By Boluwatife Oshadiya
Key Points
- Average price of eggs dropped by 20.12% year-on-year in March 2026.
- Beans, garri, and onions also recorded major annual price declines.
- Fresh ginger remained one of the few items with significant yearly price increases.
- South-East recorded the highest average egg prices, while the North-West had the lowest.
- NBS data suggests food inflation pressures may be easing for some staples despite persistent monthly increases.
Main Story
Nigeria’s food prices recorded mixed movements in March 2026, as several staple commodities posted sharp year-on-year declines despite continued month-on-month increases, according to the latest Selected Food Price Watch report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The report showed that the average price of eggs, sold per crate of 30 pieces, stood at ₦6,127.62 in March 2026. This represented a 20.12 per cent decline when compared with ₦7,670.56 recorded in March 2025.
However, on a month-on-month basis, the price of eggs increased by 2.00 per cent compared to February 2026, indicating that short-term food cost pressures remain.
Similarly, the average price of brown beans per kilogram dropped significantly to ₦1,325.85 in March 2026, representing a 49.32 per cent decline from ₦2,616.26 recorded in March 2025.
Despite the yearly decline, beans prices rose by 1.41 per cent month-on-month from ₦1,307.44 in February 2026.
The report also showed that the average price of white garri sold loose fell to ₦801.54 per kilogram in March 2026 from ₦1,362.96 recorded in the same period last year, reflecting a 41.19 per cent year-on-year decrease. On a monthly basis, however, garri prices increased by 1.38 per cent.
In the same vein, the average price of onion bulbs declined to ₦1,153.14 per kilogram in March 2026 from ₦1,434.85 recorded in March 2025, representing a 19.63 per cent reduction year-on-year. Month-on-month, onions recorded a 1.59 per cent increase.
Fresh ginger was among the few commodities that recorded a major annual increase. According to the report, the average price of fresh ginger stood at ₦5,541.25 per kilogram in March 2026, representing a 20.46 per cent increase year-on-year. The commodity also recorded a 0.61 per cent month-on-month increase.
State-Level Analysis
The NBS report revealed significant variations in food prices across states.
Taraba State recorded the highest average price for eggs at ₦6,999.00 per crate, while Niger State posted the lowest average price at ₦5,610.04.
For brown beans, Oyo State recorded the highest average price at ₦1,937.20 per kilogram, whereas Taraba State recorded the lowest at ₦745.
Abia State posted the highest average price for white garri at ₦1,075.45 per kilogram, while Plateau State recorded the lowest price at ₦513.78.
In the onion category, Abia State again recorded the highest average price at ₦2,115.67 per kilogram, while Kwara State posted the lowest average price at ₦829.91.
Regional Breakdown
The report further highlighted regional disparities across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
The South-East recorded the highest average price for eggs at ₦6,521.47 per crate, followed by the North-East at ₦6,375.91, while the North-West posted the lowest average price at ₦5,908.61.
For brown beans, the South-West recorded the highest average price at ₦1,770.57 per kilogram, followed closely by the South-South at ₦1,762.49. The North-West recorded the lowest average price at ₦851.11.
In the case of white garri, the South-South recorded the highest average price at ₦942.68 per kilogram, followed by the South-East at ₦942.04, while the North-Central zone posted the lowest average price at ₦670.16.
Similarly, the South-East recorded the highest average onion prices at ₦1,714.81 per kilogram, while the North-Central recorded the lowest at ₦907.76.
What’s Being Said
Economic analysts say the year-on-year decline in several staple food prices may indicate a gradual moderation in food inflation compared to the severe spikes recorded in 2024 and early 2025.
However, the persistent month-on-month increases across multiple food categories suggest that households are still facing short-term pricing pressures driven by transportation costs, insecurity affecting farming communities, and exchange rate fluctuations.
The latest figures come as the Federal Government continues efforts to stabilize food supply chains and improve agricultural output through intervention programmes and import policy adjustments.
What’s Next
Analysts expect food prices to remain relatively volatile in the coming months due to seasonal planting cycles, logistics challenges, and the impact of inflationary pressures on agricultural production.
Attention will also remain on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s monetary policies and ongoing federal interventions aimed at improving food security and reducing inflation.
