Food Prices Surge at Aliade Market as Cost of Living Bites Harder in Benue

Residents of Gwer Local Government Area in Benue State are grappling with rising food costs as prices of staple commodities at the popular Aliade Market continue to climb this week.

A market survey conducted on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, revealed persistent upward trends in the prices of grains, legumes, tubers, and livestock despite steady supplies reaching the market. Many households are feeling the pinch, with basic food items increasingly out of reach for low-income families.

Key current prices recorded at Aliade Market include:

– Groundnut: ₦50,000 per 50kg sack
– Maize (Corn): ₦30,000 – ₦35,000 per 50kg sack
– Groundnut Oil (Bottle): ₦2,500
– Red Oil (Bottle): ₦2,300
– Beans (40 days, green line): ₦55,000 – ₦60,000 per bag
– Soya Beans (red/black line): ₦57,000 – ₦60,000 per 50kg sack
– Beniseed (Sesame): ₦120,000 per bag
– Melon (Egusi, red/black line): ₦110,000 – ₦115,000 per 50kg sack
– Cassava Flour: ₦11,000 – ₦18,000 per bag
– Yam: ₦13,000 for 10 tubers
– Rice Paddy (red/black line): ₦25,000 – ₦30,000 per 50kg sack
– Tin of Rice: ₦13,000
– Millet: ₦25,000 – ₦30,000 per bag
– Akpu (Garri): ₦2,000 per bag
– Guinea Corn (red/yellow line): ₦50,000 per 50kg bag

Livestock prices have also risen sharply, with big goats selling for around ₦120,000 while smaller ones range between ₦30,000 and ₦60,000.

Traders attributed the high prices to increased transportation costs, seasonal factors, and reduced purchasing power among buyers. Shoppers expressed growing concern over the steady escalation, with many calling for urgent intervention to ease the burden on ordinary citizens.

As one of Benue State’s major commodity trading hubs, price movements at Aliade Market often mirror broader economic trends across the state and serve as an indicator of food affordability challenges facing residents in 2026.

By MC Oliver De Busy-brain