By Boluwatife Oshadiya | May 25, 2026
Key Points
- Nigeria’s average Cost of a Healthy Diet rose to N1,513 per adult daily in February 2026
- The South-East recorded the highest regional healthy diet cost, while the North-East remained the cheapest
- Animal-source foods accounted for the largest share of healthy diet expenses nationwide
Main Story
Nigeria’s average Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) increased to N1,513 per adult per day in February 2026, according to the latest report released by the National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.
The figure represents a 3.76 per cent increase from the N1,458 recorded in January 2026, highlighting the continued pressure on food affordability across the country despite moderating headline inflation figures.
The report showed that the South-East recorded the highest zonal average healthy diet cost at N1,889 per day, while the North-East posted the lowest average at N1,160.
At the state level, Ekiti emerged as the most expensive state for maintaining a healthy diet at N2,075 per adult daily, followed by Imo at N2,051 and Abia at N1,924. In contrast, Adamawa recorded the lowest cost at N979, while Borno and Taraba followed at N1,040 and N1,102 respectively.
According to the NBS, the CoHD measures the least expensive combination of locally available foods capable of meeting internationally accepted healthy dietary standards. The calculation excludes transportation, cooking, and meal preparation expenses.
Animal-source foods accounted for the largest share of healthy diet costs, representing 39 per cent of total expenses despite contributing only 13 per cent of required calorie intake. Fruits and vegetables jointly accounted for 30 per cent of total costs.
The report also revealed that healthy diet costs increased by 12.4 per cent year-on-year between February 2025 and February 2026.
The Issues
The rising cost of maintaining a healthy diet continues to raise concerns over food security, malnutrition, and declining household purchasing power across Nigeria.
Although food inflation has remained a major economic challenge over the past year, the NBS report indicates that healthy diet costs are rising even faster than both headline inflation and food inflation metrics. This suggests that many households may increasingly struggle to afford nutritionally balanced meals despite adjusting consumption patterns.
The sharp increase in animal-source food prices reflects broader structural pressures in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, including insecurity in food-producing regions, transportation challenges, foreign exchange instability, and rising production costs.
Nutrition experts have repeatedly warned that declining access to balanced diets could worsen child malnutrition rates, public health outcomes, and workforce productivity over the long term.
What’s Being Said
“The Cost of a Healthy Diet is the least expensive combination of locally available foods that meets global healthy diet standards,” the NBS stated in the report.
The agency added that animal-source foods recorded the sharpest annual increase, rising by 45 per cent year-on-year, while legumes, nuts, and seeds remained the least expensive food group nationwide.
Economic analysts say the figures highlight the widening gap between wage growth and household living costs, especially in urban centres where food prices remain elevated.
Public health experts have also called for stronger government interventions targeting agricultural productivity, nutrition education, and food distribution systems to improve affordability.
What’s Next
- Policymakers are expected to use the CoHD report to shape future social protection and nutrition intervention programmes
- Agricultural stakeholders may intensify calls for targeted support to reduce food production and transportation costs
- The next inflation and food affordability reports from the NBS will be closely monitored for signs of easing consumer pressure
The Bottom Line:
Nigeria’s rising healthy diet costs reinforce concerns that inflationary pressures are extending beyond basic food access into nutritional quality and public health. Without stronger policy intervention, more households may be forced to prioritise affordability over balanced nutrition, deepening long-term economic and health risks.
 increased to N1,513 per adult per day in February 2026, according to the latest ...){kind=link}