As the yuletide period approaches, families across the country are grappling with how to balance the desire for festive cheer with the harsh realities of inflation. Across markets and motor parks, shoppers and commuters alike are now battling with prices that have surged to unprecedented levels, making it increasingly difficult to celebrate the holidays as they once did. In this report, IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI and YETUNDE AJANAKU explore how the traditional festive meals and long journeys to reunite with loved ones that usually characterise these festivities have been weighed down by tough financial decisions.
FOR many years, the sights and sounds of bustling markets are typically a hallmark of Christmas in Nigeria. This time of the year is often marked by heightened activity, with families preparing for feasts and celebrations. However, this year tells a different story, one that’s even different from the last couple of years where things were presumed bad for shoppers and travellers.
This is because their excitement is tempered by the biting reality of skyrocketing prices. Across bustling markets and neighborhood stalls, shoppers now wear worrying expression and some hopeful expressions as they leave for markets with lighter wallets and return home with fewer bags than planned.
The soaring cost of food items and livestock has sent shockwaves through households already grappling with economic hardship, leaving many wondering how to make the season merry amid mounting challenges caused by rising inflation for three straight months heading into December 2024.
The latest Consumer Product Index report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday revealed that the country’s inflation rose by 0.72 percent from 33.88 percent in October to 34.60 percent in November 2024, adding that the November 2024 rate was 6.40 percentage points higher than the 28.20 percent recorded in November 2023.
This meant that prices of staple foods traditionally used to prepare festive meals are currently seeing and unprecedented rise. At the heart of the dilemma is rice, a staple at most Christmas feasts, which now costs nearly double its price from the previous year, leaving families to either reduce their portions or forgo it altogether.
Other items, such as tomatoes, vegetable oil, and chicken—essential ingredients for the much-loved jollof rice and fried delicacies—have followed the same steep upward trajectory. Market vendors attribute the price surge to increased transportation costs and disruptions in supply chains, but the explanations provide little solace to consumers.
Sunday Tribune’s visit to the local markets in different cities paint a mix of frustration, anxiety, and diminished sales, as traders and buyers alike complain about the rising cost of living.
Not only that, transportation costs, fueled by increasing fuel prices and seasonal demand, have made travel to hometowns a daunting expense. Most motor parks visited by Sunday Tribune were only seeing regular but low patronage that they’ve now come to live rather than the upsurge in human and vehicular traffic that usually characterise the parks.
“Last year, I could afford to buy a bag of rice and a live chicken for my family, but now I can barely afford half of what I used to buy,” lamented Chukwuma Obi, a father of four at Oyingbo Market in Lagos, who has consistently cancelled travelled plans to his hometown in Owerri, Imo State for a Christmas seasons now. His experience is echoed by countless others who have seen their purchasing power eroded by inflation. The average cost of transportation has also risen sharply, adding another layer of financial strain. For many, traveling to villages or hometowns to reunite with extended families has become an unaffordable luxury.
Even though market activities are on the rise in Lagos State, foodstuffs traders have decried low patronage compared to the previous year. They believe the reduction in patronage is as a result of the dwindling purchasing power and the slight increase in prices of food items.
For perishable food items like tomatoes, pepper and vegetables, market survey in the Oke Odo market in Lagos revealed that there is a slight increase in prices and low patronage despite the large numbers of shoppers seen in the market. As at 3 pm on Friday, large quantity of perishables were seen in crates and bags at the section where vegetables are sold, unlike other days when at that same time, traders are already set to leave the market after selling most of their goods.
A crate of Zaria tomatoes previously sold at N18,000 was sold for N25,000, even as buyers continued haggling for a better price. A bag of tatashe presently goes for an average price of N90,000, about N10,000 higher that it was sold last Monday. A bag of onion which was previously sold between N300,000 and N320,000 two weeks ago has reduced slightly in price to N260,000-N280,000.
