In Abuja, Nigeria, Yunus Akanji sat in his modest madrassa listening to children recite the Quran. For years, he traveled with his family to Oyo State for Eid al-Adha (Sallah) or bought a ram to celebrate with students. This year, neither is happening.

“I have concluded that we will just celebrate with whatever we have,” he told Al Jazeera. Rising food and transport costs are reshaping how families prepare for the festival. Akanji noted that even parents supporting his madrassa are struggling: “Most of them have not even paid.”

Nafisa Ibrahim from Ogun, currently in Abuja for a mandatory program, canceled her trip home due to transport costs. “Transportation is about 35,000 naira ($26), compared to 15,000 naira ($11) in February,” she said. Her family may not be able to slaughter an animal this year.

Fashion designer Opeyemi Ibrahim in Byazhin district reported a sharp drop in customers. Rising fuel costs and erratic electricity have increased expenses: “When there is no electricity, we run the generator. Filling it costs about 10,000 naira ($7).”

At a livestock market in Kubwa, seller Malam Ibrahim watched buyers walk away after asking prices. “This ram is selling for 600,000 naira ($438). Last year, the same size was below 350,000 naira ($255),” he said. Transporting animals from the north has become more expensive. If sales remain slow, animals may go unsold after Eid.

At Kubwa village market, vendors of tomatoes, onions, rice, and cooking oil reported slower sales. “We used to celebrate Eid with joy,” one trader said quietly. “Now we just calculate what we can afford.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com