Food prices in Abuja's markets have surged sharply, with staples like tomatoes, meat, garri, and beans now costing significantly more than in previous months, according to a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). In markets including Dutse, Nyanya, and Gwagwalada, residents report that a paint bucket of tomatoes now sells for between N3,000 and N3,500, up from N2,000 to N2,500 in February. A big basket of tomatoes has jumped from N25,000 to over N40,000. Meat prices have risen from N7,000 to N8,000 per kilogramme, while garri now sells for N2,100 to N2,500 per small paint bucket. A mudu of garri, previously N500, now costs between N700 and N800, and beans have increased from N1,200 to N1,600 per mudu.
Residents across the FCT have described the situation as dire. Miss Larai Agaba of Dutse-Alhaji cited rising demand during Ramadan, Sallah, and Easter, alongside fuel price hikes, as key drivers. Civil servant Chris Haggai said his N10,000 weekly food budget no longer lasts a week, forcing his family to reduce meal sizes and skip certain foods. "It is becoming unbearable," he said. Aisha Nagogo, a mother of four in Gwagwalada, noted she now buys beans in cups instead of mudu, calling daily feeding a struggle.
Traders blame soaring transportation costs, fuel prices, and supply disruptions. Tomato seller Malam Abubakar Nasidi said transport costs from rural farms to Abuja have doubled, leaving sellers with little choice but to raise prices despite reduced patronage. Yam seller Malam Sadiq Ahmed confirmed yam prices have climbed from N5,000–N6,000 to N7,500–N10,000 per tuber due to transport costs from neighbouring states. He expects consumers to continue shifting to cheaper alternatives.
Authorities have not announced any immediate interventions, and market conditions show no signs of easing in the short term.
When Chris Haggai says N10,000 no longer lasts a week for food, that is not just personal hardship—it reflects a collapse in real income across urban Nigeria. The price jumps in Abuja's markets are not isolated; they are symptoms of a supply chain strangled by fuel costs and weak infrastructure. Until transport and energy policies are overhauled, every seasonal peak will trigger the same crisis. This is not inflation—it is systemic failure dressed as economics.
