A day to the Eid-El-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations, ram sellers across Nigeria are lamenting low patronage, while prices soar.
Ram traders in Abuja, Lagos, Ile-Ife, and other places established a link between the soaring prices, low patronage, insecurity and the economic situation of the country.
In Abuja, ram sellers attributed the high cost of rams to insecurity and low supply from the Northwest.
Malam Ahmed Mai-Samari, a livestock dealer at the Dei-Dei livestock market, said that rams supply to major cities was far below expectations compared to 2024, especially from neighbouring countries.
He said: “You know we mostly get these animals from Niger and other nearby countries that share borders with us in the North. “Now, we have to rely solely on local supply from household livestock farmers, which is limited.
“Many traders have even left the business for more profitable ventures,” he said.
He noted that the price of rams had doubled compared to 2024, attributing this to rising transportation costs and the overall cost of living.
… price; Dutse
“A ram that sold for N200,000 in 2024 now goes for N400,000. Only the rich can afford it now. “Prices vary depending on size: smaller rams cost between N150,000 and N190,000, medium ones go for N200,000 to N250,000, while large rams range from N350,000 to as much as N1 million,” he explained.
Similarly, Mr Sanusi Abdullahi, a roadside livestock trader in Dutse, said ram prices ranged from N200,000 to N700,000.
In Ile-Ife…
Ile-Ife, Osun State, the Chairman, Ram Sellers’ Association, Odo-Ogbe Market, Alhaji Akeem Salahudeen, complained of low patronage, attributing it to high cost of rams and the economy situation in the country.
Salahudeen said the big-sized rams, which was sold between N550,000 and N620,000 last year, are now between N800,000 and N1.2 million. He added that the medium sized ram, which was sold between N300,000 and N350,000 last year, is now going for between N450,000 and N550,000.
He attributed the increase in the prices of rams in this year’s Sallah to the insecurity in the North, which he claimed had disrupted the supply chain.
Sabo, Modakeke
At Sabo Cattle Market in Ile-Ife, Alhaji Saheed Yaro said that the price of rams has surged as the small sized ram, which was sold at N150,000 and N180,000 last year, is now being sold between N250,000 and N350,000.
Yaro added that the price of medium sized ram which was between N185,000 and N260,000 last year now goes for between N350,000 to N450,000.
Accordingly, the big sized ram sold between N480,000 and N500,000 last year is now between N550,000 and N780,000.
Salami stated further that the big sized ram that was sold at N350,000 and N400,000 is now being sold at N600,000 to N750,000.
He added that he brought 150 rams a week ago, but has been able to sell only 15, explaining that many customers turned back on hearing prices without buying. He noted that customers who usually bought rams from him over the years are now complaining about costs.
Buyers groan
One potential buyer, Mrs Rukayya Abdullahi, said she and her husband chose to slaughter three big chickens at N20,000 each instead of a ram.
Olabisi added that the present economic hardship has been taken a toll on the workers, especially with the high transportation and other costs following the removal of fuel subsidy by the government.
“In fact, I visited three places where they sell rams, but I couldn’t buy any because I can’t afford to buy.
“When I priced a medium sized ram, the seller told me N250,000, the same size of ram I bought for N150,000 last year. “I would rather use part of my salary to buy half bag of rice and two chickens for my family.
“For Allah has said that if you can’t afford ram, you should not borrow or buy on credit because there’s no reward on that,“ he said.
The situation was not different at ram markets in the Ibafo, Kara in Ogun State, and Agege in Lagos State.
Traders said last there were rams going for one million Naira, N150,00 and N200,000. But that this year, there was none for N150,000, as the least was N250,000.
Some sizes of rams sold for N50,000 las Sallah, are now N100,000. That of N350,000 in 2024 are now N500,000.
