Rising onion and maize prices are adding pressure to food procurement costs, even as falling pepper and tomato prices offer some relief to households and food businesses in the week ended Saturday, August 22, 2026. This is according to market price data comparing Monday, August 17, with Saturday, August 22
Wet-season onions rose 22.22 percent to N55,000 per 70kg bag, dry-season onions increased 13.33 percent to N85,000, and dried white maize gained 8.57 percent to N38,000 per 100kg bag over the five-day period.
The five-day price movement showed that while consumers enjoyed some relief on selected tomatoes, peppers and tatashe, the gains were partly offset by sharp increases in the prices of onions and dried white maize. Several other commodities, including ordinary tomatoes, okra, cabbage, carrots, cucumber and potatoes, remained unchanged over the period.
The data indicate that the biggest percentage increase among the commodities tracked was recorded by wet-season onions, which rose by N10,000, or 22.22 percent, from N45,000 per 70kg bag on August 17 to N55,000 on August 22.
Dry-season onions also recorded a substantial increase, climbing from N75,000 to N85,000 per 70kg bag, representing a N10,000, or 13.33 percent, increase.
Dried white maize followed with an increase of N3,000, or 8.57 percent, as the price of a 100kg bag rose from N35,000 to N38,000.
The upward movement in onions and maize contrasts with the decline recorded across a number of pepper and tomato categories, underscoring the uneven nature of food-price movements at the wholesale market level.
Among the commodities that became cheaper, Atarugu, also known as rodo, recorded the largest absolute decline. Its price fell by N10,000, or 15.38 percent, from N65,000 per 20kg bag to N55,000.
Shombo, or Bawa pepper, declined by N5,000, equivalent to 16.67 percent, moving from N30,000 to N25,000 per 20kg bag.
The price of tatashe also fell by N5,000, or 11.11 percent, from N45,000 per 25kg bag to N40,000.
The tomato market presented a more complicated picture. The price of ordinary tomatoes remained unchanged at N15,000 per 50kg basket, but big ordinary tomatoes fell from N25,000 to N20,000, a reduction of N5,000, or 20 percent.
At the same time, hybrid tomatoes moved in the opposite direction, rising from N25,000 to N30,000 per 25kg crate, representing an increase of N5,000, or 20 percent.
Onions emerged as the clearest inflationary pressure point in the latest price comparison.
Wet-season onions increased from N45,000 to N55,000 per 70kg bag, translating to a 22.22 percent increase in just five days. In absolute terms, the N10,000 increase means buyers paid more than one-fifth above the earlier quoted price.
Dry-season onions recorded the same N10,000 absolute increase, but because their starting price was higher, the percentage increase was lower at 13.33 percent.
The difference between the two onion categories also narrowed during the period. On August 17, dry-season onions were N30,000 more expensive than wet-season onions, a price gap of 66.67 percent relative to the wet-season variety. By August 22, the gap had narrowed to N30,000, but the percentage premium of dry-season onions over wet-season onions declined to approximately 54.55 percent because both prices moved upward.
Pepper prices retreat
The pepper segment offered some of the strongest relief to buyers.
Atarugu fell from N65,000 to N55,000 per 20kg bag. The N10,000 reduction represents 15.38 percent, meaning that buyers paid about 15 kobo less for every naira previously spent on the commodity.
Shombo recorded an even larger percentage decline. Its price fell from N30,000 to N25,000, a 16.67 percent reduction.
Tatashe declined from N45,000 to N40,000, equivalent to an 11.11 percent decrease.
Taken together, the three pepper categories recorded a combined quoted-price reduction of N20,000 across their respective package sizes. However, the figures should not be treated as a single basket because the commodities are sold in different quantities—20kg for Atarugu and Shombo and 25kg for tatashe.
The different package sizes also mean that headline prices alone can sometimes give an incomplete picture of the relative cost of commodities. For example, hybrid tomatoes were priced at N30,000 for 25kg on August 22, while ordinary tomatoes were N15,000 for 50kg.
Several vegetables remain stable
Not every item moved during the week. The price of okra remained at N20,000 per 20kg bag, while cabbage stayed at N20,000 per 30kg bag.
Carrots also held at N50,000 per 60kg bag, while cucumber remained unchanged at N20,000 per 30kg bag.
Sweet potatoes stayed at N55,000 per 100kg bag, and Irish potatoes remained at N75,000 per 50kg bag.
The stability across these products indicates that the price movement was concentrated in particular segments of the market rather than representing a uniform increase or decrease across the entire vegetable basket.
Maize joins the upward trend
The latest data also point to pressure in the market for dried white maize.
The price of a 100kg bag rose from N35,000 on August 17 to N38,000 on August 22, an increase of N3,000 or 8.57 percent.
Although the percentage increase was smaller than that of wet-season onions, maize is a major staple and a key input into several food products. Consequently, persistent increases in wholesale maize prices can have wider implications for household food expenditure and businesses operating in the food-processing and livestock-feed value chains.
The rise means that a buyer purchasing 10 bags of 100kg maize would have faced an additional N30,000 expenditure at the August 22 price compared with the August 17 level.
What the five-day movement says about food inflation
The overall pattern indicates that food-price pressure remains highly commodity-specific.
Of the 14 commodities or commodity categories tracked, five recorded price declines, while three recorded increases, and six remained unchanged.
In percentage terms, the largest upward movement was wet-season onions at 22.22 percent, followed by hybrid tomatoes at 20 percent, dry-season onions at 13.33 percent, and dried white maize at 8.57 percent.
On the downside, big ordinary tomatoes posted the largest percentage reduction at 20 percent, followed by Shombo at 16.67 percent, Atarugu at 15.38 percent, and tatashe at 11.11 percent.
Implications for households and traders
The latest price swings are likely to produce different outcomes across the food chain, with the effect on consumers largely determined by what goes into their shopping baskets.
Households buying more big ordinary tomatoes and peppers could enjoy some relief, as big ordinary tomatoes declined 20 percent, while Atarugu and Shombo also recorded double-digit price reductions.
The picture is less favourable for consumers and businesses dependent on onions and maize. The N10,000 increase in the price of both onion categories over just five days could translate into significantly higher procurement costs for households, restaurants, caterers and food retailers.
For traders, the price movements create both opportunities and risks. Those carrying onion inventory purchased before the price increase could benefit from higher replacement and selling prices. Retailers, however, face the challenge of passing higher wholesale costs to consumers without weakening demand or sacrificing margins.
