Nigerian poultry farmers are facing a devastating paradox this festive season: markets are overflowing with live chickens, but buyers are nowhere to be found. This alarming situation, evident during the recent Christmas celebrations, persists despite a noticeable drop in prices, highlighting a severe crisis of purchasing power among consumers.
A Market Flooded with Unwanted Stock
The traditional yuletide boom has turned into a bust for traders and farmers. Across major markets in Lagos and Ogun states—including Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege, Oja-Oba, Ishaga, Ile-Epo, Iyana-Ipaja, Sango, Oshodi, Arigbajo, and Ifo—cages and car trunks are filled with unsold chickens of various breeds. This low customer turnout has forced traders to slash prices in a desperate bid to attract sales.
For instance, in the Fagba area of Lagos, the price of an average-sized broiler has fallen from between N30,000 and N35,000 to around N25,000. This price reduction mirrors a nationwide trend affecting all chicken breeds. However, this strategic move has failed to stimulate demand, laying bare the harsh economic realities for ordinary Nigerians.
Root Causes: A Year of Mounting Pressures
The current glut is the culmination of a dire year for the poultry industry. Farmers have been battered by a perfect storm of challenges:
- Skyrocketing cost of animal feeds.
- Increased fuel prices.
- Soaring inflation rates.
- Broader economic policies impacting production costs.
These pressures have led to farm closures, skeletal operations, and many farmers abandoning the business entirely. The ripple effect has been incessant price reviews for poultry products. A crate of eggs that sold for N1,500 to N1,700 in January 2024 now commands N6,000 to N7,000. Similarly, the price of live chickens has tripled, rising from around N10,000 to over N30,000 in recent months.
Voices from the Frontlines: Farmers and Traders Lament
Mr. Samson Mathew, a poultry farmer based in Ikorodu, Lagos, described the situation as a nightmare. "The situation this year is devastating and below expectation," he said. He noted that last year, despite prices reaching N40,000 to N45,000, patronage was reasonable. This year, even with lower prices, sales have collapsed. "I am afraid this situation may force many out of this business because the cost of feeds is increasing weekly," he added.
At the Oja-Oba market, Alhaja Bukunmi Odeyemi, a live chicken vendor, reported moderate but discouraging patronage. She highlighted the extra cost of feeding the chickens while they await buyers. While older layers, priced between N12,000 and N15,000, usually see better sales, she still has a large stock waiting to be purchased. "We have been unable to restock as was the practice in previous years," she lamented, expressing hope for a change before the New Year.
The Grim Outlook for the Industry
The standstill in the chicken market is a stark indicator of the severe squeeze on household incomes in Nigeria. The dramatic drop in patronage, despite price corrections, suggests that essential protein sources are becoming inaccessible to a large segment of the population. This crisis threatens not only the livelihoods of thousands of poultry farmers and market traders but also the nation's food security. Without intervention to address the root causes—primarily the cost of feed and macroeconomic instability—the survival of Nigeria's poultry industry hangs in the balance.
