As Muslims across Nigeria joined the global celebration of Eid al-Adha 2025, many struggled to uphold traditions due to surging costs of food, transportation, and livestock.
From Abuja to Mararaba, the impact of inflation was widely felt. Prices of essential items such as tomatoes, pepper, and rice skyrocketed. At Mararaba market, a bag of tatashe rose to N200,000, while tomatoes climbed to N220,000, up from N160,000 just a week earlier. A 50kg bag of rice now ranges from N50,000 to N65,000.
Ram prices, crucial to the symbolic sacrifice of Sallah, also saw a major spike. Medium-sized rams sold between N550,000 and N700,000, with cows ranging from N800,000 to N1.5 million. In response, some families and friends pooled funds to buy cows, citing better value.
“I used to buy two rams for N250,000 each. This year, I bought one for N470,000 and joined my siblings to buy a cow,” said civil servant Gimba Audu.
At the Karu market, an onion seller, Mohammed, noted a 100kg basket now sells for N100,000, up from N70,000 last year. Cooking oil prices also jumped, though slightly reduced compared to earlier in the year. A 25-litre container of groundnut oil is currently N78,000.
Transport fares added to the burden. Travelers heading to states like Kano and Kaduna reported a sharp increase in intercity fares, attributing it to high fuel costs. A traveler, Ibrahim Saidu, lamented paying N10,000 to Kano, blaming drivers for exploiting the festive rush.
Despite these hardships, the spirit of the celebration remained. But many, like welder Musa Nurudeen, had to adapt. “I couldn’t afford a ram. I’ll slaughter two goats from my backyard. Allah will understand,” he said.
As inflation bites harder, citizens are calling on the federal government to address rising fuel and food costs to ease the burden, especially during major festivals.