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 (NBS).
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.
