“Allahu Akbar Llahu Akbar!” the Muezzin – a person who proclaims the call to the daily prayers in Islam – says, his voice punctuated by chatters from passers-by and traders haggling prices at the open market in the central part of Ile-Ogbo community in Osun State. It’s a few weeks to the commencement of the Ramadan fast, and there is excitement among Muslims in the community. The afternoon sun baked the skin with fiendish delight, amid complaints about the impact of heat waves on market women.
As soon as the Muezzin completed the call for Zuhr – the afternoon prayer often observed between the zenith of noon and sunset – a group of traders at the market gathered to speak loudly about the increase in food prices ahead of the commencement of the Ramadan fast on the 11th or 12th of March.
“Ramadan is approaching but things have become too expensive, especially the major foodstuff that we need to sustain our fasting,” a middle-aged man who later identified himself as Olabisi Liadi, noted.
“Rice, beans, yam flour and semovita are so expensive now that one can’t even afford them. It’s a challenging moment for fasting Muslims this year.”
Another trader, Iya Ajoke, expressed similar worry about the impact of high food prices on Nigerians and how such developments could affect the resilience of Muslims who observe the Ramadan fast.
“The rate of price increase in recent months has been astronomical and it’s scary how we are going to survive once Ramadan begins,” she said.
“We thought things were difficult last year but this year is a whole different level. Prices are beyond elevated; even for basic foodstuff and fruits.”
Unlike residents of agrarian communities such as Oke Osun, Ile-Ogbo and environs where fruits and other agricultural produce are relatively affordable, residents of major cities have a bigger challenge to contend with as Ramadan approaches.
Sikiru Alarape, a trader at Oje fruits market in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, told PREMIUM TIMES that prices of foodstuff and fruits are far higher in major cities than in the villages and small communities, putting immense pressure on residents.
“A basket of oranges in the village or those small communities costs less compared to the cost in big cities like Lagos and here in Ibadan; so many of us observing Ramadan here will cough out so much to feed ourselves in the month,” he said.
“Things are very hard in the country now and only God knows how Nigerians that will be fasting in the month of Ramadan, especially the poor ones, are going to cope.”
Ramadan
Ramadan, in Islamic theology, is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is widely considered one of the most sacred times for Muslims because it is believed that the Holy Qur’an was sent down from heaven within the month.
The annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts between twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. The month is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and forgiveness.
Within the month, Muslims observe a strict fast from dawn until sunset and they are not allowed to eat or drink during daylight hours. The fast is broken at the end of the day with prayer and a festive meal called Iftar.
“Iftar is a very significant aspect of Ramadan and that’s why the food inflation crisis in the country remains disturbing,” says Abdulrasheed Haleem, a young Muslim cleric based in Iyana-Ilogbo, Ogun State.
“Without Iftar and Sahur – the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting – the Ramadan fasting isn’t complete but how many Muslims can afford a good meal in the country today?
“The rate of food inflation is just unimaginable and there seems to be no respite in the short to medium terms.”
Food Inflation
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its last report said that Nigeria’s food inflation rate in January 2024 rose to 35.41 per cent on a year-on-year basis, 11.10 per cent points higher compared to the rate recorded in January 2023 (24.32 per cent).
The bureau said the rise in food inflation was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, oil and fat, fish, meat, fruit, coffee, tea, and cocoa.
Food inflation has had a huge impact on household earnings, with immense pressure on general price levels.
Nigeria’s annual inflation rate rose to 29.90 per cent in January from 28.92 per cent in December 2023. The January 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.98 per cent points when compared to the December 2023 headline inflation rate, according to the NBS.
The NBS said on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 8.08 per cent points higher compared to the rate recorded in January 2023, which was 21.82 per cent.
The nation’s hydra-headed inflationary pressure was worsened by the government’s attempt to eradicate wasteful fuel subsidy payments and unify the exchange rates, all of which complicated the nation’s food crisis.
