₦1.5 Million for One Ram?! Nigeria’s Most Expensive Sallah

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]Walahi, money for motor, 10,000, 8,000.

[00:00:03]Now walahi, 30,000, 25,000 walahi, money for motor now.

[00:00:07]>> Because most of these people [music] now when they buy when they buy, they've been disturbed by window by bandits.

[00:00:13]Most of their rams and cattle have been carted away by the bandits.

[00:00:16]>> By other year, I used to buy like five five, four and kill in my own house. But this year, I think it's only three I can buy.

[00:00:25]>> Guys, everything is too expensive. It's not easy for everybody. We have Salah is compared to do.

[00:00:30]>> If you have a look everywhere, you can see the rams all over.

[00:00:34]There are no sales.

[00:00:38]>> [music] [music] >> 1.5 million naira. That is the current price of some [music] rams in Nigeria.

[00:00:51]And of course, we all know how important rams are for the celebration of Salah in Nigeria, [music] popularly known as the Eid al-Adha. For many Muslim faithfuls in Nigeria, Salah is more than just a celebration. [music] It is family, it is community, it is sacrifice, it is love. However, in the year 2026, many Nigerians are [music] grappling with one painful question.

[00:01:15]Can they afford to celebrate [music] Salah this year? And to what extent?

[00:01:20]Because with food inflation, rising cost of living, [music] the cost of celebrating the Eid al-Adha festival in Nigeria has skyrocketed.

[00:01:30]Today, we are inside Kara Market in [music] Lagos, one of Nigeria's biggest livestock market, to speak directly with traders, butchers, buyers, and everyday Nigerians.

[00:01:42]>> This is Everyday Money Matters, proudly brought to you by Nairametrics. [music] It's a special edition because this is the Eid al-Adha and we are here to understand [music] and of course to see how everyday Nigerians like yourself, what you think about this year's Ileya? How you are celebrating? How you are able to afford what you used to celebrate and everything there is to know.

[00:02:05]>> What I will say is the year before last is far far better than [music] now.

[00:02:11]The way things are right now, rams are so extremely expensive.

[00:02:14]Extremely on the high side. You understand?

[00:02:18]Not not here you don't. Even in the north there. Because I went up to the north [music] to buy to make some purchases there.

[00:02:23]I can see some of these rams that I have left.

[00:02:26]>> Last year, we know how much we are buying a liter of And most of these cows, they are not they are not rearing them in Lagos state.

[00:02:33]They are bringing them from north. And even even the rams You see they they tell you the rams are from Mali >> Yeah.

[00:02:40]>> or from northern part of Nigeria.

[00:02:42]>> Mhm.

[00:02:42]>> And we also know a liter of this fuel now, I think it's about 2,000 naira.

[00:02:47]>> Wow.

[00:02:47]>> While a liter of fuel is about 1,300 [music] and something.

[00:02:50]>> Before, they will carry one trailer 1,800 one trailer.

[00:02:54]>> Now they will carry one trailer uh 2 million something, 2 million 5, 2 million 2 one trailer. Before one ram, money for for one ram, money for motor 10,000, 8,000. Now one ram 30,000, 25,000 one ram, money for motor now.

[00:03:10]>> Guys, everything is too expensive. It's not easy for everybody. We have salary is compulsory to do. It's not for me or it's for my mother.

[00:03:18]>> Everybody [music] has to just cut their their limits towards [music] what they have.

[00:03:24]>> See now.

[00:03:25]See good rams plenty for our Aza market.

[00:03:28]No see customer plenty.

[00:03:30]>> According to recent market surveys, medium-sized rams that sold for about 200,000 [music] naira last year now cost between 350,000 naira and 400,000 naira.

[00:03:41]Some animals that sold for 700,000 naira are now [music] approaching 1 million naira.

[00:03:46]>> Last year was still fair.

[00:03:49]But this year is kind of [music] on the high extremely on the high side.

[00:03:54]You can see Look If you have a look everywhere, you can see the rams all [music] over.

[00:03:59]There are no sales.

[00:04:00]Only a few buyers are coming.

[00:04:03]You understand?

[00:04:04]I think it's the economy that has to do with it.

[00:04:07]You know?

[00:04:07]And this Look at this ram now. It goes for about over a million.

[00:04:12]It goes for about a million now.

[00:04:15]That goat goat for almost 500,000.

[00:04:19]So, and when there There's no money in the circulation. [music] You know, we have we have Okay, now. The The supply is more than the demand now.

