While Nigerians and especially the government are celebrating the slowing inflation, the prices of food items in the market show no sign of decline worsening the hunger situation in the country. This is even as the World Food Programme (WFP) has raised the alarm that nine million children are at risk of acute malnutrition in the country, adding that the number of children admitted for severe and moderate acute malnutrition has risen by 40 and 70 percent compared to 2023.

The latest selected food prices released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that despite the fact that this is a harvest season, the cost of stable food items are still heading towards the rooftop.

According to the report the average price of 1kg beans brown (sold loose) stood at N2,738.59. This indicates a rise of 281.97 per cent in price on a year-on-year basis from N716.97 recorded in September 2023 and a 6.37 per cent rise in price on a month-on-month basis from N2,574.63 in August 2024.

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Agric eggs medium size (12 piece) experienced significant price increases year on year by N137.43 per cent from N1,047.47 in September of last year (2023) to N2,487.04 in September 2024. On a month-on-month basis, the average price of this item rose by 8.64 per cent from N 2,289.19 in August 2024.

There was also a notable price increase of bread (sliced) by 115.74 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N708.36 in September 2023 to N1,528.19 in September 2024.

On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 4.68 per cent from N 1,459.85 in August 2024.

The report also shows that the average price of 1kg Local rice sold loose went up by 152.92 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N757.06 in September 2023 to N1,914.77 in September 2024, while there was an increase of 4.57 per cent on a month-on-month basis.

Also, the average price of 1kg of beef boneless increased by 99.99 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N2,816.91 in September 2023 to N5,633.60 in September 2024. On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 1.44 per cent from N5,553.80 in August 2024.

The World Food Programme, an agency of the United Nations, in a recent statement noted that despite its huge agricultural potential, Nigeria is now in the grips of a widespread humanitarian crisis driven by poverty, recurring conflicts, and climate shocks – with 32 million people struggling to feed themselves and driving up widespread malnutrition.

The food crisis in the country has persisted amid government feeble efforts to curtail it. The government had promised a 180 day import duty waiver for the importation of some essential food items, five months after the pronouncements, the programmes has yet to take off.