Suya spots dying in Kano 
By Ali Baba-Inuwa
Local suya spots, popularly called tsire spots are dying in Kano, as most operators close shop, due to low or poor patronage caused by the current rising cost of living in the country.
Suya, is a traditional Hausa smoke-grilled spiced meat on skewer, made with thin-sliced spiced beef, lamb, goat, ram, or chicken arranged on wooden skewers.
Our correspondent who went round the ancient city, reports that most of the local suya spots had either been closed down or operating at a very low level.
Malam Aminu Isa, a butcher and a suya spot operator in Karkasara in Tarauni Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, said he had been managing to stay afloat for a very long time as the sales were very low.
“Before now, an average suya stick is sold for between N300 and N500, while a whole chicken suya was sold for between N1,500 and N2,000 and many people could afford them.
“But now, a suya stick which is much more smaller than the previous one is sold for about N1,000 while a chicken suya is sold for about N7,000 how many Nigerians can afford this.
“Most of us are just managing to survive because the business environment is not friendly anymore, we barely make sales these days, talk less of recording profit.
“Many suya sellers have been pushed out of business, due to heavy debt, this is because we usually buy the meat on credit before setting the owners after making our profits,” he said.
Isa said that most operators found it difficult to recover the cost of the animal, as there are always unsold stock.
“Most butchers operating suya spots have closed shop and moved to other businesses for survive, I pray that the economic situation in the country will improve in the nearest future, so that the good olden days will return, ” he said.
Malam Ubaliyo Saleh, a suya spot operator in Bachirawa in Ungogo LGA, corroborated Isa’s claim.
“The patronage is very, how many Nigerians can afford three square meals today, before thinking about eating suya.
“Sometimes, the meat remain unsold for days and this is perishable, the seller is forced to either take it home or dispose it when it gets rotten.
“This is what is pushing many butchers out of business,” he said.
Saleh said the situation was not limited to the suya business alone, as it had affected entire meat business.
“The animals are very expensive, an average size goat that was sold for N20, 000 in 2024, is now sold for about N60,000 pushing the price of meat up, so many Nigerians can’t even afford to buy, ” he said.
But, Malam Lawal Umar, a suya seller at the Kofar Wambai Market in Kano Municipal, said his business was not affected by the rising cost of living.
“We thank God that business has been booming, you can see customers coming and going, the patronage is good and all praise be to Allah for that.
“We buy our meat at a high cost and we also sell at high cost to recoup our cost,” he said.
Some residents also spoke on the issue, saying that they had been forced to remove meat from their daily menu, due to high cost of living.
Malam Aminu Abdulsalam, a civil servant and a resident of Sheka, said he had no business visiting suya spot as he couldn’t afford the price.
“It used to be our tradition buying suya on our way home from either work or business in the evening, in fact it was a kind of pride for an individual to visit suya spots and buy some for his family on his way home.
“This is most especially for a newly married person, who is trying to win the heart of his wife.
“But all that is history now as people are now concern with survival.
“The high cost of the suya meat is also a factor,” Abdulsalam said.
Hajiya Ralia Alaramma, a resident of Alkantara, supported the claim, adding that most people are only concerned with taking care of their immediate needs, rather than seeking unnecessary pleasure.
Alaramma, a mother of seven and a widow, said she had forgotten the last time, she bought suya for her family.
“We don’t even consider things like that in our plans these days, what we do is to concentrate on getting the necessary food items for the children, with the current high cost of living, we are hoping that things will change for the better in future, ” she said.
