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Residents of Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina States are expressing deep frustration over the scarcity of one of Nigeria’s most beloved staple foods, bread.
The commodity has become increasingly difficult to find, with prices soaring to unprecedented heights.
Many residents, unable to afford the costly bread, have turned to alternative but less affordable options such as noodles, millet porridge, bean cake, and bread with beans.
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Prices have surged by as much as 40 percent, leaving both shop owners and consumers vehemently decrying the situation and calling for urgent intervention.
In Kaduna, a baker explained, “It’s not a strike; we’ve had to halt production since July 1st due to the scarcity and exorbitant prices of wheat flour, sugar, oil, and other additives. In June, a 50kg bag of flour costing between N53,000 to N55,000 has now skyrocketed to N67,000 to N70,000. How can we sustain production under such precarious conditions?”
Residents and business owners across Kaduna State echoed these sentiments, lamenting the impact on their daily lives and livelihoods.
Haidar Basiru, a tea and bread seller, remarked, “I usually buy 100 loaves of bread, but due to the scarcity, I only managed to get 30 loaves, which sold out quickly.” He added, “Most of my colleagues haven’t opened today due to the shortage.”
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Mrs. Kafayat Sadiq, a provisions seller, shared similar woes, unable to stock bread in her shop since Tuesday due to supplier complaints about flour costs.
Abdullahi Muhammad, another resident, expressed his disappointment, “I went to buy bread for breakfast, but couldn’t find any. I had to buy spaghetti for the children instead.”
In Kano State, the situation mirrored that in Kaduna and Katsina, with residents facing an alarming increase in bread prices from N600 to N800 per loaf.
The widespread scarcity has profoundly disrupted daily routines and economic activities, prompting urgent appeals for resolution.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has announced stringent measures to alleviate the high cost of food in Nigeria, including a mandate that all food items imported within the next 150 days adhere to recommended retail prices.
This follows recent steps to suspend import duties and taxes on essential food commodities like rice and wheat.
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Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, revealed these initiatives on social media, assuring citizens that these efforts will lead to a significant reduction in food prices nationwide within the next 180 days. He urged patience from Nigerians while these measures take effect.
Kyari outlined the government’s plan, stating, “Our administration has unveiled a series of strategic measures aimed at addressing the high food prices currently affecting our nation.”
These include a 150-day duty-free import window for key food items and the imposition of Recommended Retail Prices (RRP) on imported commodities. He emphasized that quality standards will be strictly enforced to ensure the safety and reliability of these imports.
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In addition to importing 250,000 metric tons each of wheat and maize, Kyari highlighted plans to distribute these semi-processed goods to small-scale processors and millers across Nigeria.
The government also intends to engage stakeholders to establish Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and replenish the National Strategic Food Reserve with surplus food commodities.
Over the next two weeks, the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) and the Economic Management Team (EMT) will collaborate with relevant agencies to finalize the implementation frameworks for these policies.
Kyari assured transparency in the process, promising that information will be widely accessible to ensure the involvement of all stakeholders nationwide.
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