The National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday said the national average Cost of a Healthy Diet was N1,255 per adult per day in August 2024. This, the statistics hub said, was prominent in Ogun state at N1,641, Lagos State at N1,615 and Rivers State at N1,572.
However, Katsina, Kaduna and Sokoto states accounted for the lowest costs with N880, N951 and N980. According to the NBS, “Animal Source foods were the most expensive food group recommendation to meet in August, accounting for 37 percent of the total CoHD to provide 13 per cent of the total calories.
“Fruits and vegetables were the most expensive food groups in terms of price per calorie; they accounted for 11 per cent and 14 per cent respectively, of total CoHD while providing only 7 per cent and 5 per cent of total calories in the Healthy Diet Basket.
“Legumes, Nuts and Seeds were the least-expensive food group on average, at 7 per cent of the total cost”.
At the Zonal level, the average CoHD was highest in the South West Zone at N1,554 per day, followed by the South-South Zone with N1,381 per day.
The lowest average Cost of a Healthy diet was recorded in North West Zone with N1,041 per day.
The data body noted that CoHD has been on a steady surge in the past six months from March 2024. In August 2024, the CoHD was 28 per cent higher than it was in March 2024 (N982).
The main drivers of this increase in CoHD are Legumes, Nuts and Seeds, Starchy Staples and Vegetables. On a month-month basis, it declined by 0.8 per cent compared to the cost in July 2024 (N1,265) with vegetables recording a decline in price by 14.5 per cent.
The August report said Oils and Fats Food group, Palm Oil was the least expensive item in 86 per cent of State-Sectors, and Groundnuts (shelled) was the least-expensive item in the Legumes, Nuts and Seeds Food Group in 50 per cent of all the State-Sectors.
It added that “Coconuts were selected as a least-cost item for the Fruits Food Group in 39 per cent of State-Sectors”.
