By Taiwo Scholarstica
Despite a recent decline in headline food inflation, millions of Nigerian households continue to struggle with the prohibitive cost of maintaining a healthy diet.
A healthy diet consists of diverse, nutrient-dense foods that provide the essential energy and nutrients required for optimal health.
However, for a vast majority of families, securing these vital food groups has become increasingly difficult due to a combination of stagnant incomes, soaring living costs, and broader macroeconomic challenges.
According to the latest Cost of a Healthy Diet report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the average daily cost of a healthy diet per adult rose to ₦1,541 in March 2026.
This figures indicates a steady increase from the ₦1,513 recorded in February 2026 and the ₦1,477 documented in March 2025.
The report highlights that the cost of healthy eating increased by 1.89 percent month-on-month and 4.38 percent year-on-year.
While these percentage increases may appear marginal on paper, they inflict substantial financial strain on vulnerable families already grappling with high unemployment and diminished purchasing power.
Significant regional disparities in food prices persist across the federation. The South-East geopolitical zone recorded the highest average cost for a healthy diet at ₦1,899 per adult daily, closely followed by the South-West at ₦1,801. Conversely, the North-East offered the lowest average cost at ₦1,233 per day.
At the state level, Ekiti recorded the highest average cost of a healthy diet nationwide at ₦2,091 per adult per day, with Imo and Abia following closely at ₦2,052 and ₦1,970 respectively.
On the other end of the spectrum, Adamawa emerged as the most affordable state, requiring an average expenditure of ₦1,004 per day.
Nutrition experts attribute the high cost of a balanced diet largely to the soaring prices of protein-rich foods, including meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. These critical food groups consistently account for the largest share of total household dietary expenditures.
In Nigeria, this affordability crisis is severely exacerbated by rising fuel prices, high transportation costs, and persistent insecurity within major farming communities. Ongoing attacks on farmers, kidnappings, and the displacement of rural residents have crippled domestic agricultural productivity and disrupted key supply chains, driving food prices upward.
The systemic consequences of this trend are becoming increasingly visible across the country. As families are forced to substitute nutritious foods with cheaper, calorie-dense alternatives, the risk of widespread malnutrition escalates, particularly among children and other vulnerable demographics.
Data from UNICEF reveals that approximately 11 million Nigerian children experienced severe food poverty in 2024. Nigeria also accounts for one of the highest burdens of childhood malnutrition in Africa, with an estimated two million children under the age of five currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
The economic implications are equally devastating, with the World Bank estimating that Nigeria loses more than $1.5 billion annually to malnutrition through reduced labor productivity, escalated healthcare expenditures, and premature mortality.
Agricultural analysts emphasize that improving rural security, providing farmers with access to affordable credit, investing in storage infrastructure, and boosting domestic food production remain critical steps toward lowering food costs.
Until these structural bottlenecks are aggressively addressed, a healthy diet will remain an unaffordable luxury for millions of Nigerian households.