NOA Warns Against Hoarding, Price Inflation of Staple Foods During Ramadan and Lent

Abuja, Nigeria – The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has issued a stern warning to traders and market operators across Nigeria against hoarding and artificially inflating prices of essential food items during the holy periods of Ramadan and Lent.

The Director General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, expressed concern over reports that some marketers are deliberately withholding staple commodities commonly consumed during fasting periods, creating artificial scarcity and driving up prices stressing  that this period calls for reflection, charity, and empathy for the less privileged, and that exploiting it for excessive profit is morally wrong and economically disruptive. The deliberate hoarding of food items undermines national efforts to maintain economic stability, fuels inflation, and places avoidable hardship on families already facing challenging economic conditions .  While Trade associations, market unions, and commodity groups have been urged to enforce internal discipline and discourage exploitative behaviour among their members, working together with regulatory authorities to ensure ethical market standards are upheld.

NOA reaffirmed its commitment to nationwide sensitisation campaigns promoting value reorientation, economic responsibility, and national cohesion.

Written by Adeyemi Adewale