Stephen Enoch
In the bustling markets of Kano, the usual festive excitement of Sallah is noticeably subdued this year.
Traders and customers are feeling the pinch of rising inflation, which has significantly reduced purchasing power and left many struggling to afford basic commodities.
Stallion Times visited Tarauni, Yankaba, and the Muhammad Abubakar Rimi Market aka Yankura or Sabon Gari markets in the Kano metropolis.
Zayyan Mohammed, a vegetable seller at Tarauni market, expresses his frustration with the current situation.
“Things are not the same anymore, I don’t get customers like before,” he said standing in his stall surrounded by potatoes, yams, and various vegetables.
He pointed out the emptiness of the market.
“You can see that the market is dry and only a few commercial activities are going on here. Most customers don’t buy in large quantities but in little.”
Oga Desmond is a rice, beans, maize, and other grains merchant in the market.
He said the impact of inflation is evident, and lays the blame squarely on the political class.
“The rising cost of commodities in the country has reduced the purchasing power of residents and hiked the cost of living,” he states.
He reminisces about better times, noting that just two years ago, a small milk tin-sized cup of gari sold for about N50. Today, the same quantity costs around N200–250.
“During festivities like this, people used to buy rice in large quantities, but now, one Mudu of Rice is N5,500, while local rice is N4,500. Most of my customers now buy just one or half of a Mudu.
“The drastic price increase has made it difficult for families to stock up for the festive season as they traditionally would.”
At the axis of Hadejia Road is the Yankaba Market. Here, the scene is similarly bleak. Activity levels are low, and the market is far from bustling.
Hajiya Salma, a shopper, shared her distress as she navigated the market in search of affordable foodstuffs for the Sallah celebration.
“This is a trying time and I hope we will come out of this hardship soon,” she sighs.
According to Salma, her search for cheaper options has been fruitless.
Mrs. Bola, another shopper in the same market, recounts her struggle with rising prices.
She lamented: “I bought N5,000 worth of tomatoes, which used to get me two baskets. Now, it barely filled a hand wash basin,”
“I used to buy one basket for about N2,500 or N3,000, but now, it’s much more expensive. If it is this expensive in Kano, I wonder how people in the southern part are surviving.”
At the Sabon Gari market, last-minute Sallah shoppers engage in bargaining for a lower price with traders.
Like their counterparts at Tarauni and Yankaba, Sabon Gari traders also lament the low patronage.
Hafsat Lawan, one of the shoppers, noted the difficulty in securing affordable goods.
“Every purchase comes with a lot of haggling, and even then, the prices are still high.
“I have long killed the idea of buying Sallah clothes for my children because where is the money?
“I just want to get something for my family to eat and be happy despite this economic situation.”
The economic hardship is starkly evident in Kano’s markets, casting a shadow over a time of joy and celebration.
As families prepare for Sallah, the rising costs and reduced buying power serve as a harsh reminder of the broader economic challenges facing the region.