One of the traders, Malam Aminu, explained that the price of onion would have been lower but for the cost of transportation majorly from the North to the Southern part of the country, explaining that new onions are in the market and this has brought a reduction in price. He, however, said that the reduction will not be noticeable until after the Christmas and the New Year celebrations.
In the staple section, there was massive patronage as shoppers were seen buying foodstuffs, especially rice. A shopper, Mrs Angela, noted that though the price was a bit high, it was not as high as rumoured in the past days, noting that she got a bag of foreign short grain rice at N85,000 while the local rice was higher at N100,000.
“By this time, we thought we will be buying foreign rice at N100,000 but the reverse is the case. Local rice is more expensive than foreign rice,” she said.
However, traders noted that there might be a slight increase in the coming days as people do last-minute shopping.
For livestock, patronage was very low as seen at livestock market at Oja Oba at Abule Egba, Lagos. Shoppers complained over the exorbitant prices of life chicken as an average size of 3kg is sold for N25,000, while others goes as high as N30,000. An average size of life turkey is sold between N90,000 and N100,000.
Mrs Aishat, a livestock seller at the market, decried low patronage while noting that the increase in price was as a result of increase in chicken feed. She explained that though about a week ago, the prices of chicken were between N 15,000 and N20,000 but as the yuletide season approaches, the chicken saw an increase in prices as demands increased.
Low patronage in Ibadan
As Nigerians prepare for the yuletide, the rising cost of food and also transportation underscores a deeper economic crisis that extends beyond the festive season. While families strive to make the best of what they have, the high prices have sparked conversations about the need for more sustainable solutions to economic challenges.
Amid the struggles, the enduring spirit of resilience shines through, with communities finding creative ways to celebrate and support one another. Whether through shared meals or acts of kindness, residents who spoke with Sunday Tribune believe that the essence of the season will still persist, albeit in a more minimal form.
For many households, chicken is the main sign of Christmas celebrations, but this year, the high cost is forcing families to reconsider their menu plans. The complaints of chicken seller mirror the struggle of many in the market, all of whom are feeling the ripple effects of inflation.
At the corner of the chicken market at Liberty Road in Ibadan, Oyo State, where the clucking of chickens used to signal brisk sales, the atmosphere is markedly subdued.
A chicken seller, who has been in the business for over a decade, Mrs Yinka Taiwo, told Sunday Tribune that the economic hardships experienced this years has really weighed down the purchasing power of the citizenry.
“This time last year, I could barely keep up with the number of customers. But now, it’s like they don’t even remember my stall exists,” she lamented.
She explained further that “the cost of chicken feed has doubled in the last year. It’s no longer affordable for us to raise chickens the way we used to. And when we raise our prices to cover the costs, customers can’t afford to buy.”
Another chicken trader, Mrs Kemi Osho, also added that “we don’t know how we are going to survive this year. Things are extremely expensive and we can’t continue like this. I have two children and I don’t have an idea of how to fete them this Christmas.”
Just a few stalls away from Mrs Osho and Mrs Taiwo, pepper and onion sellers echoed similar sentiments. One vendor, Mrs Oluwaseun Abass, who has been selling vegetables for nearly 15 years, was visibly frustrated as she counted her remaining stock.
“Everything is expensive now,” Mrs Abass said, gesturing toward the baskets of red peppers and onions in front of her. “Farmers complain about fertiliser prices, transportation costs are high, and now we have to sell at prices that scare our customers away.”
The rising cost of these essential ingredients has dampened the Christmas spirit for many buyers. “People used to buy in bulk during Christmas, but now they just buy small quantities. Some even walk past when we tell them the prices,” another vendor added.
The recurring theme among the traders was a desperate plea for government intervention to the harsh economy which will have a positive effect on both the cost of living and food items. Both the chicken sellers and the vegetable traders believe that subsidies on agricultural inputs and transportation would help alleviate some of the burden.
“The government needs to step in and help farmers and traders. If they reduce the cost of chicken feed or support local farmers, it will reflect in the prices,” the chicken seller, Mrs Osho, suggested.
