​"The daily cost of a healthy diet has gone up by 27% to N1,611."

Healthy Diet

Between July 2024 and July 2025, the cost of a healthy diet (CoHD) jumped by 27.3% year-on-year. It now costs N1,611 per adult, per day, up from N1,265 last year."

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced this information in its CoHD report for July 2025.

The NBS said: “The national average Cost of a Healthy Diet was N1,611 per adult per day in July 2025.

“At the state level, Ekiti, Bayelsa and Imo States recorded the highest costs with N2,663, N2,352 and N2,235 respectively. Gombe, Katsina and Yobe States accounted for the lowest costs with N985, N1,147 and N1,180 respectively.

“At the zonal level, the average CoHD was highest in the South-West Zone at N2,030 per day, followed by the South-East Zone at N1,862 per day.

“The lowest average Cost of a Healthy Diet was recorded in the North-East Zone at N1,341 per day.”

On cost share by food group, NBS said: “Animal-source foods were the most expensive food group to meet in July, accounting for 32 percent of the total CoHD while providing 13 percent of total calories.

“Fruits and vegetables were the most expensive food groups in terms of price per calorie; they accounted for 16 percent and 14 percent, respectively, of total CoHD while providing only 7 percent and 5 percent of total calories in the Healthy Diet Basket.

“Legumes, nuts and seeds were the least expensive food group on average, at 7 percent of the total cost.”

"Analysis of the trend showed that the Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) increased by 1.3 per cent, rising from N1,328 in January to N1,346 in February.

In March, it jumped by 11.2 per cent to N1,498, and then climbed further by 6.6 per cent, reaching N1,598 in April.

The upward trend reversed in May, with the CoHD dropping by 7.1 per cent to N1,484. This fall was caused by cheaper prices for oils and fats, starchy staple foods, vegetables, and fruits."

“However, this drop was slightly offset by increases in legumes, nuts and seeds, and animal-source foods,” NBS added.

However, in June, the Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) increased by 2.02 per cent to N1,514, and then rose again by 6.4 per cent to N1,611 in July 2025.

The NBS observed that the reason for the price increase between June and July was mainly due to higher costs for legumes, nuts and seeds, foods sourced from animals, vegetables, and fruits."

“In contrast, the starchy staples food group recorded a decline,” it stated.