NEWS
Residents Raise Concerns as Beans Price Soars in Lagos
Lagos residents are raising concerns about continued increase in the price of beans, their major source of protein.
They said that consistent rise in the price of beans since 2024 had become unbearable, urging governments to intervene.
The residents spoke in interviews on Sunday in Lagos.
Reports says that a 40kg bag of beans, which sold for N26,000 in January, now sells for N115,000, while a 100kg bag which sold for N55,000 at the beginning of the year, now sells for N230,000.
This made the staple food beyond the reach of many of the residents.
Mrs Uloma Chigozirim, a housewife and mother of four on Santos Estate, Akowonjo, expressed worry that children might be malnourished following the high increase in the price of beans.
“Beans used to be the cheapest food; now, we do not even understand what is going on.
“Every other week, the price keeps going up; even traders cannot tell us the reason for the hike.
“Beans used to be the cheapest source of protein for the average resident, but the produce is now too expensive to afford.
“We really need government intervention, else a lot of us will be malnourished,” Chigozirim said.
Hinting on the possible reason for the hike in the price of the produce, Mr Uche Ikenga, a beans farmer at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, noted that the produce was not an all-season crop.
“It has the time it is cultivated.
“The peak period for beans harvest is usually at the end of the year. Then we have enough supply for the growing demand of the produce.
“However, harvest time is the time some cattle are foraging everywhere for food.
“Last year, a lot of farmers lost their harvest because their beans farms were consumed by the foraging cows.
“The produce is scarce and expensive this year because the harvest of last year was low,” Ikenga said.
A beans trader at the Dry Foodstuff Section of Ile-Epo Market, Agege, Mr Ahmed Yusuf, said that beans might not be unavailable in the coming months.
“We sold a small bucket of beans for N6,500 last two weeks but now the same quantity sells for N 8,000.
“The price just keeps soaring everyday, and we sell as we buy. We no longer keep because of the price unpredictability.
“We are not even sure if we will have beans to sell by this time next month because the produce is unavailable,” he said.
Yusuf said that demand for beans had been high but farmers did not have enough because so many of them could not cultivate crops this year.
“There is nothing we can do about the price hike, it has gone beyond our control,” Yusuf said.
A seller of jewellery, Mrs Bunmi Arowolo, called for intervention of the federal and Lagos State governments in the situation.
“Early in May, I bought a paint (small) bucket of beans for N7 500 as against N3,000 previously.
“As common form of protein, I now manage the little quantity for my family.
“I want to appeal to the governments to tackle insecurity so that farmers can go to their farms again and make the produce available and affordable,” Arowolo said.
Emphasising the importance of beans in Nigerians’ diets, Ms Adaeze Oparaku, a nutritionist at the Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said: “The produce is an important source of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fibre for both adults and children.
“It contains micronutrients such as the Vitamin Bs, good source of minerals such as phosphorus, copper, manganese, iron.
“Beans should be a regular staple in children’s diet, if they like it.
“However, given the rise in the price of the produce, it can be substituted with other protein sources in children’s meals.”
Mrs Eugenia Uloma, a trader at the popular Kotangora Market in Abule-Egba area, said that beans had been a major part of the Nigerian diet and important to every Nigerian.
“The produce is so expensive, but we still buy the quantity we can afford because it is our major source of protein.
“Other protein sources are even more expensive.
“We do not need so much from the government, if it can address this growing food inflation, we will be grateful.
“Let us just have food to eat, that is what most of us are asking. We need to feed our families to live, especially the children,” Uloma said.
A vegetable farmer, Mrs Barinedum Legbara, called for adequate planning for increased local production of beans.
“We buy beans as a basic necessity in our diet. Government should do something about the beans issue.
“We need adequate planning for strategic cultivation of beans so as to avoid this scarcity and hike.
“We have everything in this country to feed ourselves. Farmers should be empowered to cultivate crops for food security.
“Nigeria is fertile, we just need to be more strategic in our crop cultivation to give us sizeable yields and good prices,” Legbara said. (NAN)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 85-year-old grandmother and five other suspected drug traffickers during coordinated raids in Edo.
The Edo Commander of NDLEA, Dr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Benin.
Ofoyeju said the operations led to the seizure of 407.
39kg of cannabis and other illicit substances, including 546g of loud, 114g of tramadol, four grams of diazepam and three grams of swinol.The NDLEA boss identified the suspects as Grace Ehimeka, 85; Ali Garba, 57; Habib Braimoh, 45; Musa Mubid, 35; Ayo Aigberadion, 53; and Hope Okoro, 35.
He said Ehimeka, also known as Mama Grace, was arrested at her residence in Warake on Oct. 16, with 15 bags of cannabis weighing 179kg.
Ofoyeju noted that old age was no excuse for violating the law, adding that the command remained committed to combating illicit drug trafficking in the state.
“The NDLEA Act is clear: you cannot hide under the canopy of old age and perpetrate acts that violate the law.
“The octogenarian, Grace Ehimeka, was apprehended on Oct. 16, in her house at Warake community.
“This is a bad example for her children and grandchildren,” he said.
The commander said Ehimeka admitted ownership of the drugs in her statement and pleaded for another chance.
