Nursing mothers lament high cost of baby food, diapers in Abuja

I use pap instead of baby milk - Nursing mothers lament high cost of baby food

News Agency Of Nigeria

March 13, 2024 4:17 PM

The cost of baby foods and diapers in Abuja are outrageous.

Nursing mothers lament high cost of baby food, diapers in Abuja [The Guardian Nigeria]

Some nursing mothers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the high cost of baby foods and diapers in the territory.

The mothers in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, said the cost was outrageous and called for government’s intervention.

Loveth Ezeurike, a mother of two in Jikwoyi, said she started feeding her second baby with NAN milk in mid-2023 and was sold for ₦3,400 then but now sold for ₦5,700.

She said: “The NAN baby milk suddenly became scarce and I had to look for an alternative.

“I found Lactogen and I bought it at ₦4, 000 in January and later for ₦4, 900. Now it is scarce and I know the price will increase if it eventually returned to the market.

“I was advised to use peak 0-12 months for my baby and I bought it for the price of ₦5, 000.

“Who can we cry to, our children need to eat and prices of milk keep going higher, this needs to be checked and addressed immediately, “she said.

Another nursing mother, Angela Okon, said she had resolved to make pap for her nine months old daughter. The decision, she said was reached when she could no longer afford the high cost of baby foods in the market, which she added have become exorbitant.

“I no longer buy baby milk and food, what I do is pap (akamu), with locally produced soya milk for my baby.

“With ₦6,500 I am able to make a full container filled with pap and it lasts longer than baby foods.” she added.

Ngozi Abraham, who sells baby food, said with the high cost of the commodity, most people now consider exclusive breast feeding for their babies. This, she said, may not be as expensive as the can baby foods.

She, however, said that baby food varied depending on one’s choice.

“The price of a milk brand called My Boy is ₦4,800, NAN milk is ₦5,700 and the big size of SMA Gold milk goes for ₦15, 000.

“Although, My Boy milk sells a little faster than others, people still buy according to their pocket,” Abraham said.

Tessy Williams, a trader at Kubwa market, who sells diapers alongside other baby things, said she usually advised her customers to buy what they could afford.

Williams said: “Moflix jumbo diaper price is currently ₦7, 500 per pack, while the complete three packs are sold for ₦22, 500.

“This was sold at ₦19, 500 in December and January but suddenly increased alongside other goods.

“The economy size which comes in pack of four is sold for ₦3,200 and ₦12, 800 for the complete pack,’’ she stated.

She added that other products ranged from ₦18,000 to ₦25, 000 in packs of three.

“I have stopped selling expensive brands because of complains I get from customers of how expensive they have become.

“I now stock the cheaper ones that people like and patronise more,” she noted.

News Agency Of Nigeria