The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed in a new report that residents of Ogun, Lagos, and Rivers States paid more for a balanced diet in August.
In the report released on Monday, the agency said residents of the three states paid N1,641, N1,615, and N1,572 for a balanced diet during the period.
According to NBS, the rising cost of a healthy diet has put a strain on many Nigerians as the average daily cost of a healthy diet in the country reached N1,255 per adult in August.
The bureau said the cost of a healthy diet in August decreased by 0.8 percent compared to N1,265 for July.
The NBS explained that the cost of a healthy diet was the least expensive combination of locally available items that met globally consistent food-based dietary guidelines.
The bureau noted it was used as a measure of physical and economic access to healthy diets.
The report read: “This is a lower bound (or floor) of the cost per adult per day excluding the cost of transportation and meal preparation.
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“To compute the cost of healthy diet indicator, data on Retail Food Prices, Food Composition Data, and Healthy Diet Standards were required.
“In August, the average cost of a healthy diet was highest in the South-West at N1,554 per adult per day, followed by the South-South at N1,381 per day.
“The lowest average cost of a healthy diet was recorded in the North-West at N1,014 per adult per day.
“At the state level, Ogun, Lagos, and Rivers recorded the highest cost of a healthy diet at N1,641, N1,615, and N1,572, respectively.
“Katsina recorded the lowest cost of healthy diet at N880, followed by Kaduna at N951, and Sokoto at N980.”
The NBS said the cost of a healthy diet had steadily increased since March.
It added: “The cost of a healthy diet in August 2024 is 28 percent higher than what was recorded in March 2024 at N982. The food groups that have driven the increases in the cost of a healthy diet are legumes, nuts and seeds, starchy staples, and vegetables.
“On a month-month basis, the cost of a healthy diet declined by 0.8 percent compared to the cost in July 2024 at N1,265 and vegetables saw a decline in price by 14.5 percent every month.”
By: Babajide Okeowo
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