“When food prices become instruments of division and hospitality turns into exploitation…” Coalition Laments Disparity in Food Prices Across Northern & Southern Nigeria

A group named the Coalition for Better Nigeria has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his timely interventions, which have lowered the prices of food commodities. However, the group lamented that this relief appears to be a reality primarily across Northern Nigeria, while prices continue to spike in major cities, mostly in the Southern part of the country—including Lagos, Delta, Port Harcourt, Akwa Ibom, Warri—and even in the Federal Capital Territory during festive seasons.

This was disclosed by the group at a press conference on Wednesday on the State of the Nation, held in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Addressing journalists, the Coalition’s Spokesperson, Ambassador Yahaya Garba, while highlighting several national issues such as insecurity and developments in the oil and gas sector, focused particularly on the state of the economy—especially the prices of goods and services across the country.

The group also took the opportunity to appreciate President Tinubu for ensuring that air ticket prices for domestic flights were reduced, giving Nigerians greater access to air travel, while also noting the wide disparity between economy and business class fares.

“Yet, amid these commendable strides, a troubling contradiction demands urgent attention. A fundamental question confronts the conscience of the nation: Why did the prices of food, hotel accommodation, and basic hospitality services become extravagantly inflated during the Christmas and New Year festivities in major cities such as Lagos, Delta, Port Harcourt, Akwa Ibom, Warri, and the Federal Capital Territory, while the same commodities and services remained comparatively affordable across Northern Nigeria?”

“Why did eateries and restaurants in parts of the East and some states in the West engage in unchecked price escalation, while similar establishments in the North maintained restraint and moderation?

“This disparity is neither accidental nor harmless. It raises grave concerns that some unpatriotic elements are deliberately weaponising commerce to deepen ethnic and religious fault lines. When food prices become instruments of division and hospitality turns into exploitation, national unity is placed on a fragile ledge.”

The group described the situation as ‘economic sabotage’, stressing that if left unchecked, it will erode public trust and harm the administration’s reputation.

“Economic sabotage dressed as festive opportunism is a silent poison. If left unaddressed, it will corrode public trust and inflict reputational harm on the presidency itself.”

The group called on President Tinubu to deal with the situation decisively and to prevent any attempt to manipulate the market and use it as a tool for sectarian grievance.

“We therefore call on President Tinubu to confront this emerging threat decisively and prevent the manipulation of markets as tools of sectional grievance.”

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