Similarly, the pepper seller advocated for measures to make farming more profitable and reduce the cost of bringing produce to market.
“If the government can invest in better roads and subsidise farming tools and fertilisers, maybe next year won’t be as bad as this one,” Mrs Abass said.
A chicken seller recalled how, in 2023, customers flooded the market to buy in large quantities to celebrate with their loved ones. “Last year, people bought chickens in advance, and I even ran out of stock. This year, I’m afraid I’ll be left with unsold birds,” he said.
The pepper and onion sellers shared similar stories, reminiscing about the vibrant trade of previous Christmas seasons.
“I made multiple trips to restock last year. This year, I’m still selling what I brought in two days ago,” one trader said.
The rising costs are not only affecting traders but also the families preparing for Christmas. Many buyers have resorted to scaling down their celebrations, opting for smaller portions or alternative meals.
One shopper, who overheard Sunday Tribune’s conversation with the chicken seller, chimed in with her own frustrations. “I’ve been coming to this market for years, and I’ve never seen prices like this. I wanted to buy a whole chicken for Christmas, but now I might have to settle for a smaller piece or skip it altogether,” he said.
Another shopper and mother of three, Mrs Fathia Adebola, lamented that she now faces great difficulty in balancing her household budget.
“The cost of food is just one part of it. Transportation, school fees, and other expenses have all gone up. Christmas doesn’t feel the same anymore,” she said.
“If things don’t change, it won’t just be Christmas that’s affected. Every celebration will feel smaller, and every meal will feel harder to make,” another pepper seller said.
At the Challenge Bus Terminal, Ibadan, a major exit point for travellers going to different parts of Lagos and Ogun State, there hasn’t been an uptick in patronage as it is often witnessed at Christmas.
One of the drivers, Jeleel Akanji, who gave Sunday Tribune an insight into the cost of transportation fare for some of the routes, said the high cost of transportation may be reason many people have yet to besiege the park.
He also the cost or running the vehicles and levies collected by union marshal forced transportation costs to stay on the high side.
“Ibadan to Obalende is N4,000 by bus and N7,000 by car. Ibadan to Oshodi is N4,000 by bus. It’s not our fault and the increase is not because of the festive season because we’re not there yet.
“Even if I help you get a message to Lagos for N4,000, right before our eyes here, you’ll see someone come to collect N1,500. So, ask me where I’m supposed to make a profit from it,” Akanji explained..
Another Lagos-Ibadan bus driver, Abayomi Alao, said: “I have to buy over N30,000 fuel whenever I’m going to Lagos. If there’s traffic congestion on the road, I’ll have to get extra fuel.
“This doesn’t even cover the cost of maintenance and repairs/replacement of broken/faulty vehicle parts. I’ll also pay for tickets at the terminal per load and every day. These are some of the reasons the cost of transportation has gone up.”
‘I won’t gift out food items this year’
Though she resides in Sagamu, Mrs Grace Dada visits Ogere market on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway occassionally, particularly during festivities and whenever there was a large gathering her family or the church was organising, because food items are generally low there compared to Sagamu township.
During the week, Mrs Dada went to Ogere market for the umpteenth time to get foodstuffs needed for her church’s end-of-the-year camping programme and the upcoming family’s holiday merriment.
She told Sunday Tribune she was astounded after she was told the prices of many food items at Ogere market. “A big basket of tomatoes was sold for N43,000. Scotch Bonnet was sold for N72,000, the size next to it was sold for N39,000. A sack of onions was sold for N300,000. The regular beans I used to buy was sold for N3,000 per plastic but there was one sold for N2,500 that we later settled for because of the cost. We got half of that sack for a little above N30,000.
“If someone had told me what I saw myself, I wouldn’t have believed them, but traders demanded these exorbitant prices from me,” the bewildered mother of six said.
She added that: “I naturally gift out food items to neighbours and visitors during the holidays. I think I will have to make an exception this time around. I have packed food items such as groundnut oil and onions away from where anyone of them can see.
