Cost of healthy diet rises to N1,541 daily in March 2026 — NBS 

The cost of maintaining a healthy diet in Nigeria increased to N1,541 per adult per day in March 2026, highlighting the growing financial burden on households despite signs of moderating inflation.

This was disclosed in the latest Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which showed that the national average cost rose from N1,513 in February 2026 and N1,477 in March 2025.

The report demonstrates the challenges facing Nigerian households as rising food prices, transportation costs, and fluctuations in agricultural production continue to affect access to nutritious meals across the country.

What the data is saying 

The NBS report showed that the average cost of a healthy diet increased by 1.89% month-on-month and 4.38% year-on-year to N1,541 per adult per day in March 2026. Significant disparities were recorded across states and geopolitical zones.

• Ekiti State recorded the highest average cost of a healthy diet at N2,091 per adult per day, followed by Imo State at N2,052 and Abia State at N1,970.
• Adamawa State was the most affordable at N1,004 per day, while the Federal Capital Territory and Taraba recorded N1,113 and N1,149 respectively.
• The South-East emerged as the most expensive region with an average cost of N1,899 per day, followed by the South-West at N1,801.
• The North-East recorded the lowest regional average at N1,233 per day.

The data highlights significant regional differences in food affordability, reflecting variations in production capacity, transportation costs, market conditions, and supply chain efficiency.

More Insights 

The report identified animal-source foods as the most expensive component of a healthy diet, accounting for the largest share of food costs despite contributing a relatively small proportion of daily calorie intake.

• Animal-source foods accounted for 39% of the total cost of a healthy diet while contributing only 13% of calories.
• Fruits represented 16% of dietary costs but provided just 7% of calorie intake, while vegetables accounted for 14% of costs and 5% of calories.
• Legumes, nuts and seeds remained the most affordable food group, contributing only 7% of the overall cost of a healthy diet.
• White beans emerged as the cheapest item in the legumes category in 55% of state-sector combinations, while palm oil was the least expensive fat source in 55% of locations.

The report also showed that white garri remains one of the most affordable staple foods across most parts of the country, while commodities such as white maize grains and dried white shrimps consistently featured among the least-cost food options.

What you should know 

Nairametrics earlier reported that the cost of maintaining a healthy diet in Abuja rose to N300,000 monthly in May 2026.

The survey found that the average Nigerian adult now spends between N1,500 and N2,000 daily to meet basic nutritional requirements, translating to between N45,000 and N60,000 monthly.

Recent data from the NBS showed that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 15.69% in April 2026 from 15.38% in March. Food inflation stood at 16.06% year-on-year, significantly lower than the 24.68% recorded in April 2025.