Prices Of Foodstuffs Skyrocket In Lagos

The prices of foodstuffs in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, have gone up, making it difficult for residents to feed, p.m. news investigations have shown.

Investigations further showed that salaries have remained constant while the prices of foodstuffs have continued to increase.

In Ikotun, Igando, and Ogba markets, prices of rice, beans, garri and Ogbono have increased with about 20 percent in the last two months.

“The situation is so bad that customers who come with the intension to buy in large quantities end up buying the little they can afford. It is a big loss for us, food sellers, because our capital is tied down and most times we end up making little or no profit,” said a trader at Igando market, Mr. Fred Igwe.

He said that in July, a bag of garri that sold for N2,700, now sells for N3,300, while a bag of rice that sold for N7,000 then, today sells for N7,500, depending on the type, as some go for N9,000. Ogbono, she said, now sells for N60,000 per bag from N50,000 in July.

A food seller at Ogba retail market, Mr. Emperor Samuel, told p.m. news that the recent increase in prices of foodstuffs has led to a reduction in patronage. According to him,the two food items that are highly in demand are rice and beans but with the present high prices, people are no longer buying.

Restaurant owners have also increased the price of their food due to skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs. “We are forced to reduce the quantity of food that we serve our customers due to the increase in price of food items because we are in business to make profit to be able pay our bills,” a restaurant owner, Miss Sally Matthew of Oloye Restaurant at Igando, said.

The resturant’s customer, Mr. Tajudeen Onifade, told p.m. news that two months ago he could eat with N200 and be satisfied but it is impossible now. “Infact, the food I just ate cost me N300 and I’m still not satisfied.”

A staff of a resturant at the Lagos State Cooperative Federation, Wemco Road, Ogba, Lagos, Mr. Owolabi Afolabi, told our correspondent that the restaurant has been coping with the rising prices of foodstuffs by marginally adjusting the quantity of food served to customers.

P.m.news gathered from a housewife at Ogba market, Mrs. Olaitan Akin, that it is now very difficult to prepare a pot of soup with N2,000. She said that for a family of five to enjoy a good meal, it will spend not less than N5,000. “That is what we married women are now facing,” she concluded.

It is not easy for us because what some of us are given is too small considering the current prices of foodstuffs. We don’t have a choice but to manage. We only hope that the situation doesn’t get worse than it is,” she said.

It was learnt that the high cost of transportation is responsible for the price hike while some food sellers at Ikotun attribute the problem to lack of government support for farmers.

—Kashimana Beba