FCT residents lament soaring prices of fish, beef

Many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concern over the rising cost of fish, lamenting that the staple protein source is becoming unaffordable for many households. A survey conducted at the Kado, Apo, and Mararaba markets revealed that the price of Titus and other varieties of fish had continued to rise in recent weeks. At Kado Fish Market, a seller, Agatha Johnson, told journalists that buyers now prefer to purchase fish in pieces rather than cartons due to the high cost. Ms Johnson decried poor sales due to a low influx of customers, saying her family barely had enough money to cater to their needs. “People hardly buy fish in cartons anymore because of their high cost; they prefer buying in pieces. Today, three pieces of Titus now go for N10,000 as against N2,000 that it was sold for before.
“I sell one piece for N5,000, depending on the size. Yet customers still complain,” she said. At Apo Fish Market, Cletus Foga said a carton of Titus fish was sold for N140,000 while a kilo sold for N7,000, as against N3,000 that it was hitherto being sold. Mr Foga said a kilo of Croaker fish now sells for N5,000, adding that many customers who do not buy Croaker fish now ask for it because it is cheaper and more affordable. Friday Ameh, a cold-room operator in Mararaba, said a kilo of Titus Fish was now being sold for N7,200, and a 20kg carton was sold for N145,000, as against between N40,000 and N60,000 that it was being sold before.
Mr Ameh said it had become difficult for ordinary families to buy fish and other proteins in bulk due to their cost. Some residents, who spoke to journalists, said the situation was worsening the hardship faced by families battling high food prices. Grace Mba, a school teacher, said her family had drastically reduced their fish consumption. “Fish used to be the cheapest protein we relied on, but now, it is almost a luxury. Even chicken, beef, and eggs are no longer affordable,” she lamented. A civil servant, Michael Okafor, also said the fish price surge had forced him to explore plant-based proteins.
“We now eat more beans and oatmeal at home. But even those are not so cheap in the market. Nigerians are being squeezed on all sides. Something really needs to be done and fast before we begin to suffer from diseases due to unbalanced diets in this country,” he said. Similarly, a taxi driver, Suleiman Musa, told journalists that his household now managed to eat protein once every week. “So nowadays, whenever I make extra money from my business and I want to give my family a treat, I buy a kilo and take it home for my wife to prepare for the family,” he said. Fish, which was once one of the cheapest and most accessible sources of protein, is no longer affordable for average Nigerians, thereby worsening food insecurity in the country. NAN