Livestock traders in Abuja have expressed concern over rising transportation and feeding costs.
The traders, who spoke to Abuja Metro lamented that increasing energy costs have significantly affected their operations, making business more challenging.
They also raised concerns over persistent insecurity in parts of the North-West, a key source of livestock supply to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and southern Nigeria.
A trader at the Dei-Dei livestock market, Abdullahi Abdulkadir, said the cost of transporting animals from the North-East has increased sharply.
He said transporting a ram by trailer from Borno or Yobe states to Abuja now costs about N8,000, up from N5,000, while smaller vehicles such as Hummer buses or J5 vans charge as much as N15,000.
“Transportation usually starts at night after market hours and continues through the night, exposing us to the risk of attacks along the routes,” he said.
Abdulkadir also noted that the cost of animal feed has nearly doubled.
“A bag of wheat chaff that sold for N14,000 now goes for N24,000, while maize has risen from N17,000 to about N28,000,” he said.
He added that the prices of rams have also increased compared to last year, with those previously sold for about N200,000 now going for around N270,000, and those that sold for N300,000 now costing about N360,000.
The trader called for government intervention, particularly in providing basic infrastructure such as boreholes in the market.
He said the cost of water has also increased, with a jerry can rising from N70 to about N120 due to high fuel prices.
Abdulkadir further appealed for the installation of solar-powered streetlights, noting that traders currently bear the cost of hiring security despite paying daily levies.
Another trader, Yakubu Sulaiman, who deals in goats, said insecurity in the North-West has forced him to source animals mainly from the North-East.
He said transporting goats in a J5 vehicle from rural markets in Yobe State now costs about N300,000, up from N200,000 before the fuel price hike.
Sulaiman added that the cost of goats has also risen, with animals previously sold for N80,000 now going for about N110,000, while those sold for N50,000 now cost around N70,000.
The traders warned that if the rising costs persist, livestock prices during the Sallah season may increase further, placing additional burden on consumers.