The National Average Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) in Nigeria saw a sharp increase in June 2024, climbing to N1,241 per adult per day.
This represents a 19.2% rise from the N1,041 recorded in May 2024.
The announcement was made by the National Bureau of Statistics and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition through its Cost of Healthy Diet June 2024 report.
The CoHD is defined as the least expensive combination of locally available items that meet globally consistent food-based dietary guidelines.
It serves as a crucial measure of both physical and economic access to healthy diets across the country.
Regional and state-level variations
The South West Zone recorded the highest average CoHD at N1,545 per adult per day, whereas the North West Zone had the lowest at N956.
Among the states, Ekiti, Ogun, and Osun topped the list with costs of N1,640, N1,599, and N1,557 respectively.
Conversely, Katsina, Kano, and Jigawa states reported the lowest costs at N878, N926, and N937 per adult per day.
- The surge in the CoHD has been notably faster than both general and food inflation rates.
- While the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Food CPI reflect broader changes in the prices of goods and services, the CoHD specifically tracks the cost of the least expensive items required for a healthy diet.
- This metric includes fewer items and is measured in Naira per day, providing a focused lens on food affordability.
In recent months, the CoHD has consistently outpaced general inflation trends.
- For instance, in January 2024, the CoHD was N858, marking a 45% increase by June 2024.
- This sharp rise has been primarily driven by the increasing prices of vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and starchy staples. Interestingly, starchy staples experienced the smallest price increase on a month-to-month basis.
What you should know
The rising CoHD highlights the challenges households face in accessing sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
- The CoHD provides vital insights into food access, an essential aspect of food security.
- It can inform various stakeholders, including government bodies, civil society, and researchers, about the minimum income needed to afford a healthy diet.
- Additionally, it can guide social protection measures and nutrition education interventions, ensuring they target populations most in need.
- In areas where the CoHD is particularly high, stakeholders can identify and address supply chain issues affecting specific food groups.
- This can lead to improved production, distribution, or market access strategies.
- The CoHD metric fosters collaboration among policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors focused on food security.
- By identifying the factors driving the high cost of healthy diets, stakeholders can develop effective strategies to enhance food access, availability, and affordability.