[00:04:26]>> If you have been killing ram, that is you reach the stage of killing ram. If you can afford it, it's not compulsory.

[00:04:33]If I didn't kill kill it, it's not compulsory. But as long as you can afford it, >> Mhm.

[00:04:37]>> you have been killing it.

[00:04:38]>> Yeah.

[00:04:38]>> So, you try to kill it. And uh you see, the important thing is people who know you have been killing. Like now, you have children. You know, children did not know the inflation. They will be happy to see They won't be happy if you don't kill. They will be Look, they are already looking up to it.

[00:04:53]You also you will will not be happy to see the children being sad on the day of Sallah.

[00:04:59]>> Sallah is more like um a prescribed [music] time, prescribed and sacred time that people use You know, they come around. They buy rams.

[00:05:07]Everybody is more like um >> [music] >> inclined towards buying and then killing a ram.

[00:05:13]Due to the sacrificial uh you know, >> Yes.

[00:05:16]>> by Almighty Allah. Do you understand?

[00:05:19]And on other days, rams are not like that. You know, [music] you don't have it like You don't sell it like that in Christmas.

[00:05:22]>> Yes.

[00:05:23]>> Period. You get that? But now, it's everything everybody Every Muslims, if you have the capacity, must buy one to slaughter one.

[00:05:31]>> So, especially ram.

[00:05:33]>> [music] >> My expectation when I came here is I thought that I would get like 850,000 or highest 1 million [music] for one.

[00:05:41]But now, the rate I used to buy, like category A, the biggest one is [music] like I can't I get it for 1.2. In Nigeria we are used to to rub get it. You know, you understand?

[00:05:56]For a very good example, you can see the What do you think caused this traffic?

[00:06:01]They're still going. They're still celebrating it. They're still traveling to celebrate it.

[00:06:05]This traffic was I entered this traffic from 7up. I have to turn back to go and pass through the route before I can come here.

[00:06:14]Just because people are struggling to celebrate Sallah.

[00:06:16]So, struggle continue, but I just pray everything will become better.

[00:06:20]>> This Sallah I get problem because first time I have to come.

[00:06:24]It will run like 500,000 like 400, 3 350, 3 400. Because people they will complain no get money for people.

[00:06:34]>> Not many people are buying rams now.

[00:06:36]Some of them prefer to buy cows and share.

[00:06:39]It is easy to share a cow [music] than to buy a ram and share. So, most of them prefer to buy cow and share.

[00:06:46]Yeah, you understand? That's why cow is more cow moves in the market now more than the rams.

[00:06:53]>> They went to the market to buy ingredients. They are telling me a crate of tomato is 80,000 naira. Not basket.

[00:07:02]>> A crate of tomato.

[00:07:03]>> of tomato.

[00:07:04]>> Like >> is about 150,000.

[00:07:08]So, definitely pepper is there, every other thing is there. You want to do your love day, ingredients are there. So, definitely you are buying a ram of even small one of 300,000. You will be prepared for another 150 to 200,000.

[00:07:22]>> I bought one at the rate of 1.2, [music] which is last year I bought it like uh 850, 900. [music] So, this this year is very expensive [music] more than last year.

[00:07:34]>> Two, three, four, five people can come or seven people can come around and share a cow.

[00:07:39]>> [music] >> So, For that don't have, uh know, they can't afford a ram, they can easily come around and share a cow.

[00:07:45]That is why >> [music] >> the the rams are the cow cattle are moving faster than rams.

[00:07:50]>> Last year, all that year, I used to buy like [music] five five four and kill in my own house. But this year, I think it's only three I can buy.

[00:07:59]>> And frankly speaking, I used to buy about three rams because I used to give people as well.

[00:08:05]But when I found out if I will have to buy three rams, there is no ram that you can see and say this is good for for for the for the hitch.

[00:08:16]It cost not less than 500,000.

[00:08:19]And I see that 500,000, I now compare with buying a cow.

[00:08:24]And Islamically, one person can buy a cow. You can share it with three three people or five people. So I now prefer buying a cow. Despite the fact that cow is also costly, but it's better than buying than buying a ram. Because by the time you buy three rams, you are spending your 1.5 million.

[00:08:45]You buy a cow for 1.5 million, it's more reasonable.

[00:08:49]>> Rice is cheap [music] because we bought it at the rate of 58,000 naira per per bag 50 kg.

[00:08:56]>> Two years ago, you can buy this one like 200 or 150. But now now, this one is like 350 400. Like something like two years ago, I buy a ram very big like this 250,000.

