Food prices soar in Nigeria as lockdown bites harder

Prices of foodstuffs and other essential goods have gone up with residents of locked down states, particularly the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos State reeling under the effects of the one-week old total restriction to curb the spread of COVID-19.

A survey carried out by THISDAY in different parts of Lagos State showed that the prices of staple items such as rice, yams and garri rose by between 80 and 120 percent.

For instance, at the market in front of the Lagos State Housing Estate at Abesan, Ipaja, the price for an average tuber of yam, selling for between N400 and N500 before the lockdown, has jumped to between N1,000 and N1,200.

Also a paint bucket of garri, previously sold for N500, is now selling for N1,200.

Other foodstuffs like beans, plantain flour, corn flour have equally experienced increases in their prices.

"Oga, it is not our fault for the increase in these foodstuffs. This yam (lifting up one of the big tubers on her table) comes from the market at N950. When I add transportation cost and my little profit, you don't expect me to sell it at N1,000," one of the traders, who identified herself as Mrs. Mary Adebayo, told THISDAY.

She said because of the movement restriction, she might not be able to restock her store.

"I have almost sold my entire stock because people are rushing to buy food to keep at home; I may not be able to go to the market to refill my store as there are no vehicles on the road," she added.

Also, one kilogramme of frozen turkey selling for N1,400 now sells for N1,800.

A popular bakery, Mount Olives Confectionaries, has also increased the price of its bread.

Retailers now sell the Oliver Bread for N350 instead of N300 for the average size.

At the Iyanera area of Ojo Local Government Area of the state, a buyer who simply identified herself as Ayomide said: "How can I buy a paint bucket of of garri for N1,200? Most of the sellers had the foodstuff in their store; so, I wonder what influenced their decision to increase the price. We are our own problem in Nigeria.

"A tuber of yam, which cost N400 now cost N1,200. I was able to buy two tubers of yam only. A bag of sachet water now cost N150 instead of N100.

"I bought six bags from the suppliers. It costs N500 for six bags and a half, now five bags for N500."

Reacting to the lockdown, a commercial motorcyclist, who simply gave his name as Innocent, said he came out to look for money to feed his pregnant wife.

He said: "I took her to the hospital yesterday at Alaba International to pay for hospital for delivery.

"We were charged N10,400 instead of the earlier charges of N7,000.

"She will be due any time soon. I don't know if delivery fee will be hiked. And I couldn't stock my home. My pregnant wife eats three times her usual size of meal. I'm not happy at all about this isolation. We were not given enough time to stock up."

John Agwu, who is a trader at Building Material Market, at Nyanyan, said he had been unable to fend for his family because his shop had been locked up since the directive.

"This lockdown is a sad statement for business, which has been badly impacted. We cannot make any sales because the shops have been locked since the lockdown. I have been finding it difficult to feed my family in the past three days because of the development. My situation is also not helped because I took a bank loan to buy some of my goods. "How do I pay back when no one is certain when the restriction will be eased," Agwu said.