Besides, a combination of factors such as insecurity, rural-urban migration, supply chain disruption, post-harvest losses and poor storage facilities, among others, have impacted the nation’s efforts to attain food security.
But in an attempt to boost agricultural productivity and reduce the high prices of major staple foods in the country, President Bola Tinubu in July last year declared a state of emergency on food insecurity.
The government said it was not unmindful of the rising cost of food and how it affects the citizens, adding that affordability has been a major issue for many Nigerians in all parts of the country.
Ripple Effects
While the government seems to be making frantic efforts to address the food inflation crisis, prices have continued to skyrocket far beyond the reach of the average Nigerian.
Checks by PREMIUM TIMES at the Bodija International Market in Oyo State in February showed that the price of a bag of rice had risen from about N60,000 last December to about N72,000.
A bag of sugar that was sold for N55,000 last December had equally increased to N83,000 just as a 60 kg bag of honey beans known as Oloyin now sells for N115,000 as against the previous price of N75,000.
“One Kongo—a measurement bowl popular among traders in western Nigerian—of Garri now sells for N900, as against N400 or less that we bought just last year,” lamented Iya Opeyemi, a trader at a local market in Ibadan.
Jeleel Gbadamosi, an artisan based in the Igando area of Lagos State, told PREMIUM TIMES that the culture of eating out has become far more expensive than cooking at home in recent times, due to elevated prices of foodstuff. He expressed worry about the impact of such development on poor people who rely on cooked meals from restaurants and street vendors during Ramadan.
“The last time I visited my favourite restaurant, I realized that a wrap of Amala that we used to buy for N200 now goes for N500, and that’s the minimum amount you can get,” he said.
“Meanwhile, that’s the place I usually eat during Ramadan. I am wondering how I am going to sustain such practice this year because I now have to spend more than double what I used to spend in the past.”
An official of a Muslim-focused non-profit that prepares meals for Muslims in Oyo State during Ramadan told PREMIUM TIMES that the budget for this year’s Iftar package shot up by over 100 per cent.
“Last year, we budgeted about N210,000 for meals prepared for an average of 30 people in a particular mosque throughout Ramadan,” the official, who declined to have their name in print, said.
“But this year, the budget rose to N500,000 and we will still have to cut down on a few things. Foodstuff prices are just too expensive.”
For Abdulkadir Usman, the situation in Kano and other parts of the North is not significantly different from what obtains in southern Nigeria. He explained that food prices have risen and many Muslims now look forward to philanthropic gestures and interventions from the government as fasting begins in March.
Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State
Earlier in February, the Kano state government inaugurated a committee for the upcoming 2024 Ramadan Feeding Programme (RFP). The committee’s terms of reference include identifying key distribution spots within the eight metropolitan local governments and 36 local government areas of the state, recommending breakfast menus for the targeted Muslim community during Ramadan, and identifying individuals or groups deserving of government goodwill as a Ramadan gesture
In Lagos, the government recently announced that it will engage canteens locally known as Mama Put to feed between 1,000 to 1,500 residents daily in each of the local government areas of the state. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said that the move is part of measures to cushion the impacts of the rising cost of living in the country which sparked protests in several cities.
Mr AbdulRasheed told PREMIUM TIMES that while the interventions are commendable, the governments across levels should look into long-term sustainable solutions that can empower the people to feed themselves and their families.
The cleric, who also owns a small farm in Ogun State, explained that sustainable agricultural practices that can improve food security must be promoted, while the government must also ensure that the security situation in agrarian communities improves to encourage farmers.
“Contrary to what many people think, Muslims eat a variety of foods during Ramadan and those who can afford it always love to eat well. But that can only happen when foodstuff is affordable,” he said.
“For now, in Nigeria, Muslims and non-Muslims alike only eat whatever they can find, not necessarily what they want. So it is important for the government to invest in agriculture and boost food supply to crash food prices. That’s how people can be empowered to have the capacity to eat whatever they want in the holy month.”
By Oladeinde Olawoyin for Premium Times
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