From Left-Right: Chairman Board of Trustees (BOT), Association of Professional Food Service Providers of Nigeria (APFSPN), Morenike Okupe, Chief Executive Malas Food & Catering Ltd; President of APFSPN, Monioluwa Osho, MD, Simply She Catering Ltd; Public Relations Officer APFSPN, Afolake Oba-Kasumu; and member Board of Trustee and MD, MM& B Catering services, Mrs Mubo Adegoke at a Press conference by APFSPN on hike in food commodities prices in Nigeria

The Association of Professional Food Service Providers (APFSPN) has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on food security in response to the rising cost of food in the country.

APFSPN President, Monioluwa Osho made the appeal during a protest by the caterers’ association in Lagos yesterday over the steady increase in prices of commodities.

Monioluwa Osho, the Chief Executive of Simply She Catering Limited stated that ” food prices continued to be on the rise across Nigeria markets daily.”

” The galloping inflation has further deteriorated the living conditions and reduced purchasing power of the citizens due to the impact of govt sudden removal of fuel
subsidy”.

” APFSPN members are protesting the gradual extinction of their catering businesses caused by a persistent daily increase in food prices,” she said.

Monioluwa, the Chief Executive of Euclid Floral and Events disclosed further that a markets check conducted by our members revealed that prices of foodstuff have been on astronomical and steady increase daily for the past twelve months at over 28.2 per cent quoting NBS statistics.

The Chairman of Board of Trustees of APFSPN, Mrs Morenike Okupe, the Chief Executive of Malas Catering Limited added that food commodities monitored include: Garri, wheat, meat, flour, noodles, sugar, millet, onion, maize, pepper, tomatoes, palm oil, vegetable oil, beans, rice, yam, and sorghum.

The food price increase is being aggravated by the prolonged insecurity, poor policies, CBN Naira floating, and wars between Russia – Ukraine and Israeli-Hamas.

In her contributions, APFSPN Spokesperson, Folake Oba- Kasumu disclosed that the price of a bag of rice increased by 60.5 and transport fares by 60.59 within one year.

“As the citizens enter the yuletide season, one bag of rice has risen to 60,000 Naira and has hits 17 years high as the food prices continue to soar.

“APFSPN therefore appealed to the federal government to release reserves from the grain silos to curtail the rice in prices of commodities such as grains.