Nigeria’s poultry industry is facing a fresh supply shock as the price of day-old chicks — the backbone of egg production — has surged by 67 per cent in just three months, raising fears of an imminent egg shortage across the country.
Industry operators say the sudden spike is already disrupting poultry restocking cycles, with farmers struggling to secure young birds needed to rebuild egg-laying flocks.
The price of day-old chicks has climbed from about ₦1,800 in January to roughly ₦3,000, creating a bottleneck that could reduce egg supply in the months ahead.
Supply Chain Strain in the Poultry Industry
At the heart of the emerging crisis is a shortage of pullets—young hens raised specifically for egg production. Poultry farmers say hatcheries are currently unable to meet the surge in demand as many operators attempt to rebuild flocks.
Industry insiders note that securing chicks is no longer immediate. In many hatcheries, farmers must now wait up to three months for supply, highlighting how tight the production pipeline has become.
The supply crunch reflects a structural disruption that has been building over the past few years.
How Feed Costs Reshaped the Market
Nigeria’s poultry sector experienced a severe downturn in 2023 and 2024, when soaring prices of key feed ingredients, such as maize and soybeans, forced many small- and medium-scale farmers to shut down operations.
As farms exited the market, demand for chicks collapsed, pushing hatcheries and breeders to reduce production capacity.
Now, as feed costs begin to stabilize and farmers attempt to return to the industry, the system is struggling to catch up.
Breeders had earlier scaled back the production of parent stock—the hens and roosters used to produce fertilised eggs for commercial hatcheries. That earlier decision is now translating into a shortage of chicks today.
A Slow Recovery for Nigeria’s Poultry Sector
The livestock segment of Nigeria’s agriculture industry, where poultry dominates production, is only beginning to recover from recent contractions.
Data shows the sector recorded just 0.08 percent growth in 2025, following a 2.14 percent decline in 2024, underscoring how fragile the recovery remains.
For poultry farmers, the challenge is not simply about cost but timing. Egg production depends on consistent cycles of restocking young birds, and any disruption to that cycle can quickly translate into shortages in the market.
What It Means for Food Prices
Eggs remain one of Nigeria’s most affordable sources of animal protein, making supply disruptions particularly sensitive for households already dealing with rising food prices.
If the current shortage of chicks persists, analysts warn that egg production could drop in the coming months, pushing prices higher in both urban and rural markets.
For consumers, the potential outcome is simple: fewer eggs on the market and higher prices at the table.
The Bigger Picture
The emerging chick shortage illustrates a broader reality about Nigeria’s food system — agricultural supply chains are highly sensitive to cost shocks.
When feed prices spike or farmers exit production, the ripple effects can take years to correct. As poultry farmers return to the market, the industry is now confronting the lag between renewed demand and reduced production capacity.
How quickly hatcheries can rebuild their breeding stock may determine whether Nigeria experiences a temporary supply squeeze or a prolonged egg shortage.
