Abuja Yam Prices Hit Peak as Transportation and Fuel Costs Climb

Yam prices in Abuja’s main markets have skyrocketed, and traders blame the steep rise on growing gasoline and transportation expenses.
Notwithstanding the arrival of new yams, which typically indicate a decline in price, a market survey released on Tuesday revealed that yam prices had been rising, according to the PUNCH.

A single tuber of yams currently sells for between ₦5,000 and ₦15,000, depending on size, which is higher than the lower prices from the previous year.

A merchant at Gwagwalada Market named Grace Ibrahim attested to the fact that prices have increased by about 25% since 2024.

The current price of medium yams is ₦5,000, up from ₦4,000 in 2024. They cost between ₦12,000 and ₦15,000. She stated that even the tiniest yams now cost ₦6,000 or ₦7,000.

Once costing ₦10,000, a modest vehicle now costs ₦20,000 to transport yams from Benue or Nasarawa. More expensive trucks cost ₦60,000, she clarified.

Patronage has decreased, according to Ibrahim Musa, another shopkeeper, as many families have been struggling with the increased cost of food.

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“People are not as buying as they once were. Prices aren’t the only issue; everything has gotten pricey. He bemoaned, “A lot of consumers are just selecting less expensive options.

Several purchasers attested to the change in consumption. Even though it was harvest season, Mrs. Deborah Oga claimed that yams were now out of reach.

Likewise, Mrs. Dorcas Okeke said that her family had cut back on their yam consumption.

Previously, every weekend we would purchase four tubers. Only two are now within our means. “We are consuming more cassava and potatoes,” she stated.

The merchants urged the federal government to help farmers by providing them with subsidized fertilizers, improved road systems, and gasoline price reductions, emphasizing that these actions would help stabilize food prices.

The increased trend in food costs, including those of yams, may continue until transportation and fuel issues are resolved, experts have said, thereby deteriorating food security and economic stability across the country.