Furniture Makers Hike Price By 30%, Blame Closure Of Dei-Dei Timber Market

The attack on the Dei-Dei building materials market along the Kubwa-Zuba expressway in Abuja, has made some makers of furniture to increase prices as a survival strategy.

There was crisis at the market last week Wednesday, after a woman fell from a commercial motorbike and was crushed by a trailer which led to some shops being set on fire by commercial bike riders.

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Since May 19, the market was closed, but the Federal Capital Territory Administration on Thursday ordered its reopening.

Many people were confirmed dead by the FCTA as the market was shut down temporarily.

Victims are counting cost as the Vice-Chairman of the timber market, Ifeanyi Chigbata, said the shop owners have started taking inventory of properties destroyed during the riot.

No fewer than 20 cars were destroyed, while about 30 industrial machines worth N70 million each were lost in the fire, according to the Vice-Chairman.

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Furniture makers in the FCT see an imminent price surge over the attack on the building material market which is the biggest in the nation’s capital

Furniture makers who spoke to THE WHISTLER said they now have few options on where to source their materials.

Emma, the owner of Xtreme Furnitures is one of the furniture makers whose business have slowed down due to the closure of the market.

Emma said, “Even we that do production have seen material increase in price because of the shortage of materials. Those that have confidence to open shop (illegally) at the timber shade sell at exorbitant prices.

“It has affected the price of my products and for me I’m at Kugbo market, but most of the materials we use are at Dei Dei market because theirs is cheaper.”

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The sole proprietor explained that a complete set of MDF beds that was sold for N150,000 now costs about N200,000.

For a quality chair, the minimum price has risen to N250,000 from an average of N175,000 sold before the riot.

Mr Wale, another furniture maker, described the impact of the disaster as frustrating.

Wale gets his wood, plywood and other material needed for production at the Dei Dei building materials market.

But the recent development has left him with little options as he told THE WHISTLER that he does not get what is required for his work anymore.

“The situation has become so frustrating for us furniture makers in Abuja. I have gone there several times to see if I can buy it, but it is practically impossible,” said Wale.

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Not being able to buy the materials needed for production has made materials scarce and is causing prices of wood and other materials in other timber shade to surge.

Both large and small scale furniture makers are now resorting to the small building material market in Kugbo at Nyanya in the FCT, according to Wale.

He said, “We now go to Kugbo timber shade to buy and they have slightly raised the price. Some of the things we need to buy are not available at Kugbo which is causing serious worries among furniture makers.

“Personally, I now spend more on transporting materials, the prices of the materials are now more expensive and I don’t even find everything I need for production. So, all these things are already showing on the pricing of my furniture products.”

George, a furniture maker at Jahi district, said the development may trigger higher cost of building materials.

He said, “Prices will rise because we have to go to smaller markets where prices of materials are higher. We are only trying to manage the situation.”

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