NBS: Ebonyi, Abia residents spent over N1,200 daily for healthy meals in May

The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says residents in Ebonyi, Abia, and Anambra states spent over N1,200 daily to afford a healthy meal in May 2024.

In its ‘Cost of a healthy diet’ report for May, the bureau said the national average cost of a healthy diet (CoHD) was N1,041 in the month examined.

This 15.3 percent lower compared to what residents in Ebonyi (N1,225), Abia (N1,215), and Anambra (N1,205) are spent.

In contrast, the NBS said Kano offered the cheapest option for healthy meals at N898 per day. Neighbouring Jigawa closely followed at N899, and Yobe and Katsina residents paid around N906.

According to the bureau, CoHD is the minimum cost of food needed to meet international recommendations defined in the healthy diet basket (HDB) — a globally relevant set of criteria that captures similarities across most national food-based dietary guidelines.

The HDB comprises food groups like starchy staples, oils and fats, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and animal-source foods.

The NBS report highlights the significant impact of rising prices on access to healthy food.

At the zonal level, the report shows that the average CoHD was highest in the south-east at N1,189 per day, followed by the south-west at N1,160.

The bureau said the lowest average healthy diet cost was recorded in the north-west zone at N919 per day.

“Animal source foods were the most expensive food group recommendation to meet in May, accounting for 36 percent of the total CoHD to provide 13 percent of the total calories,” the report reads.

“Fruits and vegetables were the most expensive food groups in terms of price per calorie; they accounted for 11 percent and 12 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.”

Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 33.95 percent in May, as prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages spiked.

In the same month, food inflation rose to 40.66 percent — increasing of 15.84 percent points relative to the 24.82 percent reported in May last year.