Barely five days to 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 ₦750,000, a medium-sized ram costs between ₦350,000 and ₦400,000 while a small ram is sold between ₦150,000 and ₦200,000.
At Agbalata ram market, a big ram is sold for between ₦400,000 and ₦450,000, a fairly big ram goes for between ₦300,000 and ₦250,000, while a small ram goes for ₦120,000 and ₦150,000.
Alhaji Abdul-Salam Hassan, a ram seller in the Alaba market, said he spent ₦1.5 million as the cost of transporting his rams from Sokoto State.
“I have to add the money to the price of the rams before selling them to make a profit.
“I came to Alaba market with 300 rams since June 5, and as of 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 Ajibade Ram Market, Aradagun, 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 the 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.
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 ₦280,000, one for ₦130,000, another for ₦150,000, but unfortunately today I bought one medium size for ₦400,000. I can’t afford to buy two this year.
“If I have to buy two rams, I have to add another ₦100,000, making ₦500,000 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 now I am in Agbalata, I thought it would be cheaper to buy here.
“Surprisingly, the size of ram I bought for N100,000 in 2023, I’m begging to get it for ₦220,000 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.