[00:09:08]But now that ram is 700,000. The cow I bought today 1.650.

[00:09:14]We bought it like five years ago 300,000.

[00:09:18]Exactly that side 300. But today now, I bought it 1.650.

[00:09:23]So everything is expensive. Not even times three or times four.

[00:09:27]>> Our government, each state each state each governor, they should go to farm.

[00:09:34]And have each state should [music] have a farm.

[00:09:36]Each state, if each governor Each governor Can have a farm All these things that we are shouting, we are not going to [music] be shouting If you can plant rice, plant rice. If you can plant tomato, plant tomato. If you can plant beans, plant beans. If you can plant only banana, plant banana.

[00:09:53]Then we DO TRADE BY BARTER. TRADE by barter for each thing. You that have yam, I'll give you banana. You'll give me yam. We are not going to suffer.

[00:10:01]Look at what what Awolowo did.

[00:10:04]When Awolowo was in the this thing, they have a farm in Eruwa. That farm is feeding Yoruba land. They have cocoa yam, which is thick thick stick at Ore.

[00:10:15]Where is all those things now?

[00:10:17]>> Food inflation in Nigeria is now over 16%. [music] Transportation costs are rising, animal feed is more expensive, and insecurity continues to disrupt supply routes across the country.

[00:10:29]>> Before, they don't cost, oh. Before, they go buy one bag, 7,000, 6,000. Now, when they go buy one bag, 20,000, >> More so, we are in the rainy season.

[00:10:40]They also they will tell you about the rate of hard currency like US dollar to naira.

[00:10:46]>> If you watch [music] it before Iran and US fight fuel is like almost 730.

[00:10:57]Whereas diesel is about 850.

[00:11:04]Suddenly, immediately they start the fight.

[00:11:06]>> Yes.

[00:11:07]>> Due to I think [music] they are still importing some fuel. Not only Dangote own we use to be sincere [music] if you understand Nigerian very well because to me, I follow what is going on in Nigeria and another another country.

[00:11:21]>> Some people no go see demo because everything don't cost. Some people no go see jam.

[00:11:26]If you buy they go buy ram like 400,000 for a load, they go come here they go sell am 380, 370. No go see jam.

[00:11:37]200 150, 120, 140.

[00:11:43]Because most of these [music] people now when they buy when they buy, they've have been disturbed by >> [music] >> by bandits.

[00:11:49]Most of their rams and cattle have been scattered away by the bandits.

[00:11:53]>> [music] >> Okay, let's assume somebody loses a trailer.

[00:11:57]A whole trailer of cattle or rams [music] or whatever. So the bandits now So probably the person borrows the money. By the time he goes back to the bank, he will want Whatever he buys now, >> [music] >> he wants to average all the money onto the ones.

[00:12:13]You just say you understand. The maram I want to buy for people maybe plus or minus 1, 1.2 million.

[00:12:21]But now 1.3, 1.5 million cannot even bear it.

[00:12:24]So I just have to But what I notice is that Nigeria They say the Yoruba say "Lalato losoke."

[00:12:34]If I throw a lumber, that is if I throw this thing up, definitely it's coming down.

[00:12:38]But since since I am Let me say since I'm born I've not seen something that go The fire that go up and come down.

[00:12:46]For now, let's not even talk about profit. Let's try to talk about breaking even.

[00:12:50]>> Buying cows is actually cheaper than buying rams. That is something I never expected I would hear today.

[00:12:57]>> [laughter] >> Well, yeah, there you've heard it from the horse's mouth. The horse's mouth.

[00:13:02]We've gotten the reactions of people to this year's Salah celebration in comparison to the previous years. I mean, um for comparison sake, you can look up the video we had about 2 years ago just to observe We came to this very market, you know, just to observe the costs of, you know, cows and cattle and, you know, cost of celebrating Salah in comparison to that video we did 2 years ago in comparison to now. Because here's the thing here. Nigerians Nigeria's GDP may be growing on paper, but in reality, I mean you've heard them. Nigerians are saying things are harder. Life isn't taking it easy on them. Especially [music] when it comes to this Salah celebration, a moment that is supposed to be one of abundance, joy, luxury is one where people have had to cut their coats according to even lesser than their size so to speak. Yet somehow Yet somehow Nigerians continue to adapt because beyond the economy, faith remains. From Kara Market, Lagos, Nigeria, this is Everyday Money Matters.

[00:14:08]Probably brought to you by Arise News.

[00:14:10]>> [music] [music]