Protest: Business returns in Kano markets as prices of food items jump

Traders in Kano State are making up for time lost to the #EndBadGovernance protests as residents trooped into markets to buy food items at high prices.

The protests were marred by looting and destruction of properties in the state.

On Wednesday, a PREMIUM TIMES market survey at Singer and Dawanau markets revealed that traders in food items did brisk business as the prices of essential goods rose higher than before the hardship protests.

A dealer at the Singer market, Sa’idu Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES that before the protest, a 50 kg bag of Sugar sold for N80,000 but was N82,000 on Wednesday.

He said a 50kg bag of flour sold at N62,000 was N70,000, and a cartoon of Spaghetti, which sold at N15,800, is now N17,500.

Also, a 50kg bag of Premium rice (Gerawa) sold at N72,000 is now N80,000.

Mr Abdullahi attributed the price hike to high demand and a low supply in the market.

Food items in Kano State market

He said the high demand made some marketers hike prices, and people had no alternative but to buy.

He said prices may drop as normalcy gradually returns to the city after the protests.

However, a trader at Singer Market, Nura Abdullahi, said prices were gradually going down until the protests.

For instance, he said a cartoon of Maggi Cube sold at N13,700 is now N14,500. A cartoon of creamila milk (powder) was N10,400 but is now N11,000, while a cartoon of milki creamer was N44,500 but is now N47,000.

The trader also attributed the hike to a break in the supply chain.

At the Dawanau grain market in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, our reporter observed a similar surge in the prices of grains on Wednesday after traders returned to the market following the end of the violent protests.

A trader at the market, Abdullahi Dan’asabe, said 100 kg of millet rose from N77,000 to N84,000 on Wednesday when normalcy returned.

He said maize slightly increased from N88,000 to N83,000 while 100 kg of soya beans rose from N87,000 to N88,000.

The #EndBadGovernance demonstrations turned into an orgy of looting and destruction of properties that also featured the killing of some protesters in the state.

Food items in Kano State markets

In a meeting with the leadership of the trader’s union on Wednesday, Governor Abba Yusuf lamented the price hike in commodities in the state.

The governor also acknowledged with dismay the price increases on the essential goods, describing it as artificial inflation.

READ ALSO: Protest: ‘Our customers are nowhere to be found’ – Kano sex workers lament low patronage

He appealed to traders to reduce the prices of commodities to help address the hardships faced by the residents.

He sympathised with the traders with the losses incurred during the protests.

The chairperson of the trader’s union, Sabiu Bako, thanked the governor for his concern, pledging to address the governor’s concern about the price hike.

Mr Bako said the hike in the prices of commodities was due to a shortage in supply, dollar fluctuations and middlemen.