Food prices in the Federal Capital Territory have surged, leaving many residents struggling to afford basic meals. In markets across Dutse, Nyanya, and Gwagwalada, a paint bucket of tomatoes now sells for N3,000 to N3,500, up from N2,000 to N2,500 in February, while a big basket has jumped from N25,000 to over N40,000. A kilogramme of meat has risen from N7,000 to N8,000, and garri now costs between N2,100 and N2,500 per small paint bucket. A mudu of local rice, previously N500, now ranges from N700 to N800, and beans have climbed from N1,200 to N1,600 per mudu.
Larai Agaba of Dutse-Alhaji cited Ramadan, Sallah, fuel price hikes, and Easter demand as key drivers. Civil servant Chris Haggai said his N10,000 weekly food budget no longer lasts, forcing meal cuts and skips. Aisha Nagogo in Gwagwalada now buys beans and other staples in cups instead of mudu. Traders blame rising costs on fuel, transport, and supply disruptions. Abubakar Nasidi, a tomato seller, said transport expenses have doubled, squeezing profits. Sadiq Ahmed, a yam seller, reported yam prices rising to N7,500–N10,000 from N5,000–N6,000, with consumers switching to cheaper options.
The fact that a mudu of rice now costs more than many workers earn in a day exposes the depth of Nigeria's economic disconnect. Chris Haggai's shrinking food budget is not an outlier but a standard experience for civil servants on fixed incomes. When traders like Abubakar Nasidi claim they're not profiteering but merely passing on transport costs, it reveals how fuel pricing ripples through every meal. No appeal to government will shift this reality until the underlying cost structure is overhauled.
