JUST IN: Kaduna Residents Abandon Yams As Price Soars, Some Sellers Demand 1M

Yam sellers at Yan Doya, a popular market in Kaduna, are lamenting low patronage due to the high cost of yams, which can go for as much as N10,000 per tuber.

Traders report that 100 yam tubers now cost a prospective buyer N1 million, with even small-sized tubers selling for at least N5,000.

Many residents have already taken yam off their menu because of its rising cost. Despite the arrival of new yams in the market, prices remain beyond the reach of many.

Vincent Iroegvu and Maryam Sanusi, both yam sellers at the market, expressed frustration over the low patronage as prospective customers desert the market. The current living cost crisis has significantly impacted many households, forcing changes in meal choices.

Additionally, multiple citizens across various states, including Gombe, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Taraba, told Daily Trust that bread is no longer a staple food due to its prohibitive cost. Millions of Nigerians are now struggling with the rising cost of living exacerbated by inflation.

Respondents mentioned seeking cheaper alternatives to bread as food and other household items become increasingly expensive. Bread, once a common breakfast item across various social strata, has become a luxury that many can no longer afford. Labourers at construction sites, drivers at motor parks, and students, who previously relied on bread as an affordable and reliable meal, now find it beyond their reach.