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Cost of Healthy Diet Increases Month-on-Month
Nigeria’s National Average Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) per adult per day rose to ₦1,513 in February 2026, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In its Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) Report for February 2026, released in Abuja, the NBS disclosed that the figure represents a 3.76 per cent increase from the ₦1,458 recorded in January 2026, highlighting sustained pressure on household food costs.
What the Cost of a Healthy Diet Measures
The NBS explained that the CoHD represents the least expensive combination of locally available foods that meets globally consistent, food-based dietary guidelines.
It is used as an indicator of both physical and economic access to healthy diets, serving as a minimum benchmark for nutrition affordability.
“This is a lower bound (or floor) of the cost per adult per day, excluding transportation and meal preparation costs,” the bureau noted.
Regional Breakdown: South-East Most Expensive
Regionally, the South-East recorded the highest average CoHD at ₦1,889 per adult per day, followed by the South-West at ₦1,786.
In contrast, the North-East had the lowest average CoHD, estimated at ₦1,160 per adult per day, reflecting wide regional disparities in food affordability.
States with Highest and Lowest Diet Costs
At the state level, the NBS report showed that:
- Highest CoHD:
- Ekiti – ₦2,075
- Imo – ₦2,051
- Abia – ₦1,924
- Lowest CoHD:
- Adamawa – ₦979
- Borno – ₦1,040
- Taraba – ₦1,102
Year-on-Year Trend: Costs Continue to Climb
The NBS noted that the CoHD has steadily increased over the past year. As of February 2026, the cost was 12.4 per cent higher than the ₦1,346 recorded in February 2025.
According to the report, animal-source foods were the biggest contributors to the year-on-year increase, followed by fruits, oils and fats, and vegetables. However, the price of starchy staples declined over the same period.
Animal-Source Foods Drive Diet Costs
Animal-source foods were identified as the most expensive food group to meet dietary recommendations in February 2026, accounting for 39 per cent of total CoHD while providing only 13 per cent of total calories.
The report further revealed that fruits and vegetables were the most expensive in terms of price per calorie, together accounting for 30 per cent of total CoHD, despite contributing just 12 per cent of total calories.
Conversely, legumes, nuts, and seeds were the least expensive food group, making up seven per cent of total diet cost on average.
CoHD Rising Faster Than Inflation
The NBS stated that the CoHD has risen faster than both general inflation and food inflation, although it cautioned against direct comparison.
“The CoHD includes fewer items and is measured in naira per day, while the food Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a weighted index,” the bureau explained.
Policy Implications for Food Security
According to the NBS, the findings underscore the need for stronger collaboration among policymakers, researchers, and civil society organisations working on food security and nutrition.
Such collaboration, the bureau said, would help develop strategies to improve access, availability, and affordability of healthy diets nationwide.
The report added that future research incorporating income data could help determine the number and proportion of Nigerians unable to afford a healthy diet, providing deeper insight for targeted policy interventions.
