Nigerians nationwide are still struggling to come to grips with the rising costs of crucial food products, which have increased by at least 30 percent between December and April in eight different states.

The harsh reality of the economic decline was exposed by surveys conducted by our reporters.

This situation has left consumers feeling frustrated, expressing their dissatisfaction with the price hikes that have affected their budgets.

Despite the recovery, the prices of food items continue to skyrocket throughout the country, despite the recent improvement in the value of the local currency.

This comes as President Bola Tinubu recently pledged to ensure a recovery of the local currency that would be reflected in commodity prices.

Following the President’s decision, officials from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission carried out raids on some supermarkets in Abuja last week due to unfair pricing, and they have promised to expand their crackdown to other states.

However, the latest findings by our reporters indicate that the prices of staple food items like beans and garri have risen by at least 30 percent.

The surveys were conducted in Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, Kwara, Sokoto, Ekiti, Osun, and Niger states.

Over the past few months, the prices of major food items have continued to rise, especially after Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy and devalued the local currency. As the country’s inflationary pressure worsens, Nigerians are finding it increasingly difficult to afford food. This problem was exacerbated when the local currency sharply depreciated against the dollar and other foreign currencies like the CFA between February and March.

As the local currency has appreciated in the foreign exchange market more recently, there were high hopes that food prices, which had risen alongside the dollar, would also begin to decline in the market. However, our reporters’ findings confirm that only the prices of rice have thus far decreased.

As of Wednesday, it was discovered that the prices of beans, garri, and other food items remain high despite the appreciation of the local currency.

Our reporters, who visited various markets in several states, discovered that traders and sellers were lamenting the high costs of food items, although the prices varied depending on the location.

According to the surveys, a bag of garri now sells for N41,000, up from N37,000 in less than two weeks ago. In January, it was around N31,000. This represents a 31 percent increase.

Similarly, a bag of one kilogram of Semovota, which was N700 in December, now sells for N1,400. This represents a 100 percent increase in price. Additionally, one kilogram of wheat, which was N500 in December, is now being sold for N1,200. This represents a 140 percent increase.

Further findings revealed that in January, a bag of beans ranged from N65,000 to N70,000. However, as of Wednesday, a bag of beans now sells for N185,000. This represents a 164 percent increase.

This means that the lowest increase recorded in the category of basic and essential food items is 31 percent, which was seen in the price of garri.

Consumers are expressing their frustration

The situation has led consumers in various parts of the country to voice their grievances about the hardships caused by these price hikes.

WAKADAILY has learned that a resident of Isolo, Mr Rafiu Adedoja, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the increased price of his favorite meal, amala. He explained that as a bricklayer, he eats at a popular canteen on a daily basis. Previously, he would purchase a wrap of amala for N100, but now he has to pay N200 for a smaller portion. Mr Adedoja now has to buy at least five wraps, which costs him N1,000, and when adding the cost of meat, his meal can amount to between N1,600 and N2,000. However, this is not economical for him given the current state of the economy, where jobs are scarce.

Another individual, Mrs Bola Adekunle, a hairdresser and mother of four in the Okota area of Lagos, also spoke to our correspondent and expressed her frustration with the rising prices of essential food items such as garri, beans, groundnut oil, and yam. She pointed out that these increases particularly impact low-income earners like herself who have children to feed. Mrs Adekunle stated that the cost of food is becoming increasingly unbearable and continues to worsen on a daily basis.

“We eat once a day now, but if I record higher sales, we can eat twice. In the last two months, I can’t remember the last time that my family ate three square meals,” Adekunle moaned.

An industrial chemist, Mr. Harrison Chinaka, mentioned ,“It is very obvious that there has been a continuous and rapid hike in the prices of goods in the market. I mean every foodstuff in the market; the prices are increasing almost every hour

“You find out that what you bought in the morning by the time you get there in the afternoon or evening, they will tell you that the price has changed. I bought a paint of garri not up to two weeks ago for about N2, 900 and three days after I went to buy the same quantity of garri and I was told it now goes for N3,500

“The same thing applies to bread and provisions, the prices of everything are increasing and it is not as if salaries are being increased and it is becoming difficult for an average Nigerian to cope especially someone with a family. The person has to pay school fees, house rent and continuously pay bills, it is becoming difficult to survive here in Nigeria,” he stated.

Also speaking, Mr. Prosper Dike, said, “As for me what I will say is that the prices of commodities now are no longer the same as it is used to be before. For instance, a bag of rice has gone higher than what it used to be. How do you expect us with our source of income that has not increased, how do we meet up considering the way things are going?”

Dike questioned why food prices have not decreased despite the recent depreciation of the dollar against the naira, a situation that many traders attribute to the rise in food prices.

“If there is anything the government can do to help because the situation is choking, the cost of living now is not easy. People can’t afford three square meals a day again because things have gone up. Even though the dollar has come down things are yet to come down,” he lamented.

