‘Current Price Of Bag Of Cement Can Kill’ – Builder Laments

A resident of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Samuel Abayomi, who is in the process of building his own home, has voiced his frustration over the skyrocketing prices of cement.

During an interview with Vanguard, Abayomi expressed his concern, suggesting that the federal government’s policies or lack thereof, are making homeownership an increasingly unattainable dream for middle-income earners in Nigeria.

Abayomi’s plight is reflective of a broader issue: the cost of cement has soared to unprecedented levels, ranging from N12,000 to N15,000 per 50kg bag.

This dramatic increase has placed a significant financial strain on individuals looking to build homes, as well as on real estate developers and the construction industry as a whole.

Abayomi, in reaction to the spike, said, “I had planned to finish my house by June according to my own budget. Although the price of cement had initially gone up this month, I was still able to adjust, but this current price is sickening and can kill someone before his time.

“How does the government want us to do it? Should we steal and kill before we have our own houses to ourselves? I fear for my country Nigeria. Everything is just going up, not only cement, we have not even talked about food, we are just trying to survive on a daily basis.

“We are in a mess. If Tinubu doesn’t do something immediately, Nigeria will burn. I don’t think we can continue to bear this, the hardship is too much.”

An Abuja-based building contractor, Peter Ekondu, expressed shock about the astronomical rise in the cost of cement which he said has forced him to suspend work in one of the sites he was supervising.

He said, “It is distressing that not up to one week after one of my clients paid ₦5,500 expecting a supply of 100 bags of cement, he was told to add almost 50 per cent or come for a refund. As we speak, I had to suspend work on the site because of this dispute. The young men on site who work and get paid on a daily basis have been sent home, it is that bad.”