Eating chicken during Christmas in Nigeria is more than just a meal—it is a cultural practice that symbolizes celebration, prosperity, and social status.
For many households, serving chicken that was freshly killed and well-prepared marks a “good and festive Christmas.”
The presence of fresh chicken at Christmas dinner is often seen as a measure of success, making the holiday meal feel complete and joyous for families and their communities.
Most people prefer fresh chicken to frozen one as it contains high protein, vitamins, and minerals. They also believe the fresh chicken may have better tenderness and mouthfeel as muscle fibres are intact.
Price surge compared to 2024
As demand for poultry rises during the festive season, prices have surged significantly. A market survey conducted by Nairametrics shows:
- Adult layers now cost between N10,500 and N20,000
- Adult broilers sell for N18,000 to N30,000
This marks a sharp increase from last year, when layers were priced between N8,000 and N15,000, and broilers sold for N15,000 to N25,000.
The price of frozen chicken has also surged in the last year. Currently, one KG of frozen chicken sells for between N5,500 and N6,500, as against N4,000 – N4,800 it was sold for one year ago.
Retailers cite logistics costs
Retailers say the price hike has been gradual as Christmas approaches.
A seller in Ikorodu explained: “Three months ago, we sold the layers for N8,500, but now the price has gone up because we also bought them at a higher price at the farm, and then we spent money on transportation to bring them to the market.”
Another retailer in Ketu added that the last price she sells layers is N12,500, and it may increase as Christmas gets closer.
“The current price is even still better. The farmers are even telling us yesterday that they may likely increase the price when Christmas draws closer,” he said.
High cost of poultry feeds—or farmers’ greed?
Farmers point to soaring feed costs as the main driver of rising chicken prices.
Ade Usman, CEO of Ade Farms, explained: “A 50kg bag of broiler starter goes for N140,000, while broiler grower costs N121,500, and broiler finisher N112,500. How do you expect us to now sell at a loss? It is the price of poultry feeds, transportation, and other expenses like staff salaries, fuel to power the generator and other things that drive the price up. It is not easy for us, too.”
Emmanuel Elom, another poultry farmer, emphasized that feed costs are the biggest challenge for poultry farmers. He explained that while poultry farming appears profitable, expenses such as feed, mortality and medication significantly reduce earnings.
“The public thinks poultry farming is very lucrative, but they don’t consider the expenses. Yes, we buy birds at N1,000 plus and sell at N10,000, but feed and medication costs eat deep into that money.”
He added that imported raw materials like wheat and maize make feed production costly, while some farmers prefer exporting for better profits due to exchange rate gains.
“The government is supposed to buy from the farmers so they don’t incur losses and can return to their farms. If they sell locally and don’t see any profit, they won’t want to return to farming.”
However, not everyone agrees. A poultry worker in Ibadan argued that farmers are exploiting the festive season. He told Nairametrics that prices of corn and other grains have reduced recently, but farmers have refused to reduce the price of eggs and chicken.
“A congo of corn has come down to N600, but farm owners will not reduce prices of eggs and chicken because they want to take advantage of the festive season to cash out.”
Broader challenges: Insecurity and climate change
Nigeria’s poultry industry also faces structural challenges. Insecurity, climate change, and disruptions in food production have driven up the cost of livestock feed such as maize and soybeans, further straining farmers and consumers.
What you should know
In response, Lagos State recently launched the second phase of its subsidy program, Ounje Eko Phase II, aimed at easing food inflation during the holiday season.
- The initiative provides feed subsidies to participating farmers to stabilize production costs and make poultry products more affordable. Officials hope this will lead to a modest drop in egg and chicken prices.
- Still, with Nigerians grappling with some of the highest food inflation rates in decades, many households remain braced for a costly Christmas. Whether government efforts will reflect in final retail prices remains to be seen.
