Bakers threaten to close operations over high cost of energy, others

Bakers of bread, a popular staple food among the country’s masses, may likely close their operations due to high cost of energy and other running costs of their bakeries The Trumpet gathered.

President of Premium Bakers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Obiorah, who stated this while addressing journalists in Lagos, said the high cost of energy and inflation in the country might force them out of business. Obiorah said the bakery industry is now in precarious situation, adding that before the month ends, if the situation continues, all bakers and bakery owners would have closed their operations.

“Bread bakers are in precarious state. Before the beginning of next month, most bakers and bakery owners would have closed their businesses. Before the Russia-Ukraine war, we were buying diesel for between N190 and N250 per litre depending on the location.

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“But as of today, we buy diesel for between N700 and N850 per litre. The situation is made worse by the fact that power supply in the last three months have become very epileptic. There are many days in which we remain in total darkness and in such days, we operate our ovens and machines on private power supply.

“Nigerians are already complaining that bread and confectioners are too expensive, but with the price of diesel, flour and wheat now, the wise thing to do is to simply shut down.

“Before now, many bakers have closed their bakeries, the few of us who have continued to manage the situation have now got to a situation where we can no longer increase our prices,” he said.