•Animal sources account for 39 per cent of cost, 13% or required calories
The cost of maintaining a healthy diet in Nigeria has risen by about 119 per cent since 2023, when fuel subsidy was removed, with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) placing the average daily cost at N1,541 per adult in its March 2026 data.

Research by The Guardian shows that the average cost of a healthy diet (CoHD) stood at N703 in October 2023, before rising to N742 in November and N786 in December of the same year, reflecting consistent growing pressure on household food costs after the removal of fuel subsidy.

On a year-on-year basis, the figure rose further to N982 in March 2024, N1,498 in March 2025 and N1,541 in March 2026, representing an increase of about 119 per cent in less than three years.

The latest CoHD report, produced by the NBS in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), said the March 2026 figure represented a 1.89 per cent increase from the N1,513 recorded in February 2026. The report added that the cost has been rising steadily over the past year.

According to the report, the steady rise in the cost of healthy meals highlights worsening pressure on household food budgets as inflation continues to affect food access across the country.

The report described the cost of a healthy diet as “the least expensive combination of locally available items that meets globally consistent food-based dietary guidelines”, noting that it serves as a measure of physical and economic access to healthy diets.

“The CoHD has risen faster than general inflation and food inflation,” it stated, while adding that the CoHD and food consumer price index (CPI) are measured differently. The NBS said the South-East recorded the highest average healthy diet cost in March 2026 at N1,899 per adult daily, followed by the South-West at N1,801. The North-East had the lowest zonal average at N1,233.

At the state level, Ekiti recorded the highest cost at N2,091 per adult daily, followed by Imo at N2,052 and Abia at N1,970. Adamawa had the lowest cost at N1,004, while the Federal Capital Territory and Taraba posted N1,113 and N1,149, respectively.

The report showed that animal source foods remained the most expensive component of a healthy diet, accounting for 39 per cent of the total cost while providing only 13 per cent of the required calories. Fruits and vegetables were also identified as expensive in terms of price per calorie, contributing 16 per cent and 14 per cent respectively to the total cost of the healthy diet basket.

It noted that legumes, nuts and seeds were the least expensive food group, accounting for just seven per cent of the total diet cost.

Giving further breakdowns, the report said the cost of animal source foods increased by 34.15 per cent year-on-year, while oils and fats rose by 23.51 per cent within the same period.

The report explained that the CoHD is calculated using retail food price data gathered monthly from 10,534 sources across urban and rural areas in all states of the federation.

It added that the indicator provides insight into food security and could guide government and development partners in designing social protection programmes, agricultural policies and nutrition interventions.

“The CoHD provides important information about food access, a key aspect of food security,” the report noted. It added that where the cost is high, stakeholders can identify the food groups driving the increase and address supply challenges through improved production, distribution and market access.