Soaring Meat Prices Worsen Cost of Living for Lagos Residents

Residents of Lagos have expressed concern over the continuous increase in the price of meat, saying the rising cost is making protein unaffordable for many households.

The residents, who spoke with newsmen, said many families had been forced to cut down on meat consumption and switch to cheaper alternatives such as fish and eggs.

Findings by NAN showed that beef prices across several markets in Lagos have increased significantly over the past year, placing additional pressure on household budgets and altering feeding patterns.

A kilogramme of beef, which sold for between N5,000 and N6,500 in some markets in 2025, now goes for between N7,500 and N9,500, depending on the location and cut.

Goat meat prices have also surged, with medium-sized portions now selling for between N10,000 and N15,000, compared to N7,000 to N10,000 last year.

Similarly, the cost of frozen chicken has risen sharply, with a carton now selling for between N52,000 and N65,000, up from N32,000 to N38,000 previously.

Meat sellers attributed the increase to rising transportation costs, insecurity affecting livestock movement from northern Nigeria, and the high cost of animal feed.

The Lagos State Butchers Association also blamed insecurity, increasing transportation expenses, and delays in local ranching initiatives for the persistent rise in prices.

The association’s Patron, Alhaji Bamidele Kazeem, disclosed that the price of cows in Lagos had increased from N1.7 million in 2025 to about N2.5 million.

Speaking at Lawanson Market, meat seller Gbadamosi Shonaike said many customers could no longer afford the quantity of meat they previously purchased.

“People now buy meat in smaller portions. Some customers who usually buy one kilogramme now ask for half or even less.

“The cost of transporting cattle from the North has increased, and feeding animals is also more expensive,” he said.

Another trader at Mushin Market, Giwa Ganiyu, said reduced cattle supply had further worsened the situation.

“Transportation and insecurity on the roads are affecting supplies coming into Lagos.

“When there are fewer cows to sell, prices go up, and customers blame traders,” he said.

A civil servant in Surulere, Mrs Jaiye Ayodele, said her family had drastically reduced meat consumption due to the rising prices.

“We now use more fish and eggs because buying meat regularly is becoming difficult.

“What used to last for a week no longer lasts because prices keep rising.

“I wanted to buy chicken last week, but when I heard the price, I went for fish instead,” she said.

Also speaking, a teacher in Mushin, Mrs Folake Aromire, described meat as gradually becoming a luxury for many families.

“Everything is expensive now. Meat has almost become a luxury for some families.

“I love frying meat, but these days the little quantity I buy disappears almost immediately.

“Gone are the days when N5,000 could buy a reasonable portion of meat,” she said.

A food vendor at Adegoke Junction in Surulere, Mrs Basira Apena, said the increasing cost of meat had also affected small businesses.

“I had to increase food prices slightly because the cost of meat keeps going up.

“Some customers complain, but we are also trying to survive,” she said.

Many residents warned that unless prices stabilise, more households would continue to reduce meat consumption and rely on cheaper protein alternatives to maintain balanced diets.