Barely five days before the Eid-El-Kabir festival, some ram sellers on Tuesday in Badagry, Lagos State, lamented low sales, attributing it to the prevailing economic situation.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited Alaba, Ajibade and Agbalata ram markets in Badagry reports that the cost of rams varies.
NAN reports that at Alaba Ram Market, a big ram is sold for N750,000, a medium-sized ram costs between N350,000 and N400,000, and a small ram is sold between N150,000 and N200,000.
At the Agbalata Ram market, a big ram is sold for between N400,000 and N450,000, a fairly big ram goes for between N300,000 and N250,000, and a small ram goes for N120,000 and N150,000.
Alhaji Abdul-Salam Hassan, a ram seller in the Alaba market, said he spent N1.5 million on transporting his rams from Sokoto State.
“I have to add the money to the price of the rams before selling them to make profit. I came to Alaba market with 300 rams since June 5, as at today I have not sold up to ten rams. Buyers have been coming to ask for the price of a ram, promising that they will come, but I have not seen them.
“In 2023, I thought that the prices of rams were expensive, but that of this year is just too much.The prices wouldn’t have been this high if not for the removal of fuel subsidy that led to the high cost of transport,” he said.
In the Ajibade ram market, Aradagun, Mr Belawu Ajadi, said that the cost of feeding and transporting the rams to the market all added up to the high price.
“Customers come here in trickles to buy their rams for the Sallah, but compared to 2023, the sales is very dull. In 2023, as at this time, I had sold over 50 rams, but now I have just sold 10. The economic hardships in the country have affected sales this year, but I still have hope that customers will still come to buy,” he said.
Meanwhile, buyers lamented the increase in the cost of the rams.
Mr Yusuf Ajadi, a buyer at Alaba market, said the prices of rams had doubled compared to how it was sold last year.
“In 2023, I bought two rams here for N280,000, one for N130,000, another for N150,000, but unfortunately today I brought one medium size for N400,000. I can’t afford to buy two this year.
“If I have to buy two rams, I have to add another N100,000, making N500,000 to buy two this year, this is more than twice the amount I bought in 2023,” he said.
Another buyer, Alhaji Taoreed Ajape, said that he came from Ikoga, Badagry, to buy, but was shocked to hear the prices of rams had doubled.
“I have gone to Okoko, Alaba and and now I am in Agbalata, I thought it will be cheaper to buy here.
“Surprisingly, the size of ram I bought for N100,000 in 2023, I’m begging to get it for N220,000 this year.
“I cannot even afford to buy a ram for my mother now, maybe I will look for money and come back before Sunday,” he said.
