Lagos State poultry farmers say residents may see a modest drop in the cost of eggs and chicken in the coming weeks, as the state government launches the second phase of a subsidy program aimed at easing food inflation ahead of the holiday season.
The initiative, known as Ounje Eko Phase II, is part of a broader effort by the Lagos Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems to curb soaring food prices during the year-end period, when demand for poultry sharply increases.
The program provides feed subsidies to participating farmers intended to stabilize production costs and make staple foods more affordable for consumers.
In an interview, Foluso Adams, Vice President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria’s Lagos chapter and Chairman of the Aiyedoto Poultry Farmers Settlement, said the intervention is already prompting discussions among farmers about lowering retail prices.
What they said
“The Ounje Eko Farmers’ Subsidy Programme will definitely go a long way toward cutting down the price of poultry produce during the yuletide,” Adams said.
He added that the association is projecting a reduction in the price of a crate of eggs, now selling for between N5,500 and N6,000, to approximately N5,100 to N5,300 once subsidized feed begins circulating.
Adams noted, however, that the program does not reach all farmers equally. The state is supplying a single feed brand Animal Care, which not all farmers use. Even so, he said the association has encouraged members who benefit from the subsidy to “contribute back to society” by reducing their prices.
“There is even a letter to that effect,” he said, explaining that a delegation of farmers will meet with officials in Alausa this week to formalize the price adjustments and show evidence of the program’s impact. Materials from the subsidy scheme are expected to begin arriving on Wednesday, with 50 farmers from the Aiyedoto settlement listed among the beneficiaries.
More insights
Adams said the subsidy has had an immediate ripple effect across the feed market. “Other feed processors are also bringing down the price of their commodities so that they will not lose their customers,” he said. “They don’t want to go out of the market, as that is their source of income and livelihood.”
Beyond eggs, Adams said the association expects prices of chicken, traditionally in high demand during Christmas, to ease as well, though negotiations on poultry pricing are still underway.
He urged other states to adopt similar interventions. “If other states tap into what Lagos State Government is doing, the price of poultry produce will drastically come down during the yuletide season,” he said.
The announcement comes as Nigerians continue to grapple with some of the highest food inflation rates in decades, leaving many households bracing for a costly holiday period. The Lagos subsidy program, if effective, could offer a small but welcome reprieve.
