Hunger Protests In Lagos Drive Down Prices Of Perishable Foods

The prices of certain perishable foods have fallen by approximately 50% amidst the ongoing nationwide hunger protests.

These protests, tagged with #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria, are set to conclude on August 10. They aim to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the economic hardships faced by Nigerians.

Traders and buyers at the Ile-Epo food market in the Alimosho/Agege area of Lagos confirmed this trend in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

Ireporteronline gathered that local food markets in the area have seen reduced activity due to the protests.

Rabiu Aliu, a tomato trader at the Ile-Epo market in Agege, noted that the prices of perishable items like tomatoes and chili peppers have dropped to minimize losses from low sales.

“A 50kg basket of tomatoes now sells for between ₦40,000 and ₦50,000, down from ₦80,000 to ₦100,000 two weeks ago,” Aliu explained.

“A 25kg basket is now ₦18,000 to ₦19,000, compared to ₦30,000 to ₦40,000 two weeks ago. We have no choice but to sell off because there are fewer customers, and purchasing power is low at the moment.”

Another trader, Mrs. Mukit Afolabi, echoed this sentiment, stating that the protest has contributed to the drop in prices.

“On the first day of the protest, tomatoes were even cheaper because there was no one to buy. I bought a 5kg basket of tomatoes for ₦4,000, whereas it was ₦12,000 two weeks ago,” Afolabi said.

However, the price of Scotch bonnet peppers, known as “rodo,” remains high. “On Monday, a bag was ₦40,000, but today it’s ₦84,000 due to a lack of supply. No pepper deliveries have been made since Wednesday, the day before the protest began,” Afolabi added.

Ibrahim Ahmed, a foodstuff trader, also noted a decrease in the prices of rice and beans.

“A 50kg bag of short grain rice now sells for ₦73,000, down from ₦83,000 last month. The long grain rice is ₦78,000, compared to ₦87,000 to ₦88,000 previously. A paint bucket of honey beans now sells for ₦10,000, down from ₦12,000 in July. Other bean varieties are priced between ₦8,000 and ₦9,000,” he said.

On the other hand, items like groundnut oil and palm oil have seen significant price increases. Mrs. Hope Osagie, a trader in Agege Market, said, “A 25-litre container of groundnut oil now sells for ₦60,000, up from ₦38,000 a month ago. A 25-litre container of palm oil is now ₦36,000, up from ₦27,000 in July.”

Mrs. Anuoluwa Olayinka, a buyer, expressed her delight over the reduced prices of tomatoes and other perishable items. “I bought as much as I could afford since the prices had dropped. The market is unusually quiet for a Friday, so traders are eager to sell to minimize losses,” Olayinka stated.

Another buyer, Mrs. Ada Uzor, commented on the unpredictability of food prices, suggesting that the protests have contributed to the recent price drop of some items.