NBS Reports Rise in Cost of Healthy Diet

By Aaior K. Comfort

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that the national average cost of a healthy diet (CoHD) per adult per day stood at ₦1,255 in August 2024. This information was disclosed in the NBS’s CoHD report released in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the NBS, the CoHD experienced a slight decline of 0.8% from ₦1,265 recorded in July. The CoHD reflects the minimum cost of locally available food items that meet globally recognized food-based dietary guidelines, serving as a measure of both physical and economic access to healthy diets. It represents a lower limit on the daily dietary costs, excluding transportation and meal preparation expenses.

The report highlighted that the highest average CoHD in August was found in the South-West region, at ₦1,554 per adult per day, followed by the South-South at ₦1,381. Conversely, the North-West recorded the lowest average CoHD at ₦1,014.

At the state level, Ogun (₦1,641), Lagos (₦1,615), and Rivers (₦1,572) had the highest costs, while Katsina reported the lowest at ₦880, followed by Kaduna at ₦951, and Sokoto at ₦980. The NBS noted that the CoHD has been on the rise over the past six months, having increased by 28% since March 2024, when it was ₦982.

Food groups contributing to the rising costs include legumes, nuts and seeds, starchy staples, and vegetables. On a month-to-month basis, while the overall CoHD saw a decline of 0.8%, vegetable prices dropped significantly by 14.5%.

The report also indicated that animal-source foods represented the most costly food group, accounting for 37% of the total CoHD while providing only 13% of the total calories. In contrast, fruits and vegetables, despite being among the priciest food groups per calorie, contributed 11% and 14% of the total CoHD, respectively.

Notably, the CoHD has been increasing at a faster rate than general inflation and food inflation in recent months. However, the NBS clarified that the CoHD is not directly comparable to the food Consumer Price Index (CPI) due to differing item counts and measurement metrics.