Ofoyeju said operatives arrested Garba in Ivbiaro on Oct. 15, with 5.85kg of cannabis, while Braimoh was arrested in the same community on the same day with 100g of the substance.
He added that Mubid was arrested in Warake too with two kilograms of cannabis, 309g of cannabis seeds, 114g of loud and 135g of assorted pharmaceuticals, including tramadol, swinol and diazepam.
According to him, Aigberadion was arrested in Ewe/Irue, Owan East Local Government Area, on Oct. 16, with 220.8kg of cannabis.
Ofoyeju said Okoro was apprehended in Auchi town with 237g of loud.
“The arrests and seizures form part of our renewed efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse,” he said.
The NDLEA chief urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to support the fight against drug trafficking and abuse. (NAN)
Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s economy would have collapsed had President Bola Tinubu not taken what he called far-reaching decisions.
He said but for the tough decisions, critics would by now be writing epistles on a collapsed economy from the comfort of their homes in Dubai and New York.
Shettima spoke at a forum titled ‘Together till 2027: An Evening with Original City Boy’, organised by the City Boy Movement in conjunction with the Relax-Tinubu-Is-Fixing-Nigeria movement, both of which are backing the President’s reelection in the January 2027 elections.
The Vice President credited the President’s decisions for the economy’s recovery.
He said, “The President took those far-reaching decisions. He had the courage of conviction and the knowledge to take those far-reaching decisions that repositioned the Nigerian economy, so that now the economy grew by 4.43 per cent in the last quarter.
“Most importantly, our foreign reserves are now hovering at the level of $60bn.
“Remember how far we have come. It’s only those who have been in the deepest valley that will appreciate how magnificent it is to be on a mountain top.”
To the critics of the administration, Shettima said, “The same people that are crying wolf. If the President had not taken those far-reaching decisions, Walahi, I am not talking to you as a politician. I am talking to you as a Nigerian, our economy would have collapsed.
“These people, by now, would be writing epistles on a collapsed economy from the comfort of their homes in Dubai, in New York, or in marriage with their young Moroccan wives.
“I have not mentioned anybody’s name.”
He admitted that Nigerians had endured hardship, but said it could have been worse.
“Your Excellency, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the President has to be commended, not demonised.
“Yes, Nigerians have gone through some tough times, but it could have been worse.
“Be reassured that in the coming weeks, the President will come up with robust responses to agricultural challenges, and prices of foodstuff will certainly come down,” he stated.
The Vice President said efforts were being made to reposition the economy, citing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and investments in infrastructure. He then asked the youth to carry the message to the streets.
“I urge the youth of Nigeria. I beseech thee. I implore you to go out to the streets and tell the truth to other Nigerians,” he stated.
At the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council on October 14, Shettima mocked the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and the former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, over their economic proposals.
The National Bureau of Statistics reported on August 31 that real GDP grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter, up from 4.23 per cent a year earlier.
It put headline inflation at 14.63 per cent in September, down from 15.39 per cent in August and 20.98 per cent in September 2025.
Food inflation, however, was 19.59 per cent.
Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria put external reserves at $55.07bn as of October 9.
The City Boy Movement, led by its Director-General, Francis Shoga, unveiled a nationwide campaign for Tinubu’s reelection on June 11, when Shettima received its leaders at the Presidential Villa.
The Minister of Youth Development said it had representatives in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The APC flags off its campaign in Kaduna on October 24, ahead of the presidential election on January 16, 2027.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) said no fewer than 56,000 candidates registered for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates (Second Series).
The Head, National Office (HNO), WAEC, Suleiman Kum, disclosed this during an inspection of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) English Language examination on Saturday in Lagos.
The inspection took place at the WAEC Training and Testing Centre, Ijaiye Road, Ogba, where candidates sat for the examination.
Kum said that the registered candidates included about 272 walk-in candidates who enrolled to remedy individual subjects.
He said that Lagos State recorded more than 22,000 candidates, including about 50 walk-in candidates sitting for the examination.
The WAEC official said that the adoption of CBT was to curb examination malpractices, strengthen the credibility of the exercise and promote transparency.
He said that WAEC introduced CBT in 2024 and had continued to improve the process to strengthen examination security and reduce malpractice.
“We have discovered that the Computer-Based Test, popularly known as CBT, is truly the best way to conduct examinations because malpractice is drastically reduced,” Kum said.
He said that candidates were thoroughly searched before entering examination halls, to prevent prohibited materials from being taken inside and safeguard the integrity of the exercise.
“We do not set traps for candidates; we want to prevent malpractice by ensuring they enter the examination hall without unauthorised materials,” Kum said.
He said that the council would continue to adopt innovations to improve examination administration and sustain its reputation for integrity.
“WAEC will continue to improve to ensure that it remains the benchmark for examination integrity and innovation in Nigeria,” Kum said.
The HNO advised candidates to study diligently, practise WAEC past questions and marking schemes, and read chief examiners’ reports to improve their performance.
“The chief examiners’ reports show candidates’ weaknesses, strengths and how they should answer questions, which can greatly improve their performance,” he said.
The examination is part of WAEC’s ongoing transition toward computer-based testing. (NAN)
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