Bakers, Seller Quote New Prices For Bread Amid Speculations of Crash in Flour
- Bakers have refuted viral reports that the price of flour has crashed drastically, which might lead to a fall in bread prices
- However, findings show that bread prices, a staple, have remained very steep as bakers continue to lament high production costs
- Checks show that bread prices have skyrocketed by over 200% in the last 24 months due high inflation and rise in input costs
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Millions of Nigerians hoping for a dip in bread prices may have to brace themselves.
Despite viral claims of a drop in flour costs, bakers insist there is no real reduction, leaving families grappling with soaring bread prices.
Source: Getty Images
Over the past year, bread costs have steadily climbed due to rising production expenses.
Today, a family-sized loaf once sold for N1,200 now costs N2,000 and above. Medium-sized loaves have jumped from N700 to N1,200, while small loaves have tripled from N100 to over N300.
Consumers demand price cuts
Amid these price surges, consumers have intensified pressure on bakers. Many argue that any reduction in flour, bread’s primary ingredient, should translate into lower prices at the counter.
A prior report by Legit.ng disclosed that flour prices surged to more than N80,000 per 50kg bag in markets across Kano, the northern states, and other parts of the country.
This sharp increase forced many bakeries to adjust bread prices upward. In several communities, loaves that previously sold for N700 rose to N1,200, while those that cost N500 climbed to N1,000.
By late last year, a 50kg bag of flour sold for N70,000–N71,000, while sugar cost between N83,000 and N85,000 per bag. However, by early March 2025, flour prices had fallen to about N58,000 and sugar to around N80,000.
Social media campaigns and calls for boycotts by some consumers have gained traction, reflecting frustration over the high cost of living.
Yet, bakers remain firm. Lagos-based Mrs. Mope Adepoju told Daily Sun that claims of a flour price crash are misleading.
“The price of flour has not come down in any meaningful way,” she said. “Even if it had, other ingredients like sugar, yeast, preservatives, butter, and vegetable oil remain expensive. Plus, energy costs are soaring. Accusing bakers of insensitivity isn’t fair.”
The real costs behind bread
According to a report by Daily Sun, bakers highlight that flour is just one part of a complex cost structure. A bag of sugar now sells for N75,000, yeast for N58,000, and preservatives for N70,000. Butter costs N40,000 a carton, while energy bills continue to climb.
These expenses, coupled with staffing and operational costs, leave little room for price cuts.
An anonymous baker explained that maintaining current bread prices is not about greed.
“We don’t enjoy seeing Nigerians struggle with bread prices. But with the costs of ingredients, electricity, and overheads, we either set sustainable prices or risk shutting down.
Many bakers are even considering closing shops because of high operating costs.”
Bakers caught between survival and public pressure
The reality is a delicate balance. Bakers want to keep bread affordable, yet production costs dictate pricing. Reducing prices without covering expenses could force closures, exacerbating the problem for consumers.
Despite mounting public pressure and rumors of cheaper flour, the industry faces no quick fix.
Source: Instagram
Until overall costs drop significantly, bread prices are expected to remain high, leaving Nigerians to navigate another year of inflated household expenses.
Efforts to reach the president of the Bakers Association for comment were unsuccessful, leaving questions about coordinated industry responses unanswered.
Inflation pushes bread prices high
Legit.ng earlier reported that there are signs that bread prices and other flour-based food items will continue to skyrocket as bakers and millers say there is no hope for solutions to the sector's key drivers.
Bakers disclosed that they would continue to pass on the costs to the consumers as the market conditions dictate.
However, findings show that leading firms in the sector are recording heavier profits than the rise in their production costs, indicating they may be passing on more than the actual production costs to the consumers.
Source: Legit.ng
