Ten most expensive states for healthy diet in Nigeria

Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Lagos, and six others have topped the list of states in Nigeria where it is costliest to have a healthy diet.

This is according to the National Bureau of Statistics’ ‘Cost of Healthy Diet’ (CoHD) report, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

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The report showed that the national average cost of a healthy diet rose to N786 per day in December 2023, from N473 per day in the corresponding period of 2022. This value is also N44 higher than the N742 recorded in November 2023.

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According to the report, the most expensive food group in the diet was animal-source foods, accounting for 38 percent of the total Cost of Healthy Diet.

The statistics office says the CoHD is the least expensive combination of locally available items that meet globally consistent food-based dietary guidelines, used as a measure of physical and economic access to healthy diets.

Regionally, the Southwest experienced the highest CoHD of N979 per adult per day, in contrast to the North West’s N663.

Ekiti State recorded the highest CoHD which amounted to N1,052, followed by Osun with an average CoHD of N1,017.

Ondo state was the third most expensive state to have a healthy diet with the average cost totalling N986.

Lagos, Ogun, and Anambra states recorded N981, N972, and N965 respectively. Similarly, Ebonyi, Enugu, Rivers, and Abia states had their respective CoHD at N937, N935, N892, and N886 in December 2023.

At least five of these 10 healthy diet-expensive states are among the most expensive states to stay in Nigeria based on the December 2023 inflation data. The states include Ebonyi, Ogun, Abia, Rivers, and Lagos.

Ekiti State recorded the highest cost of a healthy diet in December 2023 amounting to N1,052 in December 2023 from N903 in the previous month.

This is closely followed by Osun State recording an average CoHD of N1,017 in December 2023 from N934 in November. Ondo came in third as it recorded an average CoHD of N986 in December 2023 from N839 in the previous month.

Lagos state, the country’s commercial centre, recorded an average CoHD of N981 in December 2023 from N875 in November 2023.

Ogun State recorded an average CoHD of N972 in December 2023 from N939 recorded in the previous month. Anambra State recorded the same CoHD of N965 in November and December of 2023.

Ebonyi State, like Anambra, recorded the same CoHD of N937 in November and December of 2023. Enugu State recorded the same CoHD of N935 in November and December of 2023.

Rivers State recorded an average CoHD of N892 in December 2023 from N890 in November 2023 and Abia State recorded an average CoHD of N886 in December 2023, the same value in November.