Story perspectives

Minna Tomato Prices Double Ahead of Eid, Families Worried

5/26/2026

Summary

Traders blame scarcity

Vegetable prices spiked in Minna ahead of Eid-el-Kabir, according to a NAN survey.
A basket of tomatoes rose from N60,000-N70,000 to N120,000-N130,000.
Traders Aliyu Magaji and Awwalu Tanimu blamed seasonal scarcity and higher transport costs for the surge.
Shoppers A’isha Mohammed and Maimuna Abubakar warned the price hike could limit family cooking.

Summary

Traders Face Congestion

Traders in Abuja report severe congestion as a sharp rise in ram dealers leaves many with inadequate operating space.
Transport costs have doubled, with a Diana truck from Zamfara to Abuja rising from N300,000 last year to about N600,000 this year.
Construction of permanent sheds has reduced seasonal traders’ area, prompting FCTA Agriculture Secretariat Director of Information Malam Zakari Aliyu to order market inspections over shed-allocation complaints.

Summary

Teacher Skips Eid

Teacher Yunus Akanji will skip Saki trip and forgo buying a ram for Eid.
NYSC graduate Nafisa Ibrahim cancelled Eid travel after transport fares rose to 35,000 naira, double February’s price.
Fashion designer Opeyemi Ibrahim said orders fell sharply and generator costs rose to 10,000 naira ($7) daily.
Seller Malam Ibrahim reported ram prices climbing to 600,000 naira from under 350,000 naira, noting that a buyer left with one ram.

Summary

Traders Face Shortage

Burkina Faso halted livestock exports this month, while Niger did so in March, tightening Ivory Coast’s Tabaski sheep supply.
Jihadist-blocked roads in Mali have stranded trucks, further reducing animal flow into Ivory Coast amid tighter border checks.
Trade Minister Ibrahim Kalil Konate reported 165,000 sheep—about 47 % of demand—on the market, while sellers say 150 animals are blocked in Koutiala, leaving supply at roughly half of last year’s levels.

History

Historical Context

During the 2007-2008 world food price crisis, oil hit $147.30 a barrel in July and rice prices surged over 300% (from $300 to $1,200 per ton). Export bans by India and Vietnam amplified shortages, prompting panic in West Africa. Nigeria’s 2009 Agricultural Reform Act now requires price monitoring, a framework traders cite amid today’s Eid-el-Kabir tomato spikes.

1 of 5

Traders blame scarcity

Vegetable prices spiked in Minna ahead of Eid-el-Kabir, according to a NAN survey.
A basket of tomatoes rose from N60,000-N70,000 to N120,000-N130,000.
Traders Aliyu Magaji and Awwalu Tanimu blamed seasonal scarcity and higher transport costs for the surge.
Shoppers A’isha Mohammed and Maimuna Abubakar warned the price hike could limit family cooking.

1 / 5