By Our Reporters
Nigerians are lamenting over the increasing prices of food items, amidst employment crises and stagnation of payment structures.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the inflation rate had risen by 18.17 percent in March 2021, up from the 17.33 percent recorded in February 2021.
The NBS report had indicated that the food inflation rate rose by 22.95 per cent in March 2021 compared to 21.79 per cent in February 2021.
Some Nigerians told this reporter that the price of food commodities has increased drastically since the beginning of the year with exception of rice maintaining its price due to the intervention of the federal government.
A trader, Ahmadu Tijjani who sells food items said that prices of food just went up without any prior notice or reason.
According to Tijjani, said that a 50cl pack of Coca Cola has increased to N1700 from N1600, while the local measure of beans that previously sold for N500, N450 is now selling for N800, N650.
Musa Kana, a meat seller, blamed the increase in meat in the market to the rise of insecurity in some parts of the country pointing out that a kilo of meat sold for 1500 three months ago is now 2000 to 2500 depending on the bargaining power of the customer.
“Anytime we go to the market, we come back with whatever we can afford. A cow that we used to buy for N300, 000 is now N600, 000 while that of 250,000 is now N500, 000 or N450,000.”
“The commodities are not scarce but the problem is going to the market to get them due to the security situation in some parts of the country. We can’t go to states like Katsina and Sokoto where cows are cheap; we now source them Kano, Bauchi or Gombe State,” he said.
Meanwhile at Mangoro market, a small sachet of Dangote granulated sugar, which was sold at N50 now sells at N150 while that of N100 before now sells at N300.
Also, the cost of Milo refill (1kg) has increased from N1, 700 to N2, 000 while a 1kg of tin Milo formerly sold at N2, 000 now sells at N2, 700. Tin Milo (500g) is now N1, 700 from N1, 200.
The price of Dano full cream milk (800kg) has risen to N2, 300 while a 360g now sells for N1, 200.
Peak milk refill (350g) now sells at N1, 200 while a 900g sells at N2, 700. The price of a small sachet of peak milk has risen from N50 to N60.
Baby food is not exempted as a tin of NAN 1 and NAN 2 now sell at N2,500 from N2,200 before now Similarly, a 50kg bag of Cap rice is sold at N25,500 and the half bag sold at N12,500 while 100kg of both iron and honey beans are sold at N60,000.
However many Nigerians are straining to meet the needs of their families, a civil servant with the Ministry of Information in Lagos State, Mr. Azeez Olatubosun described the present situation as unfortunate.
“The situation is mounting pressure on me as a civil servant and head of my family. Ramadan has also further aggravated the situation as prices of food items and beverages keep soaring.
“The family economy is shrinking because the salary is being used to buy items at exorbitant prices. Our salaries remain the same but prices of items keep increasing, which means that we now buy fewer items with the same money. If care is not taken, the situation is capable of causing rancour among couples,” he said.
Another civil servant, Mrs Lara Ade said a set of sachet water, which was sold at N1, 000 before, now sold at N1, 200 and that the price of bottled water has risen from N50 to N70.
“The situation is not palatable at all because we have too many things contending with our salary, including school fees, house rent and transportation and on top of it all, food and water are expensive to buy. Things have not remained the same after the COVID-19 lockdown and EndSARS protest,” she lamented.
In Kano State, the situation is similar as there is hike in price and poor sales even when the commodities are very much available in the markets.
At Singer market, 50kg of local rice is selling at N22, 500 to N23, 000 while 50kg of foreign rice is selling at N24, 500 to N25, 000. It was also gathered that 50kg of sugar at the Singer market is selling at N18, 300 to N18, 500 depending on the brand’s specification.
Also, a carton of 60cl coke drink is selling at N1, 800 while a carton of malt is selling at N1, 700 in the market while at the Dawanau International Grain Market a 100kg bag of locally produced rice is selling at N49, 500, a 100kg bag of maize at N21, 000, a 100kg bag of beans at N39, 000 even as a 100kg bag of wheat is selling at N34, 000.
Another worker, Malam Shehu Zangina revealed that the current inflation level has eaten deep down the financial capability of an average civil servant adding that it is currently an issue of availability of commodities but no buyers.
In Kaduna, most persons attributed the hike of food items to anticipated bulk purchase during the Ramadan fast. Meanwhile 50kg bag of foreign rice is now sold at between N25, 000 and N27, 000 while local rice is sold at N22, 000.
A 25 litre of vegetable oil is sold at between N22,000 and N23,000 while a bag of 50kg of sugar is sold at N19,000. Our correspondent reports that a kilo of meat is now sold at between N1, 700 and N1, 800 and a bag of potatoes goes as high as N40,000.
Ibrahim Hassan, a civil servant in Kaduna said the hike in prices of foodstuff is biting harder this year adding the many families have not gotten out of the COVID-19 hardship. Hassan said a measure of local rice now costs N750, which is too high for families especially during Ramadan.
Jafaru Abdullahi, a farmer from Anaba village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State whose village was sacked by bandits in February described as unfortunate the soaring prices of foodstuff and lamented that they have been unable to farm grains due to banditry activities.