Ram prices hit ₦700,000 in Kano as buyers stay away ahead of Eid-el-Kabir

• Ram sellers in Kano say business is slow ahead of Eid-el-Kabir even though there are plenty of animals available.

• Prices of rams, cows and camels have increased because of higher transportation and animal feed costs.

• Many buyers are waiting for possible price reductions closer to Sallah due to the current economic hardship.

With less than one week to Eid-el-Kabir, ram sellers in major livestock markets across Kano are lamenting poor sales despite having enough animals in stock for the festive season.

A visit to Goron Dutse and Kofar Nai’sa livestock markets in Kano showed that traders have stocked large numbers of rams, goats, cows and camels ahead of the Sallah celebration, but buyers are not coming as expected due to the rising cost of living in Nigeria.

Eid-el-Kabir, also known as Eid-al-Adha, is one of the biggest Islamic celebrations observed by Muslims worldwide. The festival commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah. Muslims who can afford it usually slaughter animals such as rams, goats, sheep, cows or camels as part of the religious rite.

Speaking at the Goron Dutse market, Chairman of the Animal Dealers Association in Kano State, Alhaji Bashir Sule-Dantsoho, said traders were worried over the low patronage even though there was enough supply of livestock.

According to him, the harsh economy and rising costs of feed and transportation have pushed prices far beyond what many families can afford this year.

He said small rams now sell between ₦150,000 and ₦200,000, while medium-sized rams go for between ₦350,000 and ₦500,000. Bigger rams cost ₦700,000 and above.

Sule-Dantsoho added that camels currently sell from ₦500,000 to as high as ₦3 million, while cows and bulls range between ₦600,000 and ₦3 million depending on their size and quality.

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“Last year, a bag of animal feed sold for between ₦10,000 and ₦13,000; this year, the same product now costs about ₦25,000 per bag.

“Transportation fares have also increased considerably, and all these expenses ultimately affect the final selling price,” he said.

At Kofar Nai’sa market, livestock dealer Kabiru Mustapha also blamed the poor turnout on the economic hardship currently affecting Nigerians.

He explained that some traders spend days without making meaningful sales because many residents are struggling to even afford food items and household needs.

Mustapha said ram prices at the market start from about ₦150,000 for smaller sizes, while medium and large ones sell for up to ₦550,000 and above.

He added that cows are being sold between ₦400,000 and ₦3 million, while camel prices range from ₦500,000 to ₦2.5 million.

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According to him, many buyers are waiting until the final days before Eid-el-Kabir in hopes that sellers will reduce prices due to competition and pressure to clear their animals.

“This has contributed to the slow pace of business in the markets,” he said.

Some prospective buyers who spoke during the market survey expressed concern that the continuous rise in livestock prices may stop many Muslim families from fully participating in the Sallah sacrifice this year.

Still, many remain hopeful that prices could drop slightly closer to the celebration as traders compete for customers.

The rising cost of livestock is coming at a time when inflation and food prices remain high across Nigeria, putting additional pressure on households preparing for the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.