Tomisin Sunday, a businesswoman, expressed her frustration over the persistent increases in food prices, prompting her to scale back the amount of food she purchases during her weekly grocery trips. Shopping at the well-known Iyana-Iba market along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Sunday noted that while the cost of tomatoes had decreased to N2,400 per custard bucket by Wednesday, the price of pepper remained unreasonably high.

“The price of ginger has refused to come down though. It was N11,000 today. Last week, it was N13,000. I use it for my Zobo drink, which I sell. At this rate, I may be unable to keep selling at the current price that my customers are used to.

“As for foodstuffs, I come to the market fairly regularly because things are too expensive and my money is not usually enough. At this point, I’m doing business just to be able to feed my family.

A tailor, Udeme Nicholas, was so frustrated by the situation that he lamented, “It feels almost as if my village people are following me. I get plenty of jobs and my rates are not cheap, so I get well paid for my services but when I calculate how much I spend on food alone every week for my three children, wife and myself, it gets me depressed.

“If my wife had been the one going to the market, maybe, I would have suspected she was cheating me but you see, I go to the market and it is not funny. I have got kids under five years of age, I can’t be denying them basic nutrition but the situation is getting worse.”

Olusegun Abatan, the South-West spokesperson for the National Association of Pensioners, criticized the rising food prices and stated that any responsible government would not allow its elderly citizens to endure such hardships. Abatan expressed his disappointment and mentioned that pensioners were still waiting for the N25,000 palliative promised by Tinubu to help them cope with the economic crisis. He also attributed the current economic difficulties to the President’s decision to remove fuel subsidy at the beginning of his term.

He stated, “The root cause of this hardship can be traced to the statement of President Bola Tinubu, on his inauguration day. A more careful statement should have been uttered rather than that ‘Subsidy is now gone’.

“It is not only food that is on the high side, even drugs cannot be got easily by pensioners and even by those who are sick since the price is skyrocketing and this was because of that president’s singular statement. That statement is not well thought out.”

Abatan emphasized “The President declared that he was going to give N25,000 to pensioners as palliatives but till now we have not yet got any kobo. This has led to disappointment on the part of our members.

“This is the rainy season, what efforts are they putting in place to ensure that farmers can do their jobs without fear of being killed or kidnapped? We can only appeal to the government to wade in and be more serious in their actions towards ensuring that food prices crash.”

Prices Surge

In Ogun State, the cost of a bag of beans has consistently increased, as reported by traders. A food vendor named Friday Kingsley in Ikenne, Ogun State, revealed to our reporter that the price of a bag of beans, previously at approximately N70,000 in January, has now escalated to N185,000, marking a significant 164% surge.

Kingsley also mentioned that the price of garri has risen to N41,000 per bag, up from N37,000 in less than a fortnight. He indicated that in January, the price was about N31,000.

“The price garri is going higher by the day. I bought one bag of garri at the rate of N37,000 in Siun Market 10 days ago, but the same bag sold for N45,000 yesterday. We don’t know why garri is not coming down.

“In January, I used to buy a bag of beans around N65,000, N70,000; but today, I bought the same bag at N185,000. I couldn’t even pay in full. I’m afraid it may get to N200,000. The rise in the prices of beans and garri is very disturbing,” Kingsley mentioned.

Furthermore, Ashake, a trader in Sagamu, informed our correspondent that the cost of 1kg of Semo had doubled from N700 in December to N1,400 by Wednesday. She also noted that the price of 1kg of wheat had climbed from N500 in December to N1,200. Bread sellers in Abeokuta raised concerns about price increases, citing the smallest loaf of bread that jumped from N150 in October 2023 to N300 or N400.

Similarly, traders in Ibafo informed our correspondent that a bag of sachet water was now selling for N400, while individual sachets were being retailed for N50 each, depending on the location and the seller. On a positive note, Mr. Success, a food item seller in Iperu, mentioned that a carton of Indomitable noodles had decreased in price from N12,000 in February to approximately N7,000 by Wednesday. Market observations at Oba Lipede market in Kuto, Abeokuta indicated that a yam tuber was priced between N2,800 and N3,000.

A retired civil servant, Mrs. Titi Alabi, expressed the difficulty of feeding her family amidst the continuous surge in food prices. Alabi remarked that government palliatives fell short of addressing the challenges Nigerians currently faced, particularly with the rising prices of food.

“We just have to go back to farming. Government at all levels must increase its investment in agriculture, we must look for how to boost food production,” she mentioned.

Similarly in Lagos, prices of food items such as pepper, spaghetti, onions, and oil have remained high despite the increase in the value of the naira. Traders in Oshodi and Agege markets in Lagos State reported that the prices of food items have consistently risen between January and April and have not shown any signs of decreasing.

