Basket Of Pepper Increases In Price, Lagos Residents, Others Lament

• The price of pepper has increased by over 100% in different parts of Ilọrin after the Eid-Ul-fitr celebration
• The price has also increased in other parts of the country, as four pieces of pepper now sell for N500
• Traders blamed the situation on poor supply and excessive demand rather than on transportation

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

Following the Eid-Ul-fitr celebration, pepper prices have risen by more than 100% in various areas of the city of Ilọrin, Kwara state.

The cost of a bag of red pepper has increased from N100,000 to N200,000, findings by Daily Trust based on a visit to some Hausa pepper vendors in Tanke community, Ilorin showed.

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“We usually buy a sack of red pepper for N100,000 in the past, like last year, but presently, we buy a sack for double the price”, Abubakar Alhaji, a pepper seller, said adding that the situation is taking a toll with low sales.

He explained that most of his brothers who bring fresh pepper to the area were not yet back from their Sallah holiday in the North.

"The available pepper we have is not enough to supply the residents. Demand is high, but there is a low supply, which is the main cause, not actually transportation.

“And some traders who sell in bulk, hoard the commodity to sell at high prices. It has really affected us, but we have to make ends meet”, he said.

Monsur Barkeaji, another pepper trader, expressed the same feelings and blamed the skyrocketing costs on the previous Eid celebration.

Nigerians seek alternatives to fresh pepper

According to Olatunji Fathia, a student of a tertiary institution in Ilorin, she has stopped using fresh (red) peppers due to the high prices and opted for dried or ground pepper and sachet tomatoes instead to cook.

“A plate of about 7 to 8 pepper that we used to buy for N200 is now N500 and in smaller quantity”, she noted.

Kayode Alabi, a food seller, said:

“We don’t gain as much as we used to because we have to buy in small quantities and when we sell, customers complain that it’s too small. I don’t have any alternative because not using the fresh pepper will alter the taste of my stew and soups”.

Price of pepper in Lagos

Similar to this, Legit.ng observed that the price of pepper in Lagos has increased significantly, raising concerns for consumers of the product.

A market survey showed that market traders now sell a plate of pepper containing 4 or 5 pieces for N500, while some traders have scraped N500 pepper.

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Another food vendor popularly known as Labake Alata, who sells pepper around the Aguda area, said:

“It is what we buy we will sell. Pepper is now very expensive and it is not our fault.”

Meanwhile, some consumers said they are now looking into other alternatives as the increase in cost has become unbearable.

Sharon Mathew said:

“I have decided that until pepper becomes plenty in the market, I will stick to using dried pepper for now. That way, I can spend less on a pot of stew.

“The thing with customers is that they are less bothered about what is happening in the market. They always want to get what they want regardless of prices in the market and that is why we (food sellers) seek alternatives such as dried pepper and plenty of onion.

“The thing with customers is that they are less bothered about what is happening in the market. They always want to get what they want regardless of prices in the market and that is why we (food sellers) seek alternatives such as dried pepper and plenty of onion."

Traders give prices of popular rice brands in Nigeria

Legit.ng reported that with just a few weeks left in the year, Nigerian families will once more get together and celebrate with lavish meals.

However, given the high price of rice, a staple of the typical Nigerian household's festive dinner, this year may be different from years past.

A50-kilogramm bag of rice currently costs between N80,000 and N120,000, depending on the brand and region, according to market surveys.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.