Residents of Lagos State are making panic buying of food items and drugs to stock-up amid a further spread of the novel Coronavirus in the country.
Major markets were filled with consumers buying in large quantities in the case of an eventual shutdown of activities in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub.
A visit by BusinessDay to Mile 12 Market and Oyinbo Market – two major markets for foodstuff in the state, shows that consumers were mainly buying provisions, toiletries and food items with long shelf-live.
“Nigeria has 22 Coronavirus cases now of the virus and we do not know what will happen next, so I am stocking up my house with food items that would last for a month,” Mary Edema, a mother of two who was shopping at Mile 12 Market, said.
“It all started like this in Europe the numbers kept rising and now they have shut down completely. I pray we do not experience that in Nigeria but I still need to prepare,” Edema said.
Nigeria has recorded 22 cases of the novel coronavirus with Lagos having 9 of the cases.
The state has since ordered a shutdown of all schools and banned public gatherings exceeding 50 persons.
“My mother is asthmatic and I have bought 10 packs of inhaler for her just in case the situation gets worse and prices go up,” a buyer who gave her name as Bidemi, said.
Currently, the prices of drugs and food items are still relatively stable.