Mrs. Kareem, a pepper seller in Agege, explained that in October, a large basket of pepper was sold for N60,000 to N74,000, but currently it is being sold for N103,000. She mentioned that a basket of tomatoes, which used to be sold for N35,000 in the middle of last year, now goes for N65,000. Kareem also noted that the price of a bag of onions increased from N30,000 to N60,000 in January, and has slightly reduced to N47,000 as of Monday.

At Ikotun Market in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, a derica of beans that was previously sold for N750 earlier in the year is now being sold for N1,200. A trader at the market provided these details regarding the price changes.

Chidera Madu, stated, “Half Derica of beans was sold for N600 before, but now it is N1,200; a small portion of pepper was N100, but it is now N200 upwards. Five litres of palm oil used to be N5,000, but now it is N8,000. One medium loaf of bread was sold for N850 in December, but it is now N1,300”. She lamented that despite the drop in the value of the naira against the naira, the prices of daily consumables remained high.

A vendor of food items in the Idimu area of Lagos, named Christian Igwe, acknowledged a decrease in the prices of noodles, noting that a carton of a particular brand of noodles, which was priced at N9,000 a few weeks ago, is now being sold for N6,000. Igwe argued that it is unreasonable to expect traders who purchased goods at higher prices to sell them at a loss, as they need to deplete their existing stock.

Reflecting on the expensive food prices in Lagos, a wholesaler at Isolo Market named Mr. Idris Adebowale explained that yam tubers are still costly due to it being the off-season for planting. As per Adebowale, the current cost of a yam tuber ranges between N2,500 and N3,000, up from N1,500 in recent weeks.

In various major markets within Gombe metropolis, there has been a consistent increase in the prices of food items. These markets include Baban Kasuwa, Kasuwa Tumfure, and Kasuwa Cross. Unlike other cities where grains are sold by derica, commodities are sold in batches in these northern markets. Garri is sold at N950, a container of beans at N1,400, a medium-sized yam for N1,500, and millet at N1,200. Traders pointed out that these prices significantly exceed their previous rates.

In Osun State, investigations at several markets in Osogbo revealed high prices of locally produced food items. At Oluode market, a bundle of garri is priced at N1,200, while a bag of homegrown rice, previously sold for N50,000, is now valued between N55,000 and N57,000. The elevated cost of pepper is attributed to the expensive transportation from the Northern region where the majority of the product originates.

Sokoto Markets
Residents of Sokoto State voiced their concerns over the continuous surge in food prices in the market. They reported that a plate of white beans now costs N3,000, an increase from the previous N2,200, while garri that was formerly priced at N2,200 is now selling between N2,500. Millet, a staple food in the state, has also risen above N2,000.

A comparable situation was observed in Ilorin, Kwara State, where food prices continue to escalate. At Baboko and Mandate markets, a bag of beans was being sold at N135,000 instead of the previous N129,000. Guinea corn, which used to be N52,000, was being traded at N57,000, and a bag of garri’s price surged from N15,000 to N17,000.

The price of a small bag of yam flour is now N160,000, while a large bag is priced at N280,000, indicating a significant increase from previous months. The cost of six medium-sized yams ranged between N8,000, and the larger tubers were priced at N13,000 to N15,000. A food vendor at Baboko market, Mrs. Rodiat Mustapha, highlighted transportation costs as one of the factors contributing to the high food prices.

Traders in Niger still attribute the rise in food prices to the dollar rate. At the Thursday Market and Kure Market, customers complained about the expensive food items, but the traders maintained that the dollar exchange was a significant factor.

“It is not our fault. We also want the items to come down in their prices because there is low patronage. But we buy at very expensive rates too,” Hauwa stated.

Wakadaily learnt that, a kilogram of beef is priced at N5,000, while chicken is being sold for a range of N6,500 to N8,000, varying based on the location. Additionally, the cost of fish has surpassed the affordability of the average individual, with a medium-sized sardine now priced at approximately N3,000.

In Ado Ekiti markets, the prices of food items have also remained elevated. For instance, a unit of garri which previously sold for either N500 or N600 in December is now being sold for N1,200.

A market vendor at Oja Oba, who goes by the name Dupe, mentioned that,

“A measure of beans is now N2,000. It was like N700 before the subsidy removal. We sell as we buy, we are not the problem”.

Furthermore, a vendor selling yams at Okesha Market named Bimbo, described how the prices of five yam tubers increased from N2,500 the previous year to N6,000. She indicated that the rise in prices affected all products due to the increased transportation expenses.

“We now sell five litres of palm oil at the rate of N6,000. It used to be N2,500 before subsidy removal. May God come to our aid,” the vendor prayed.

Meanwhile, it has been suggested that governments at the federal, state, and local levels should provide farmers with clear and honest incentives to support them. This should also involve promoting farming by assisting farmers in obtaining modern agricultural equipment within organized farm communities.

Extra contributions: Henry Falaiye, Chima Azubuike, Animasahun Salman, Bankole Taiwo, Tunde Oyekola, Bola Bamigbola, Chika Otuchikere, and Abiodun Nejo.