Economic crunch, rising petrol prices triggered by the Middle East war and insurgency have driven costs of sheep up in Nigeria ahead of Eid-al-Adha.
Traders lamented sluggish sales as thousands of sheep stood in pouring rain on Friday at Kara Market, a sprawling livestock hub along the Lagos-Ogun border in southwest Nigeria.
The market receives thousands of animals daily from northern Nigeria — where most of the country’s livestock is reared — as Muslims prepare for the annual festival.
Roughly half of the country’s population is Muslim and demands for sheep surge during the celebrations.
But several traders told AFP that sales had been slow this year as the cost of livestock has risen sharply.
Prices of sheep, which are favoured for the celebrations, range from 250,000 naira (about $183) to 1.2 million naira, depending on the size.
Comparable animals sold for between 150,000 and 1.0 million naira last year, said trader Abdullahi Bukar.
He said insurgency in the country’s northeast, multiple taxes and illegal toll collections by security officials have driven up prices.
Shoppers nevertheless waded through the muddy market in search of bargains as the downpour eased to a drizzle on Friday.
“We are always scared when we go to the market to buy livestock because terrorists usually attack the markets where we buy stock,” said Bukar, 29. Vanguard
