sellers rarely have enough stock and are reluctant to sell in bulk. They either quote outrageously high prices to discourage you or it’s simply because onions are now that expensive.

“This year, I’ll make do with fewer onions and focus on other spices to stretch my budget,” Mrs Adewale said.

A kilogramme of beef now sells for N6,500, from less than N5,000, with some butchers charging as high as N7,000, citing the rising costs of cows as the reason for the increase .

“A full cow costs over N700,000, and even then, it’s hard to find quality cattle at a reasonable price,” said Sarafadeen, a butcher at Aco estate.

The butcher also expressed frustration over “very low” patronage, noting that this year is even worse than last year, which he thought was bad.

“You would think that since people aren’t buying beef, the chicken stalls would be crowded, but the entire market is so empty,” he said.

However, he remained hopeful, adding, “Maybe people will start coming as Christmas day gets closer or once salaries are paid.”

With prices reaching record highs, families are adapting through various means.

“I usually host extended family during Christmas, but this year, I’ve told my close family and friends to contribute money so that I can host all of them,” said Emeka Okafor, a businessman in Abuja. “Food prices are out of control, and no one person can shoulder the costs alone.”

At Lugbe Market along the airport road axis in Abuja, a trader who introduced herself as Nofisat lamented low patronage.

Nofisat measuring foodstuffs in the her shop

“The patronage is very low. The market is not as full as it used to be. The previous year was far better than what we are experiencing now. Customers are coming in one, one. We are just managing,” Ms Nofisat told PREMIUM TIMES.

She said a 25-litre keg of vegetable oil (Kings) is now N90,000 from less than N60,000 last Christmas. Prices of rice, beans and red oil have also increased in a similar manner, she said.

Ekiti

A market survey conducted by PREMIUM TIMES in Ekiti revealed that the prices of essential food items such as rice, chicken, vegetable oil, onions, tomatoes, and other condiments have increased.

At Olojudo market, Ido Ekiti in Ekiti State, a 50-kg bag of local rice, called foreign local, ranges from N87,000 to N92,000, depending on its grade. It was less than N70,000 last Christmas.

A 25-litre keg of vegetable oil cost N90,000 from less than N60,000 last year.

Checks at the chicken unit revealed that a sizable broiler now costs N20,000 or more, from N10,000 some weeks ago, and a large-size foreign turkey breed now costs as high as N110,000 to N120,000.

A chicken seller, Kenneth Oji, said the price of chicken and turkey would continue to rise until after the festive season.

Live turkey

Live chicken

A crate of eggs is now sold for between N5,500 and N6,000.

An egg seller, Nike Ojo, said many people buy eggs to bake cakes and other confectionery during this period. “I think that is why the price soars during this season,” she said.

Similarly, the price of a basket of fresh pepper has risen from N50,000 to between N80,000 and N90,000.

Enugu

Chinasa Ukaegbu, a tricycle rider, visited Kenya Market in Enugu State on 23 December. He had planned to buy a bag (50kg) of rice for his family for the Christmas celebration. But the prices of foodstuffs forced him to reluctantly adjust his menu upon getting to the market on Monday.

The situation angered Mr Ukaegbu who expressed his frustration in an interview.

“Foodstuffs are very costly in the market. And it is affecting me seriously,” Mr Ukaegbu said with a sombre mien.

The father of three has now decided to adjust his plans for the Christmas celebration.

“For me, since I don’t have money to buy one bag of rice, I will buy a paint (of rice) for that (Christmas) day,” he said.

“Will I kill myself because I don’t have money for a full bag of rice? Whatever I am able to afford on Christmas day, I will buy.”

Like Mr Ukaegbu, Augustina Udeh was negotiating to buy a bag of rice at a shop in the market when this reporter visited on Monday.

“This (50kg bag of) rice I bought for less than N100,000 last month (November). Today, they said it is now N110,000. There’s no money, yet prices of commodities keep increasing,” Mr Udeh lamented.

Meanwhile, a market survey conducted by PREMIUM TIMES in Enugu State on Monday showed that the price of rice did not record a significant increase like those of other commodities.

A 50kg bag of local rice, which sold for between N70,000 and N75,000 in October, now sells for between N80,000 and N85,000.

Another type of rice, often tagged “foreign local,” sells for N110,000 for the same 50kg. The price was N100,000 in October and far less in December 2023.

But a 50kg bag of foreign rice is sold for between N150,000 and N160,000. The price was a bit higher in the middle of the year.

“Nigerians aggressively engaged in rice farming this year. The mass production helped to stabilise the price,” Chukwudi Agwa, a rice seller at Ogbete Market, explained.

Bags of rice

Unlike rice, prices of other commodities recorded a significant increase ahead of Christmas.

A paint of dried crayfish which sold for between N3,500 and N5,000 in September, now goes for between N10,000 and N11,000.

“Last week, the price of crayfish was N7,500 per paint,” Chisom Odoh, a shop owner, told PREMIUM TIMES.

“The price for the bag increased from N160,000 to N300,000,” Ms Odoh explained.

Fresh tomatoes also recorded a marginal increase in price. A paint of fresh tomatoes which sold for between N4,500 and N5,000 in November, now sells for between N5,600 and N6,000

For chicken, broilers, which sold for between N14,000 and N15,000 in November, now sell for between N23,000 and N25,000 depending on the size.

Old layers now cost between N8,000 and N10,000. They were sold for between N5,500 and N6,500 in October.

A three-litre container of vegetable oil, which sold for between N12,000 and N12,500 in November, now sells for between N13,500 and N14,000.

Onions also recorded a significant increase in price. One bag sells for between N250,000 and N300,000 at Ogbete Market. Earlier this month, it was sold for between N240,000 and N250,000.

Lagos

A similar trend was observed across markets in Nigeria’s economic nerve centre, Lagos. On Tuesday, Bala Atiku, a pepper and onion vendor in the Ojodu, Berger area of Lagos State, narrated how he is struggling to keep his business alive.

Despite charging N500 for three small onions, Mr Atiku claims he has been operating at a loss for weeks due to the soaring cost of onions.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited his roadside stall, two customers complained about the size and quantity of the onions, attempting to negotiate a better price. However, Mr Atiku declined and they left.

“The high cost of onions is affecting my business,” he lamented. “It’s becoming difficult to make a profit. I’m considering abandoning this trade for a better one.”

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The price hike has also affected vegetable sellers, who no longer offer bunches for less than N500.

Previously, vegetables sold for as low as N100. With limited options, customers are forced to pay the new prices.

Tinubu appeals for calm

In his Christmas message to Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu assured that the country is “on a promising path of restoration and progress, with every indication pointing toward a bright future.”

“In the spirit of this season, let us renew our hope and belief in a prosperous Nigeria.”

The Nigerian leader has repeatedly acknowledged that his policies have caused pain and hardship to Nigerians, but has said the policies are necessary and the hardship temporary. He reiterated the same on Sunday during a media chat where he said he has “no regret removing petrol subsidy.”