The Eid-el-Adha celebrations may be less exuberant across the country this year as soaring ram prices continue to frustrate many Muslim families preparing for the annual religious festival.
With only three days to the 2026 Eid-el-Kabir celebration, many households in Ogun, Kebbi and Sokoto states have expressed concern over the escalating cost of sacrificial rams, saying the prices were beyond the reach of average earners amid persistent economic hardship.
Market surveys conducted across major livestock markets, including the popular Kara Market along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State, as well as Birnin Kebbi, Kalgo, Ambursa, Achida, Bodinga, Wamakko and Kara markets in Sokoto State, revealed that although rams are available in large numbers, patronage was low as buyers grapple with shrinking purchasing power.
At Ambursa and Kalgo livestock markets in Kebbi State, small-sized rams were sold for between N100,000 and N200,000, while medium-sized breeds ranged from N300,000 to N500,000. Bigger and exotic breeds were priced between N600,000 and N1m, depending on their size and quality.
A similar trend was observed in major livestock markets across Sokoto State, particularly at Kara, Achida, Bodinga and Wamakko markets, where traders said prices had risen sharply compared to the previous Eid-el-Kabir season.
