An acute scarcity of one of Nigeria’s most popular staple foods, bread, has struck Kaduna, Katsina, and Kano States, causing widespread distress among residents. Pathwaynews correspondents report that bread, now as scarce as petrol or gold, has seen its prices soar dramatically.
Residents struggling to find bread have turned to other alternatives such as noodles, millet porridge, bean cake, and bread with beans. The price of bread has increased by 20 to 40 percent, making it unaffordable for many.
Shop owners and consumers have voiced their frustrations, urging for immediate action to address the crisis. A baker in Kaduna, who spoke anonymously, explained, “It is not that we are on strike, but we have had to stop production since July 1, 2024. This unfortunate development was necessitated by the scarcity of wheat flour and its high cost, as well as sugar, oil, and other additives. For instance, in June, we were buying a 50kg bag of flour for between N53,000 to N55,000, which has regrettably skyrocketed to between N67,000 to N70,000. How can we produce bread and also break even under this precarious situation?”
