As Muslims began observing Ramadan fasting this year, the cost of essential food items surged by 95 per cent. According to survey in Abaji Main Market on Saturday, a bi-weekly event, significant price hikes for staples such as rice, beans, yam, garri, and maize were noted.
Investigation revealed that a mudu of rice, previously priced at N1,800 a week ago, now commanded N2,000 per mudu, while beans, previously sold at N1,400, were now fetching N1,600 per mudu at the market.
Additionally, a medium-sized yam tuber, previously priced at N1,000 in the last market, is now being sold for N1,300, while a mudu of ground corn, N900 the previous week, is now priced at N1,200 per mudu. Furthermore, it has been observed that a bundle of 50 medium-sized yam tubers, formerly priced at N75,000, is now being sold for N115,000. Further investigations reveal that the market price of essential soup ingredients such as palm oil, vegetable oil, packets of Maggi cubes, and salt sachets has increased by 95%.
The cost of essential food items has surged in the market. For instance, the price of Maggi cubes has escalated from N1,000 to N1,200, salt sachets have doubled from N200 to N400, palm oil bottles have risen from N900 to N1,200, and vegetable oil has increased from N1,200 to N1,600.
Consumers have raised concerns, attributing this price hike to the approaching Ramadan fasting period in the locality. A buyer at the market, Zuwaira Adamu, said: “It is quite unfortunate that some traders have taken advantage of the Ramadan to increase their goods, especially food stuffs by 90 per cent, which is bad.” Usman Yakubu, another buyer at the market, attributed the rise in food prices to the inaction of the regional market chief. He said: “I am telling you confidently that those in charge of Abaji market have always compromised as they know what is happening on price increase but they kept quite without saying anything because they receive kickbacks.”
Meanwhile, wealthy Nigerians have been urged to take it upon themselves to help the less privileged during Ramadan. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made this appeal, stating that the vulnerable needed help.
President Tinubu emphasised the significance of such actions in assisting individuals experiencing difficulty during this critical period.