May 24, 2026
By Esther Onyegbula
As Muslims across Nigeria prepare for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, popularly known as Sallah, rising food prices, expensive livestock and increasing transportation costs are forcing many families to scale down festivities, abandon travel plans and embrace modest celebrations.
From Lagos to Ibadan and Badagry, traders, livestock sellers and residents who spoke with Sunday Vanguard painted a grim picture of a season overshadowed by economic hardship, with many saying the soaring cost of living has drastically altered how they plan to celebrate this year’s festival.
At major markets in Lagos, the reality is already evident. The prices of staple cooking ingredients and livestock, central to Sallah celebrations, have climbed sharply in recent weeks, leaving many households struggling to cope.
