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Nigeria’s food inflation has risen every month since January 2026, climbing 8.07 percentage points to 16.96% in May
  • Nigeria’s year-on-year food inflation rose for the fourth consecutive month, from 8.89% in January 2026 to 16.96% in May.
  • The rate increased by 8.07 percentage points within the first five months of 2026.
  • May’s 16.96% rate means food prices were, on average, 16.96% higher than they were in May 2025.
  • Food inflation rose from 12.12% in February to 14.31% in March and 16.06% in April before reaching 16.96% in May.
  • Food inflation exceeded Nigeria’s 15.93% headline inflation rate in May, showing that food was a major source of renewed pressure on household expenses.

Among 44 African countries, Nigeria's 16.96% food inflation in May 2026 was lower only than that of Libya and Malawi
  • Nigeria recorded the third-highest food inflation rate among 44 African countries in May 2026.
  • At 16.96%, Nigeria’s rate was lower only than Libya and Malawi, both at 17.6%.
  • Nigeria’s food inflation was nearly 3.5 times the 4.88% average across the countries covered.
  • Eight of the ten countries with the highest food inflation recorded rates above 10%.

Healthy diet costs rose fastest in Nigeria’s North-West over two years
  • Healthy diet costs rose 49% nationally in two years.
  • North-West states recorded the fastest increases.
  • All seven North-West states rose above the national average.
  • Katsina and Kogi recorded the steepest increases, at 98%.
  • Akwa Ibom had the lowest increase, at 5%.

One adult’s monthly healthy diet takes two-thirds of minimum wage
  • One adult’s healthy diet takes 66% of Nigeria’s minimum wage.
  • The national average monthly cost is about ₦46,230 per adult.
  • Ekiti has the highest burden, at 90% of minimum wage.
  • Six states require over 80% of minimum wage for one adult’s healthy diet.
  • Adamawa has the lowest burden, at 43%.

Osun (₦1,867), the state with the highest CoHD is ₦640 more expensive than the lowest CoHD state, Kaduna (₦1,227)
  • Osun (₦1,867) has the highest CoHD, while Kaduna (₦1,227) has the lowest, a gap of ₦640.
  • The national average CoHD stood at ₦1,495 as of December 2024.
  • Southern states, particularly in the South West, record the highest diet costs.
  • Northern states dominate the list of the most affordable places to eat healthy.
  • Rising costs in urban centres like Lagos (₦1,702) and Rivers (₦1,780) reflect the impact of logistics and inflation.
  • The ₦640 state gap shows inequality in dietary access, which can deepen nutrition and welfare disparities.

The implementation of ₦70K minimum wage in Nigeria reduced the cost burden of a healthy diet, dropping it from 124.1% in June to 54.2% in July 2024
  • The share of minimum wage needed to afford a healthy diet fell from 124.1% in June to 54.2% in July 2024, when the minimum wage was increased from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
  • Before July, the cost of a healthy diet for a month exceeded 100% of [the] minimum wage, making it unaffordable for minimum-wage earners.
  • The sharpest burden was recorded in June 2024, when households needed their full salary plus 24% extra to eat healthily.
  • Between July and December, affordability worsened slightly from 54.2% to 64.1%, indicating that food prices continued to rise despite the wage boost.
  • The implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage in 2024 provided significant relief to Nigerian households struggling with the high cost of eating healthily.

The national average Cost of Healthy Diet (CoHD) in Nigeria increased by over 74% in 2024, surging from ₦858 in January to ₦1,495 in December
  • The Cost of Healthy Diet (CoHD) in Nigeria increased by over 74% in 2024.
  • The average cost rose from ₦858 in January to ₦1,495 in December.
  • June 2024 recorded the sharpest monthly jump at 19.2%, the highest of the year.
  • From August to December, CoHD rose steadily — showing no reversal in trend.
  • The persistent rise reflects food inflation, weak supply chains, and increasing import costs.
  • For many Nigerians, maintaining a healthy diet is becoming increasingly unaffordable, threatening nutrition and welfare outcomes.

Animal source foods account for the largest share of the CoHD in Nigeria, at 35.3% (₦528) of the ₦1,495 national average
  • Animal source foods make up the largest share of Nigeria’s CoHD at ₦528 (35.3%) of ₦1,495.
  • Starchy staples follow at ₦344 (23%), showing the centrality of carbs in Nigerian diets.
  • Vegetables (₦233) and fruits (₦163) collectively account for over a quarter of the cost.
  • Legumes, nuts, and seeds (₦101) are the least costly food group, despite their nutritional value.
  • The national average CoHD stands at ₦1,495 per person per day as of December 2024.
  • Protein-rich foods are becoming increasingly unaffordable, contributing to dietary imbalance.

Nigeria's South West zone recorded the highest Cost of Healthy Diet (CoHD) at ₦1,764, exceeding the national average by ₦269
  • South West has the highest Cost of Healthy Diet (₦1,764), surpassing the national average by ₦269.
  • South South follows at ₦1,714.
  • South East (₦1,436) and North East (₦1,430) sit close to the national midpoint.
  • North Central and North West record the lowest CoHD at ₦1,372 and ₦1,296, respectively.
  • The national average cost of a healthy diet stands at ₦1,495 per person per day as of December 2024.
  • The regional disparities in food cost highlight the uneven impact of economic realities across Nigeria’s zones.

The basket of food that cost ₦100k in January 2025 cost approximately ₦114k in August
  • Food prices rose roughly 13.9% from January to August 2025, according to the rebased Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the National Bureau of Statistics.
  • Month-on-month inflation for food fluctuated, with some months seeing sharper increases than others.
  • Using January as a baseline, the purchasing power of money for food declined steadily, meaning households need more naira to buy the same items.
  • Food carries a large weight in the CPI basket, making it a major driver of overall inflation and cost-of-living increases.

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