Egg Scarcity Looms as Day-Old Chick Prices Surge 67%

Why It Matters

The surge in chick prices fuels an egg shortage that raises consumer costs and strains Nigeria’s protein‑security goals, while exposing vulnerabilities in the poultry supply chain.

Key Takeaways

• Day‑old chick price up 67% since Jan 2026
• Supply shortage due to hatcheries lacking parent stock
• Feed cost decline spurs farmers returning, increasing demand
• Naira devaluation raises import costs for fertilised eggs
• Egg price hits N6,000 per crate, threatening nutrition

Pulse Analysis

The sharp 67% rise in day‑old chick prices reflects a perfect storm of supply‑side constraints and renewed demand in Nigeria’s poultry sector. After a three‑year slump driven by soaring maize and soybean feed costs, lower feed prices have encouraged former producers to restock, creating a sudden surge in pullet demand. Hatcheries, however, have struggled to replenish parent and grand‑parent stock, a lag that forces farmers to wait months for chicks and drives up prices for both chicks and eggs.

Compounding the supply bottleneck, the recent devaluation of the naira has made imported fertilised eggs—essential for hatchery operations—significantly more expensive. Many hatcheries, already reeling from previous shutdowns, have scaled back production rather than absorb higher input costs. This currency shock, coupled with lingering cash‑flow challenges, has reduced the availability of day‑old chicks, pushing egg crate prices to N6,000, a level many consumers cannot afford.

The ripple effects extend beyond the poultry industry to national nutrition targets. Eggs are a cornerstone of Nigeria’s "egg‑per‑day" initiative aimed at improving protein intake among children, yet rising prices threaten to widen the gap between actual and FAO‑recommended protein consumption. Analysts predict that unless hatcheries can restock parent flocks and stabilize foreign‑exchange costs, the sector will need another full laying cycle—approximately six months—to alleviate the shortage, leaving households and the broader food‑security agenda in a precarious position.