With Eid al-Adha celebrations just days away, residents of Kano are facing significant challenges as prices of essential food items, particularly spices and vegetables, continue to soar.

The festival, scheduled for June 6, 2025, is traditionally marked by elaborate meat dishes requiring various spices and vegetables, but many families are now being forced to scale back their preparations due to the unprecedented price increases.

At Rimi market, shoppers expressed dismay over the sharp rise in costs. Ramlah Labaran Tanko, a regular spice buyer, told DAILY POST, "A mudu of ginger is N32,000, and I couldn't even buy cloves and black pepper as I normally would. Cloves start from N200 per pack, and there aren't more than 10 in a pack. We use a lot of spices during Sallah to prepare meat. I normally buy a lot — but now I can't afford it."

Hafsat Aliyu Buhari, another shopper, highlighted the impact on vegetable purchases: "Usually when I make stew for my family of four, I only need N500 worth of vegetables; now I have to spend at least N1,000 — and that involves serious bargaining."

The financial strain is particularly challenging for those already struggling with the high cost of rams, a central element of the Eid celebration. Ibrahim Aminu, shopping for his family, lamented, "The price of Ram is already high. I'm struggling to afford that, and now the spices my wife asked me to get are out of my price range. The pack I usually buy for N1,000 has drastically reduced in size."

Supply Shortages, Not Opportunism

Vendors at Rimi market insist that the price increases are not opportunistic moves ahead of the festival but rather the result of genuine supply shortages. Malam Adamu, a vegetable seller, explained, "Our supply has reduced. We don't have enough produce on ground, and that is why the prices have surged — not because of Sallah. It won't be good for us to raise prices when majority of people are battling economic challenges."

Dr. Abdulnasir Turawa Yola, an economist with the Federal University of Dutse, provided insight into the economic factors at play: "When the demand is higher than the supply, definitely the price will go up. During festive periods, prices of house consumables like spices, veggies and oil go up. This is very well known in economic theory and this is what is happening practically right now."

Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's most significant festivals, traditionally sees families slaughtering rams and preparing elaborate meals. However, observations indicate that many households are being forced to reduce their celebrations this year due to the prevailing economic conditions and soaring inflation.

As the festival approaches, the economic pressure continues to mount on Kano residents, highlighting broader concerns about food inflation and its impact on cultural and religious celebrations.