With just three days left until the Eid el-Kabir celebration, ram prices have surged by over 85 percent across various area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leaving many residents struggling to afford the animals for sacrifice.

In spite of this, ram sellers are lamenting low patronage, as potential buyers are not forthcoming due to economic hardship.

Upon visiting the livestock market in Sabon Gari, Abaji Area Council, Kristina Reports noted that the price of a small ram, which sold between N120,000 and N150,000 last year, now ranges between N200,000 and N250,000.

Medium-sized rams that went for N200,000 to N230,000 now sell for N270,000 to N300,000, while large rams that previously cost N300,000 to N350,000 are now priced between N450,000 and N520,000. Even larger ones, formerly sold for N560,000 to N620,000, now go for between N800,000 and as high as N1.2 million.

In the Kwali market, it was almost the same thing. Medium-sized rams, once sold at N120,000 to N140,000, are now being sold between N180,000 and N230,000.

Large rams that were available for N185,000 to N260,000 last year are now going for N340,000 to N450,000, while premium rams that cost about N480,000 to N500,000 have now jumped to between N550,000 and N780,000.

The Gwagwalada cattle market, situated along the busy Abuja-Lokoja highway, also showed a significant increase in prices.

A medium-sized ram that sold for N170,000 to N200,000 last year now goes for N250,000 to N300,000. Large rams that previously went for N350,000 to N400,000 now cost up to N600,000 and even N750,000 in some cases.

In Kuje’s cattle market near Tipper Garage along Airport Road, medium-sized rams have jumped from last year’s price range of N130,000–N160,000 to between N200,000 and N260,000.

The larger ones, which cost between N250,000 and N280,000 last year, are now priced between N320,000 and N450,000.

In both the Zuba market and the old abattoir in Garki, Abuja, the pattern is the same. Rams that were sold for N200,000 to N250,000 last year are now sold between N250,000 and N300,000, while bigger ones previously sold at N300,000 to N350,000 now command prices of up to N530,000.

Despite the increase in prices, ram sellers in these markets say they are experiencing one of the lowest turnouts in years.

Many say customers are coming to the market to inquire about prices but leave almost immediately upon hearing them.

Musa Lawal, a seller in Zuba, said he brought in 110 rams a week ago but has managed to sell only 12. According to him, most customers leave without returning after hearing the prices.

Another seller, Adamu Salisu, who transported 140 rams from Kebbi State, said he has sold just six in over a week. He blamed the economic hardship and the declining purchasing power of residents.

“People just come, ask for the price and leave. Some even laugh when I tell them,” he said.

He added that regular customers from previous years are either absent or outrightly saying they can’t afford a ram this year.

Some sellers say that the surge in prices is due to the worsening insecurity in parts of Northern Nigeria. They said frequent attacks by cattle rustlers have disrupted the usual supply routes, reducing the number of animals available in the markets.

With local supply limited, many sellers are now sourcing rams from countries like Niger, Mali, and Chad, which has contributed to increased transportation and logistics costs, costs that are inevitably passed down to consumers.

Bashir Idris, a livestock trader, pointed to recent reports of villages being raided and animals stolen, leading to losses and fear among local suppliers. “This is why you are seeing fewer animals and higher prices,” he explained.

Meanwhile, civil servants and other residents say their salaries can no longer meet the cost of a sacrificial ram. Aminu Bala, a staff member in one of the FCT’s ministries, said he had visited four different markets but couldn’t find a ram within his budget.

“Last year, I bought a ram for N145,000. This year, the same size is N220,000. That’s more than what I earn in a month. Sacrifice is about intention, and I can’t borrow to impress anyone,” he said, informing that he has opted to share the cost with a friend buy instead the festival.

A secondary school teacher, Rabi Abdullahi, shared similar sentiments.

“Even if I manage to find a cheaper one, I have not been paid for the past six months. How do I buy anything?” she asked.

She said the failure of local council authorities to pay salary arrears has left many teachers unable to prepare for the celebration.

Many other residents echoed the same concerns that the rising cost of rams, combined with unpaid salaries, inflation, and general economic hardship, is making it nearly impossible for average Nigerians to observe the festival traditionally.