The cost of maintaining a healthy diet in Nigeria has climbed to an average of N1,541 per adult per day in March 2026, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This represents a 4.4 percent increase compared to N1,477 recorded in March 2025, highlighting growing pressure on household food budgets despite recent moderation in headline inflation.
On a month-on-month basis, the Cost of a Healthy Diet rose by 1.89 percent from N1,513 in February 2026, with the NBS attributing the increase to higher prices across nearly all major food groups. The report also noted a slight reversal in the earlier downward inflation trend recorded up to February, as price pressures resurfaced in March and April.
The data further shows wide regional disparities in food affordability, with southern states facing the highest costs. Ekiti, Imo, and Abia recorded the most expensive diets at N2,091, N2,052, and N1,970 respectively, underscoring uneven economic pressure on households across the country.
