With the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations just days away, the traditional “Ram Markets” across Nigeria’s major cities have become sites of quiet desperation. A market survey conducted yesterday by The National Vanguard reveals a staggering 200–300% increase in the prices of livestock and essential food commodities compared to the same period in 2025.
The Million-Naira Ram
At the Zango and Rigasa livestock markets in Kaduna, and the Kara market in Ogun State, the price of a large-sized ram—which sold for approximately N350,000 last year—has hit the psychological threshold of N1,000,000. Medium-sized rams, previously affordable at N150,000, are now being priced between N450,000 and N600,000.
“The rams are here, but the buyers are absent,” says Alhaji Bulama, a Senior Manager with the Rams Sellers Association. “By this time last year, my pen was half-empty. Today, it is full. People come, they ask for the price, they shake their heads, and they walk away.”
A Perfect Storm of Economic Pressure
Livestock dealers attribute this year’s “Sallah Crisis” to a trifecta of logistical and economic factors:
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Feed Inflation: The cost of maintaining livestock has skyrocketed. Feed that cost N5,000 a bag eighteen months ago now retails for over N18,000.
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Transportation Costs: Moving a trailer of rams from the North to the South now costs upwards of N1.5 million due to the high cost of diesel and unofficial “road taxes” at security checkpoints.
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Insecurity: Many traditional herders in the North-West and North-Central regions have deserted their villages due to insurgent attacks, leading to a significant supply shortage.
Foodstuffs Join the Surge
It is not just the sacrificial animals that are breaking the bank. A bag of rice, the staple for Eid feasts, has risen to N80,000 as of May 12, 2026. Smaller livestock alternatives are also under pressure; a three-month-old chicken, often the “backup” for those who cannot afford a ram, now sells for between N20,000 and N30,000.
Economic analysts warn that this trend is a direct reflection of the broader national inflation rate, which continues to erode the purchasing power of the average civil servant. With many salaries remaining stagnant, the “sacrifice” of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir is taking on a much more literal and painful meaning for millions of Nigerian households.
