Abuja residents and traders across its community markets have expressed concern over rising food prices ahead of yuletide, saying rising costs reduce purchasing power and patronage.
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A visit to Dei-Dei, Kubwa and Dutse markets on Thursday showed that staple food prices, including rice, beans, garri, yam, cooking oil, onions and tomatoes, remained high.

A survey of the markets showed that customers thronged stalls in November, hoping to find lower prices ahead of the Christmas shopping rush and costs.
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The survey showed that a 50kg bag of local rice sells for N72,000 to N80,000, while foreign rice costs between N95,000 and N110,000, depending on location and brand.
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‎A 50kg bag of beans costs between N85,000 and N100,000, while a small ‘paint’ bucket of garri costs N3,000 to N4,000.
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‎Palm oil price ranges from N2,200 to N2,800 per litre, while vegetable oil costs between N2,800 and N3,500 per litre.
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‎A basket of tomatoes sells between N28,000 and N40,000 depending on its size and quality; a medium-sized basket of pepper costs between N18,000 and N30,000, while a small ‘dustbin’ basket of onions sells for N11,000 to N13,000 depending on location.
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‎Many traders attributed the price increases to rising transportation costs, high fuel prices, poor road conditions in food-producing areas and increasing production expenses.
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Onyinyechi Umeh, a civil servant in Kubwa, said preparing for the festive season had become more difficult because of the high cost of food.
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‎”Last year, I could buy enough food items for my family without much stress, but this year everything is more expensive. We have had to reduce the quantity of food we buy because our income has remained the same,” she said.
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‎Usman Sani, a commercial driver in Dei-Dei, said rising food prices had placed additional pressure on low-income earners.
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‎”Transportation costs have gone up, and food prices keep rising. It is becoming difficult to provide for our families,” he said.
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‎A trader at Dei-Dei Market, Esther John, attributed the price increases to higher transportation costs, rising wholesale prices and increased operating expenses. ‎She said many customers now bought food in smaller quantities or postponed purchases because of limited income.
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‎”The market is no longer as busy as it used to be before festive periods. People come to ask for prices but end up buying less. We understand the difficulties customers are facing, but we also buy at higher prices. Transporting goods from producing states has become more expensive,” she said.
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‎Abdullahi Ibrahim, a grains dealer at Dutse Market, said patronage had declined despite expectations of increased sales during the festive season. ‎According to him, many traders worry sales may remain low if prices keep rising.
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‎”Business is not moving as expected because prices are high. Customers spend more time comparing prices before making purchases,” he said.
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‎At Dutse Market, Aisha Ibrahim, a tomato seller, said the cost of transporting produce from northern states had increased significantly.
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‎”Transport fares have gone up, and that affects the final price. We cannot sell below our cost because we also need to make a profit,” she said.
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‎Some residents said the high prices had compelled them to adjust their shopping plans for the festive season. ‎They urged governments at all levels to implement measures to curb food inflation, improve transportation infrastructure and support farmers to boost food production.
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According to them, such interventions will help stabilise prices and make food more affordable for households.
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Although festive periods are traditionally associated with increased shopping, many residents said prevailing economic conditions had forced them to prioritise essential needs over extensive festive purchases.

(NAN)