Butchers and consumers across Abuja have decried the increase in livestock prices, particularly for cattle and goats.
They expressed concern about how this is negatively impacting their businesses and household budgets.
According to interviews conducted on Sunday, several butchers called on the government to intervene and help stabilize prices, which would boost consumers’ purchasing power.
Kelechi Odo, a butcher and goat meat trader at Nyanya Market, highlighted the role of the exchange rate in increasing the price of goats. He explained that their goats are often sourced from neighboring countries like Niger and Cameroon. “A small goat that once cost between N15,000 and N18,000 is now sold for N25,000 to N28,000,” Odo noted. Medium-sized goats have similarly risen in price from N20,000–N22,000 to N27,000–N28,000, while large goats now sell for N32,000 to N35,000, up from N28,000.
Everistus Nnamani, a butcher at Mararaba Market, revealed that the price of a large cow, once priced at N800,000, now ranges between N1 million and N1.5 million. Medium-sized cows, previously sold for N400,000 to N500,000, have seen their prices jump to between N600,000 and N700,000. Even small-sized cows, which used to cost between N150,000 and N200,000, now sell for up to N400,000.
Nnamani attributed the sharp rise in cattle prices to a combination of scarcity, soaring fuel costs, and insecurity. “It has become very difficult to purchase cows at these rates. I spend more money buying one than before and most of my profit goes into buying.,” he said. He also pointed out that banditry, particularly the kidnapping of trailers of cattle by criminals who then sell the stolen animals, is worsening the situation.
Yusuf Ali, a ram dealer at the Kugbo Market, also commented on the trend, noting that rams now cost between N50,000 and N150,000, depending on their size.
A consumer, Christiana Agede, also noted that the price of a kilogram of beef, which once sold for N4,500 to N5,000, now costs between N5,500 and N6,000. Agede shared that her family has turned to brisket bones as a more affordable and nutritious alternative to meat. “My children were reluctant at first, but I’ve convinced them of the nutritional benefits,” she said.
Another consumer, Elizabeth Adodi, a civil servant, voiced her concerns about the rising cost of meat, despite some food items becoming more affordable. She urged the government to increase its efforts in stabilizing the prices of livestock.