Nigerians Now Pay N231,000 Monthly Just to Eat Healthy

By Àkànní Olúwaségún Michael

A family of five adults in Nigeria now needs a minimum of N231,000 every month simply to meet healthy dietary requirements, as the cost of nutritious eating continues to rise faster than both general and food inflation, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The figure, drawn from the NBS Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) report for March 2026, translates to a daily family expenditure of N7,705, or N1,541 per adult, excluding transportation, cooking fuel and other meal preparation costs.

The per-adult daily cost represents a 1.89 per cent increase from N1,513 recorded in February and a 4.38 per cent rise compared with N1,477 in March 2025.

Critically, the NBS noted that the cost of maintaining a healthy diet is increasing faster than broader inflation indicators. Year-on-year data show animal-source foods recorded a 34.15 per cent increase, while oils and fats rose by 23.51 per cent.

Only starchy staples and vegetables recorded declines over the period, suggesting that while some staple foods are becoming relatively cheaper, the foods needed to achieve balanced nutrition are moving further out of reach.

The report measures the least expensive combination of locally available foods required to meet internationally recognised healthy diet standards.

Animal-source foods remain the biggest cost driver, accounting for 39 per cent of the total healthy diet cost despite contributing only 13 per cent of the recommended calorie intake.

Foods such as eggs, fish and other protein sources cost an average of N606 daily, making them the most expensive food group in the healthy diet basket. Fruits accounted for N248 daily, vegetables N208, starchy staples N260, oils and fats N115, while legumes, nuts and seeds cost about N105.

Regional disparities

The cost of eating healthily varies sharply across the country. The South-East recorded the highest average cost at N1,899 per adult per day, followed by the South-West at N1,801. The North-East remained the least expensive zone at N1,233.

States with Least and Most expensive cost of items. Source: NBS

At the state level, Ekiti emerged as the most expensive state for healthy eating, with a daily average of N2,091 per adult, followed by Imo at N2,052 and Abia at N1,970. Adamawa posted the lowest average at N1,004 per day, followed by the Federal Capital Territory at N1,113 and Taraba at N1,149.

The urban-rural divide was also evident. Ekiti Urban recorded the highest healthy diet cost nationwide at N2,288 per day, while rural Adamawa offered the lowest at N979.

The market reality

At Bodija Market in Ibadan, one of the largest food markets in South-West Nigeria, the shift in buying behaviour is visible to traders who have watched it unfold over months.

Mrs Bose Adeyemi, a yam flour trader, said customers who once bought in bulk and could afford to pair staples with fish, vegetables and soup ingredients are now buying in smaller quantities and making difficult trade-offs.

“Before, a customer could buy a full paint bucket of yam flour and still buy fish, vegetables and other ingredients for soup. Now, many people buy smaller quantities and complain that the cost of everything else has gone up. Some tell us they just want something that can fill the stomach and feed the whole family,” she said.

Mr Akeem Olanrewaju, who sells pepper at the same market, said the calculus for most shoppers has shifted from nutrition to volume.

“They still want vegetables and fruits, but when money is not enough, they focus on rice, garri or noodles because those foods can feed more people,” he said.

For Samuel Akinwale, a shopper at the market, the monthly pressure is personal.

“Most of my salary goes to food now. The problem is not that food is unavailable. Healthy food is becoming a luxury for ordinary people,” he said.