Residents, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, said this had affected the consumption of these products in many households.

They said the high cost of poultry products would deprive Nigerians of the health benefits of these products. Locals noted that the high cost of the product had led to it being added to other proteins, such as fish, goat and cow meats, which were also not cheaper.

Veronica Adejoha civil servant, said it was difficult for her to exclude the consumption of eggs, especially for her growing children, because of their nutritional value.

“I used to buy a crate or half a crate of eggs when the price was barely ₦1,000 or ₦2,000, but since the price increased to over ₦4,000, I I started buying in pieces.

“Sometimes I buy 10 pieces or less, depending on how much money I have. I still consider it nutritional value for my children’s diet and therefore will not stop buying it.

“I may not put meat in their food every day, but they still bring an egg each to school, at least twice a week. It is essential for the growth of children. she said.

Adejoh said she makes sure to add plenty of vegetables like spinach, carrots or lettuce into their diet to increase some protein as well. Chioma Okparaa businesswoman, said that as an adult she could do without eggs, but for children they need this product for good growth.

“I try to make sure my kids have eggs once a week because of their importance for health.” she added.

Okpara said that initially she gave her children eggs four times a week, but with the high cost of ₦5,400 to ₦6,000, she reduced their consumption of eggs and chickens.

“As for the chicken, I garnish it with goat meat because it has become almost unaffordable for ordinary mortals.

“I always get a kilo of goat meat for ₦6,500, but the smallest home-grown chicken you can get right now is between ₦8,000 and ₦12,000,” she noted.

Abubakar Sadiqa poultry farmer, said the high cost of a day-old chick and its feed had contributed to the cost of chicken and egg, the prices of which were rising every day.

According to him, a 25kg bag of Ultimate Superstarter now costs ₦23,900, up from ₦15,000 previously, adding that chicken feed prices are increasing almost every day.

“We farmers do not find it easy; most of the time we sell at a loss; customers always complain that eggs are expensive; the reason is because of the flows.

“If you don’t feed these birds well, they won’t lay eggs like they’re supposed to; we too are not satisfied with the way things have been going in the country.

“This business is no longer lucrative as before; With the high cost of feed, you won’t expect anything less than what we sell for eggs,” he said.

Sadiq called on the government to look into the plight of poultry farmers and come up with solutions to the ever-increasing prices of animal feed.

Also, Beatrice Alfaan egg seller, said her business had seen low footfall due to the constant increase in the price of eggs. Alfa said most of its customers, particularly bakers who usually buy up to 20 cases of eggs a day, are no longer buying such quantities. She said most of the time she ends up selling between five and 10 cases a day, down from 50 initially.

“People no longer buy in large quantities like before; most of them prefer to buy five pieces for ₦1,000 instead of buying a case due to the high cost.

“Most of the time eggs are not even available and if they are available you will find that the eggs are small. I know people still buy it because of its health benefits, especially for children.

“If feed prices continue to rise, farmers will have no choice but to continue to increase the price of the product.

“A large-sized egg crate now costs between ₦5,600 and ₦6,000, while a small-sized crate costs ₦5,400. Most of the time I come to the market and end up selling nothing. she noted.

Alfa called on the government to help farmers with incentives that would reduce the cost of feed and other poultry materials.