Food inflation persists in Nigeria as NBS reports continued increases across staple foods in June

Business a.m.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that prices of common food items including rice, garri, tomato, beans, yam, and others, experienced an upward trend in June 2024.

According to the agency’s recent Selected Food Prices Watch report,, the average price of one kilogramme (kg) of brown beans increased by 252.13 percent from N651.12 recorded in June 2023 to N2,292.76 in June 2024.

On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of brown beans  rose 14.11 percent in June from the N2,009.23 recorded in May 2024.

The report further revealed that the average price of 1kg of tomatoes increased by 320.67 percent on a year-on-year basis from N547.28 recorded in June 2023 to N2,302.26 in June 2024.

The month-on-month analysis of 1kg of tomatoes also indicated an increase of 55.97 percent from the N1,479.69 recorded in May 2024.

In a similar trajectory, the average price of 1kg of white garri increased year-on-year by 181.66 percent, from the recorded price of N403.15 in June 2023 to N1,135  in June 2024.

On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of white Garri increased by 1.86 percent from N1,114.72 recorded in May 2024.

The report also indicated an increase in the average price of Irish potatoes, with a  year-on-year increase of 288.50 percent from N623.75 in June 2023 to N2,423.27 in June 2024.   On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 51.92 percent from N 1,595.07 in May 2024. 

In addition, the average price of 1kg of yam tuber was up 295.79 percent on a year-on-year basis from N510.77 recorded in June 2023 to N2,2021.55 in June 2024. On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 52.87 percent from N 1,322.36 in May 2024 to N 2,021.55 in June 2024. 

The NBS state profile analysis revealed variation in the prices of brown beans and tomatoes across Nigeria, with Kogi recording the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N 3,006.43, while Adamawa offered the lowest price at N 1,336.11. Similarly, a 1kg of tomato was found to be most expensive in Abuja, with an average price of N3,992.61, while Kebbi held the lowest price at a much more affordable N1,200.

The NBS disclosed that the price of 1kg of yam tuber was the most expensive in Lagos, where an average of N3,376.54 was charged, while Adamawa boasted the lowest price at N1,100. Meanwhile, Gombe held the highest average price for 1kg of white garri at N1,619.27, while Taraba recorded the lowest average price at N900. 

An analysis of regional price variations revealed that the North-Central zone commanded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N2,923.45, closely followed by the South-South zone at N2,630.03. 

In contrast, the South-West and South-East regions recorded the highest average price of 1kg of tomatoes, with the former fetching N3,261.84 and the latter N2,852.59, respectively. The North-West, on the other hand, boasted the lowest average price of tomatoes at N1,411.16.

The South-West zone continued to dominate the food market, with the highest recorded average price of 1kg of yam tuber at N2,745.80, closely followed by the North-Central zone at N2,440.35, while the North-West zone maintained its position as the most affordable, with a 1kg of yam tuber averaging N1,238.49. 

Meanwhile, the South-West and North-East zones stood as the most expensive regions for 1kg of white garri, recording average prices of N1,199.62 and N1,155.63.