“Some of them have started asking me for onions and I’ve been directing them to check the usual place I keep them, knowing fully well they won’t find anything there because I’ve kept them somewhere else.”
“25 litres of palm oil was sold for N68,000. Groundnut oil was sold for N98,000. I have equally hid it away from public view. Things have taken a worse turn at the market. A regular layer chicken is around N9,000 in the market while the big broilers are sold for N25,000,” she added while reeling out the surprises she heard and saw at the market.
Osogbo
Also in Osogbo, Osun State, residents of the state are now lamenting momentarily over the high increase in the prices of food items, a development they disclosed has forced them to greatly impact their preparation for Christmas and New Year festivities.
Checks at some markets in the state capital on Friday revealed that buyers in the markets were scanty, development that has led to disappointment for many sellers who have now resorted to pleading with their customers to patronise their wares. Another recurrent trend was that the high cost of food items at the markets was attributed to the high cost of transportation.
As a result of this exorbitant cost of items, few buyers were seen inside the markets. Many of those found in the markets only bought the necessary items and left out the ones marked as less important ones.
For instance, at Akindeko, Igbonna and Olu-Ode markets, the cost of a bag of rice initially being sold at N80,000 has jumped to N85,000. The cost of fowl has also risen to between N35,000 and N40,000 depending on their sizes while turkeys are now sold between N60,000 and N70,000.
A resident of Osogbo, Mr Adebayo Adesina, told Sunday Tribune that he has held a meeting with his entire household on how Christmas would be celebrated in a low-key way, saying the entire household has agreed with him that they would eat whatever they could afford for the celebration.
According to him, “my wife and children, who are extremely considerate, have agreed that we will all manage what we have for the celebration.”
Another resident, Mrs Aderenti Adeyokun, stated that apart from the food stuff that had gone high, other items used for cooking such as palm oil and vegetable oil are also unapproachable as their prices are now at the high side.
A foodstuffs seller identified as Iya Moriamo told Sunday Tribune that wholesalers and retailers are not the main reasons behind the hike in cost of foodstuffs, adding they are only selling what was bought at a high cost.
Meanwhile, the prices of transpiration fee from one location to the other inside and outside the state has also become unbearable in the state.
For instance, transportation fee from Osogbo to Ibadan is now N4,500 and against N3,000, while Ile-Ife to Osogbo, which was formerly N2,500, now costs N3,000.
Owerri
The skyrocketing cost of items this year is also affected patronage in Owerri, Imo State where Sunday Tribune monitored. Prices of rice, beans and other items in the market have gone up from what it used to be before.
A rice dealer at the Relief Market, Owerri, Mr Eze Nwakonobi, said that a bag of Awabel rice is sold at N100,000 while a bag of Gilazo and Ando costs N98,000.
He also revealed that a bag of beans costs between N200,000 and N220,000 while a bag of Brown Honey beans and Iron beans sell for between N220,000 and N215,000
A big basket of tomatoes costs N80,000 as against N50,000 and N30000 it sold for earlier in the year. Prices of stockfish, crayfish, chicken and turkey have also gone up beyond reach.
One chicken, according to a dealer, goes for between N15,000 and N20,000, depending on the size while one turkey goes for N40,000 at the Relief Market in Owerri.
A bag of stockfish is sold at N320,000 while the hand-stuck fish is sold between N500,000 and N600,000 as the case may be.
Sunday Tribune reports that the cost of interstate transport has also witnessed a hike with commuters leaving Owerri for Aba in Abia State expected to pay N3,000, and N4,000 for Owerri to Umuahia, Abia State while those going to Port Harcourt in Rivers State from Owerri pay N4,000.
It was also learnt that Owerri to Lagos now costs between N20,000 and N25,000 while travellers pay N40,000 for Owerri to Abuja.
Ilorin
In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, a pack of Coca-Cola (plastic bottle) has moved from N4,000 to N5,000, while the crate of Coca-Cola (glass bottle) moved from N3,800 to N5,200. The price of bottled water also moved from N1,500 to N1,700 per pack just as the price of a bag of rice has jumped from N81,000 that it used to be before the festive season to N83,000.
