Cost of healthy diet in Nigeria rises by 32% in five months

The cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) in Nigeria has increased by 32 percent to N1,041 per adult per day in May 2024 from N786 in December 2023, according to the recent Cost of Healthy Diet report by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The data revealed that the rise was driven by increased prices of starchy staples, legumes, nuts and seeds, and animal-source foods.

The analysis for the period between December 2023 and May 2024 reveals that the cost of a healthy diet also increased by 9.2 percent month-on-month to N858 in January 2024 from N786 in December 2023. The cost of a Healthy Diet increased by 9.3 percent to N938 in February and 4.7 percent to N982 in March.

The upward trend continued in April as CoHD grew 5.4 percent to N1,035 in April and up by 0.6 percent to N1,041 in May.

“The national average cost of a healthy diet was N1,041 per adult per day in May 2024. The CoHD has been steadily rising over the past six months, since December 2023,” the report said.

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“In May 2024, the CoHD was 32 percent higher than it was in December 2023 (N786). It was also 1.0 percent higher than the cost in April 2024 (N1,035). The main drivers of this increase in CoHD are starchy staples, legumes, nuts and seeds, and animal source foods. Vegetables and fruits, on the other hand, saw the smallest increase in price month-on-month,” it stated.

At the state level, Ebonyi State had the highest average CoHD, N1,225 per adult per day, while Kano State had the lowest cost, N898.

At the zonal level, the South East had the highest COHD, with N1,189 per day, while the North West had the lowest average, with N919 per day. The report noted that animal source foods were the most expensive food group recommendation to meet in May, accounting for 36 percent of the total CoHD to provide 13 percent of the total calories.

“Fruits and vegetables were the most expensive food groups in terms of price per calorie. They accounted for 11 percent and 12 percent, respectively, of total CoHD, while providing only 7.0 percent and 5.0 percent of total calories in the healthy diet basket. Legumes, nuts and seeds were the least-expensive food group on average, at 7.0 percent of the total cost,” the report added.