The rising cost of maintaining a healthy diet has put a strain on many Nigerians, as the average daily cost of a healthy diet in the country reached N1,255 per adult in August 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The NBS in a report released on Thursday that the increase represented a 28 per cent rise compared to N982 in March 2024.
The bureau collects retail food prices monthly from over 10,000 outlets nationwide to monitor inflation trends, including the prices of more than 200 food items.
“Animal source foods were the most expensive food group in August, accounting for 37 per cent of the total cost of a healthy diet while providing only 13 per cent of total calories,” the report highlighted.
At the state level, costs varied, with Ogun, Lagos, and Rivers states recording the highest average daily costs of N1,641, N1,615, and N1,572, respectively.
“Katsina, Kaduna, and Sokoto, however, had the lowest costs, at N880, N951, and N980 per day,” the report further noted. These regional disparities highlight the unequal access to affordable nutrition across the country.
“At the zonal level, the South West zone recorded the highest average daily cost of N1,554, followed by the South-South zone at N1,381. “The North West zone recorded the lowest cost of a healthy diet at N1,041 per day,” NBS added.
The surge in costs was attributed to the rising prices of key food groups.
“Legumes, nuts, seeds, starchy staples, and vegetables were the main drivers of the increase in the cost of a healthy diet,” the report explained.
Despite the 28 per cent increase over the past six months, there was a 0.8 per cent decline in the cost compared to July 2024, which was N1,265 per day.
In addition to the rising food costs, the NBS report showed that the price of vegetables dropped by 14.5 per cent on a month-to-month basis in August.
As food prices continue to rise, experts warned that more Nigerians may find it increasingly difficult to access nutritious food.
The NBS also compared the cost of a healthy diet with the general consumer price index, noting that since July 2023, the cost of a healthy diet has been rising faster than the prices of other goods and services in Nigeria.
“The cost of a healthy diet increased at a faster rate than all goods and services in the past year,” it stated.