Despite the increase recorded in the prices of major commodities, it was discovered that price of beans has reduced as a bag of beans (Oloyin) is now N100,000 from N140,000 it sold for before the festive season while a bag of beans (drum) also dropped to N70,000 from N100,000.
Sunday Tribune also gathered that 25-litre keg of groundnut oil that used to be N70,000 has increased to about N105,000 depending on the brand, while one litre of groundnut oil is now N4,000.
Also affected is price of soup/food condiments, which had gone up.
Price of a bag of yet-to-be-grinded elubo in Ilorin markets ranges between N180,000 and N190,000.
An average chicken of a sizeable weight in Ilorin markets goes for between N14,000 and N25,000 while turkey is now sold for between N40,000 and N70,000. Indomitable noodles is sold at N270 per sachet while a pack is N9,800.
A carton of Golden Penny spaghetti now sells for N25,000 while one unit goes for N1,250. In same markets, a pack of Mama Pride spaghetti sells for N20,000 while a unit goes for N1,000.
Abuja
Meanwhile, residents of the nation’s capital, Abuja are just coming to term with the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs and commodities in the markets.
A food seller at Karshi market, Mgueshima Amadu, told Sunday Tribune that a couple of weeks ago, a basket of tomatoes which sold for N1,200 now goes for N6000,
According to her, onions which sold for N1,500, now goes for N10,000, adding that a bottle of groundnut oil now goes for N3,500, as against N2,000 it sold for recently.
In Orozo market, Emmanuella Igor, a trader, told Sunday Tribune that because of Christmas, prices of commodities are rising but the people are not coming forward to purchase them because of lack of finance.
She said a mudu of beans that was sold at N1,800, a couple of days ago now sells for N2,500. She added that a mudu of rice sells for around N2,500.
Checks also revealed that the price of 50 kg bag of Big Bull rice is going for N94,000 with Mama Pride rice going for N110,000.
In Kuje area local market, a resident, Adams Tima, told Sunday Tribune that a tuber of yam now goes for N3,000 as against N2,000 it sold for previously.
A trip round markets in Abuja showed that price of turkey has increased by 30 percent compared to what it was around this time last year.
At Utako and Wuse markets in Abuja, the price of local turkey ranged from N85,000 to N130,000, depending on the size while that of “agric turkey” ranges from N110,000 to N140,000, and a big chicken goes for N25,000.
Some of the sellers attributed the hike to high cost of transportation and feeding.
Plateau
Business activities in Plateau State are presently at a low due to lack of patronage as a result of the economic crunch in the country.
Sunday Tribune findings revealed that the cost of transportation remained the same, unlike last year when the fares were jerked up due to scarcity of fuel and increment in pump price.
A cashier office with Silver Transport Company, who craved anonymity, said there is no basis for any increase considering the economic reality in the country, adding that the fares can only be increased if the price of fuel goes up as it used to be during yuletide season.
According to him, the fares from Jos to Lagos remains N28,000 by bus and N35,000 by Sienna car, adding that despite this, the y are yet to experience the usual Christmas rush.
Checks further revealed that the cost of essential commodities like rice, edible oil, semovita remain the same when compared to what was obtainable in November. Despite this, traders still complain of low patronage.
A survey by the Sunday Tribune in Jos, Plateau State revealed that an average size of chicken goes between N20,000 to N25,000 depending on the size while a kilo of meat cost N5,500.
A trader, who volunteered information on condition of anonymity, attributed the increase in the price of chicken to the high cost of feed, adding that a bag of feed at the moment costs N25,000 against N18,000 a few months back, coupled with other nutrients.
- Additional reporting by Isaac Shobayo. Biola Azeez, Adeolu Adeyemo, Johnkennedy Uzoma, Kehinde Akinseinde-Jayeoba and Lawrence Bajah
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