Cost of healthy diet in Nigeria rising faster than overall inflation

Nigerians striving for a balanced diet are facing a growing challenge – the cost of healthy food is rising faster than overall inflation.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the national average Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) reached N982 per adult per day in March 2024. This represents a 4.7% increase from the previous month (N938). The headline inflation rate in March over February was 3.02%.

“In recent months, the CoHD has risen faster than general inflation and food inflation,” the NBS said. “However, the CoHD and the food CPI are not directly comparable; the CoHD includes fewer items and is measured in Naira per day, while the food CPI is a weighted index.”

Thursday’s NBS report adds another layer to the story of Nigeria’s crippling economic crisis. Millions of families, already struggling under immense pressure, now face the additional burden of affording healthy food.

Annual general inflation rose to 32.2% in March while food inflation was 40.01% — the highest in nearly 30 years.

Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis has been made worse by the Tinubu administration’s removal of petrol subsidy and devaluation of the naira.

Worrying trend

The CoHD is a key metric used to measure affordability and access to nutritious food. It reflects the minimum cost of essential food groups like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and protein sources needed for a healthy daily diet.

For instance, where the index is high, it is possible to identify which least-cost items and food groups are driving the high cost, and to identify supply challenges in specific foods or food groups to be addressed, for example with improved production, distribution, or market access.

It can also indicate the minimum income needed by households to access a healthy diet, and social protection and transfer amounts for vulnerable populations.

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The burden of expensive nutritious meals isn’t evenly distributed across the country. The NBS report reveals a significant disparity between regions.

In March, the CoHD was highest in the South-west at N1,198, while residents in the North-west could expect to spend a minimum of N787 for a healthy daily diet.

At the State level Ekiti, Lagos and Abia States recorded the highest cost with N1330, N1249, and N1215 respectively. Katsina accounted for the lowest costs with N739, followed by Sokoto and Zamfara with N758 and N766, respectively.