Ebonyi residents lament rising costs of building materials

Abakaliki residents have expressed concern over rising building material prices in the country, saying the trend is making house construction and rent difficult for citizens

They made this known on Thursday during a market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Abakaliki Building Materials Market.

Residents said the rise in prices of cement, iron rods, roofing materials, planks, and other construction materials began between June and August.

Mr Benjamin Aniekwe, a resident, told NAN that a 50kg bag of Dangote Cement now sells between N13,000 and N13,500, up from N11,800 in August.

“Similarly, the price of a 12mm iron rod increased from N7,800 to N8,500, while the 10mm rod rose from N10, 800 to N12,000.

“The 6mm rod also increased from N14,500 to N15,000, while the 8mm rod rose from N3,200 to N3,500.

“Other materials like POP ceiling rising from N6,000 to N6,500 and PVC from N25,500 to N26,000,” he stated

Aniekwe added that a plain ceiling is sold for N5, 000 as against N4, 300 while “2×2 planks is sold for N1,000 against N800 and 2×4 planks now sold for N1,400 as against N1,100 sold previously.

“The price of 3×3 wall plates rose from N2,300 a plank to N3,500, while decking planks increased from N2,600 each to N2,800.

“Also, three-inch nails increased from N29,500 a bag to N30,000, while two-inch nails rose from N30, 500 a bag to N31, 000,” Aniekwe said.

Another resident, Franklin Idam, said traders were also lamenting declining patronage amid increased transportation and operational costs.

A cement dealer, who gave her name as Madam Zenith, attributed the rising prices to increased diesel and transportation costs.

Zenith expressed concern over the decline in sales, saying her daily sales had dropped from between 200 and 300 bags of cement to between 40 and 50 bags.

“Before now, I used to sell between 200 and 300 bags daily, but I now sell only 40 to 50 bags,” she said.

Mr Okechukwu Agala, a plank dealer, said that increases in building material prices were common during the dry season because many people usually embarked on construction projects during the period.

“My customers expressed frustration over the rising costs, saying the situation was affecting their ability to undertake building projects.

Mr Nwabueze Nwanchor, a customer who visited the market to buy cement, expressed dissatisfaction with the continuous price increases.

Another customer, Mr Obinna Ede, said the rising cost of building materials had frustrated his plan to construct a two-bedroom house.

“I want to build a two-bedroom house, but I cannot afford it because my budget is lower than the current prices of building materials in the market,” he said.

Ede noted that the growing trends, rising house rents, and financial challenges facing prospective homeowners would continue if ignored.