Cost of healthy diet improves

The cost of maintaining a healthy diet in Nigeria saw a slight decline in August 2024, according to the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The report revealed that the National Average Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) per adult per day stood at N1,255 in August, representing a 0.8 percent decrease compared to the N1,265 recorded in July.

The CoHD is a measure of the least expensive combination of locally available food items that meet globally consistent dietary guidelines.

The NBS noted that this figure serves as a baseline, excluding transportation and meal preparation costs, to assess both physical and economic access to nutritious diets in the country.

Regional and State VariationsThe NBS report highlighted significant variations in the cost of healthy diets across the nation’s regions and states.

The South-West recorded the highest average CoHD at N1,554 per adult per day, followed by the South-South at N1,381.

In contrast, the North-West had the lowest average, at N1,014 per adult per day.

On a state level, Ogun, Lagos, and Rivers topped the list with the highest CoHD, costing N1,641, N1,615, and N1,572 per adult per day, respectively.

On the other hand, Katsina recorded the lowest CoHD at N880, followed by Kaduna at N951, and Sokoto at N980.

Long-term Trends in Food CostsThe report noted that the CoHD in August 2024 was 28 percent higher than in March 2024, when it stood at N982.

Key drivers of this increase, it highlighted, include higher prices for food groups such as legumes, nuts, seeds, starchy staples, and vegetables.

 “On a month-to-month basis, the CoHD declined by 0.8 percent compared to the cost in July 2024,” the NBS report stated.

This drop, it said, was largely due to a 14.5 percent decline in vegetable prices, providing some relief in the broader context of rising food costs.

Animal-source foods remained the most expensive to include in a healthy diet, accounting for 37 percent of the total CoHD while providing just 13 percent of total calories.

Fruits and vegetables, despite being essential components of a balanced diet, were among the most costly food groups in terms of price per calorie. They accounted for 11 and 14 percent of the total CoHD, respectively, while providing only seven percent and five percent of the total caloric intake.

On the other hand, legumes, nuts, and seeds were the least expensive, contributing only seven percent to the overall cost of a healthy diet.

These items, the Bureau said, remained affordable compared to other food groups, offering a relatively economical source of nutrition.

The NBS report also pointed out that the CoHD has been rising at a faster rate than general inflation and food inflation in recent months.

However, it clarified that the “CoHD and the food Consumer Price Index (CPI) are not directly comparable,” as the “CoHD includes fewer items and is measured in Naira per day, while the food CPI is a weighted index.

Cost of healthy diet improves - The Nation Newspaper (thenationonlineng.net)