In the wake of recent nationwide hunger protests, prices of cooking gas and food items have surged dramatically in Kaduna.
Essential goods, including provisions, grains, and other staple foods, are experiencing steady price increases across markets and shops.
A report by a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent on Monday in Kaduna revealed that prices of basic food items such as rice, beans, yams, garri, and noodles have risen for the fourth time in 2024.
According to the report example, the price of a kilogram of cooking gas, which ranged between N1,100 and N1,120 in July, has now jumped to N1,400 at some gas stations in the Kaduna metropolis.
At Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market, the central market in Kaduna, a 50kg bag of foreign rice, which was priced around N79,000 before the protests, is now being sold for between N86,000 and N90,000. Similarly, yams that recently sold for N5,000 per tuber have now risen to N7,000 per tuber, with a set of five selling for N28,000.
A local measure of eight cups of beans, which previously sold for between N2,000 and N2,500, now costs N3,500, while a measure of garri, formerly N1,300, is now priced between N1,400 and N1,500.
The cost of a carton of Indomie noodles has increased from N7,500 to N7,700, and a basket of Irish potatoes, which was previously sold for between N5,000 and N5,500, now sells for N6,000 per basket.
Reason for the increase
Some traders attributed the price hikes to increased costs at depots and other supply sources. Others pointed to transportation challenges and the scarcity of certain food items as contributing factors.
A visit to Kasuwan Bacci market revealed significant price increases, with a measure of white beans now selling for N2,600, up from the previous N2,500. Other varieties of beans were priced even higher, ranging from N2,800 to N3,000 per measure.
Sani Jabo, an onion seller, was selling three onion bulbs for N500, a price that has raised concerns among customers.
Additionally, a paint bowl of Irish potatoes was being sold for N4,000, while a single tuber of new yam also fetched N4,000. The cost of pepper has also spiked, with a small basket of red pepper now selling for N1,300.
Residents expressed their frustration over the rising prices of food items and other essential commodities. They noted that prices have skyrocketed by about 50%, leaving them in a difficult economic situation amid ongoing hardships and the declining value of the Naira.