Cement prices in Nigeria have risen suddenly, reportedly driven by high inflation that advanced to 22.4 per cent in May. In some markets, a 50kg bag of cement has increased in price from NGN4600-4700 (US$5.92-6.04) to NGN5000 in the space of a few days.
According to The Guardian, the prices of building materials have increased by more than 70 per cent between 2022 and July 2023. Retailers have blamed this on higher logistics costs, along with higher fuel costs due to the removal of the fuel subsidy.
One cement dealer in Lagos told The Guardian that this latest price adjustment has come from the cement factories but no reason for the sudden price rise has been announced.