Nigerian Families Cut Eid Travel and Sacrifices as Ram Prices Jump to 600,000 Naira
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 26
Nigerian Families Cut Eid Travel and Sacrifices as Ram Prices Jump to 600,000 Naira
1 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 26
35,000 naira bus fares from Abuja to Ogun—up from 15,000 naira in February—are forcing some Nigerians to cancel Eid trips and scale back celebrations to whatever they can afford.
600,000 naira rams in Abuja's Kubwa livestock market, versus under 350,000 naira a year ago, have put the ritual sacrifice beyond many households as fuel and transport costs lift animal prices.
Abuja traders and small businesses say the squeeze runs beyond livestock: food staples are moving slowly, customers are ordering less festive clothing, and generator use now costs about 10,000 naira per refill.
The cutbacks reflect a broader gap between rising living costs and stagnant incomes, leaving families to trim even basic Eid spending despite a more stable naira against the dollar.
As Nigeria's reforms stabilize its economy, why are its citizens facing their poorest holiday in years?
Will Nigeria's painful economic cure permanently erase cherished cultural traditions like the Eid festival?