Lagos households are still navigating a tight food-cost environment, but the latest Nairametrics Lagos market survey for November 2025 shows a mixed but slightly more encouraging picture.
While many staple items eventually posted meaningful price declines, several important food items such as onions, fish, pasta and flour recorded fresh price increases, reminding consumers that food affordability remains fragile.
The November survey, conducted across four major markets, Mushin, Mile 2, Daleko, and Oyingbo, shows that the month delivered both relief and new pressure points. Many items that spiked sharply in October have now retreated, helped by seasonal harvests and stronger supply flow.
However, new increases in essentials like dry onions, fish, flour, pasta, and select beverages signal lingering cost drivers across supply chains.
Notably, Nigeria’s food inflation eased again in October 2025, dropping to 13.12% from 16.87% in September, while Lagos food inflation also declined to 14.76% from 21.2%, reflecting broad market moderation.
Items that increased in price
Even with a broader market cooldown, several key staples rose in November:
- Dry onions recorded the steepest increase of 28.57%, previously sold for N70,000 but now selling for an average of N90,000. This is driven by harvest which is lower than expected, and rising transport charges.
- A kilo of Kote (horse mackerel) fish increased from N3,800 to N4,500, and a Titus fish of the same size rose to N7,000 from N6,500, reflecting a rise of 18.42% and 7.69% respectively.
Cold chain challenges, higher logistics costs, and lower catch output continue to push fish prices upward.
- A 500g packet of Bonita pasta now sells for N1,400 from N1,200, recording an increase of 16.67%.
A 50kg bag of flour rose across all brands:
- Mama Gold: from N60,000 to N68,000, up 13.33%
- Honeywell: from 72,000 to N80,000, up 11.11%
- Golden Penny: from N68,000 to N72,000, up 5.88%
- Dangote: from N75,000 to N77,000, up 2.67%
Flour increases are linked to elevated wheat import costs and adjustments from millers.
Other notable increases:
- Ovaltine refill (350kg): up 6.06%, from N3,300 to N3,500
- Big basket of sweet potatoes: up 4.65%, from N43,000 to N45,000
- Milo refill (800g): up 2.11%, from N7,100 to N7,250
- A crate of egg: up 1.82%, from N5,500 to N5,600
- Mama Gold rice (50kg): 1.75% increase to N58,000
These price movements show that while raw staples may be easing, processed packaged foods remain vulnerable to production and transport costs.
Items that reduced in price
More than 27 items out of the 70-item basket recorded price drops in November—one of the strongest positive shifts in months.
- Pepper recorded the biggest decline in the month as a big bag dropped by 20% from N75,000 to N60,000, while a medium bag sells for N36,000 now, from N45,000 in October.
- A 50kg bag of white maize crashed to N45,000, from N55,000, recording an 18.18% price drop, while the same size of yellow maize previously sold for an average of N60,000 has dropped to N50,000, recording a 16.67% drop, resulting from improved supply from harvest season has now fed into market pricing.
- 25 litres of local vegetable oil reduced by 17.86%, to sell for an average of N57,500 from N70,000, while a 25-litre gallon of local palm oil dropped to N63,000 from N70,000, posting a dip of 10%
- A 900g tin Peak milk recorded a 17.74% decrease to N9,460 from N11,500.
- A big-size Abuja yam tuber dropped by 16.67%, selling for an average of N5,000 from N6,000, while a medium-size tuber dropped by 12.50% to sell for N3,500 from N4,000.
- A 50kg bag of Yellow Garri further reduced by 14.81%, to sell at an average of N23,000 from N27,000, while the same size of a White Garri dropped marginally by 4% to sell for an average of N24,000 from N25,000.
- Despite the surge recorded in the price of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of gas in the previous month, the price reduced to N16,250 in November 2025 from N18,750, reflecting a 13.33% dip. Similarly to that of a 5kg refill, which now sells for an average of N6,500 from N7,500.
- A carton of a frozen turkey dropped by 12.05%, averaging at N73,000, while a carton of chicken lap sold for N48,000 from N52,000, a 7.69% drop.
Other notable declines
- Golden Penny noodles (70g carton): down 9.47%, from N9,500 to N8,600
- Ola-Ola poundo (2.267kg): down 9.09%, from N27,500 to N25,000
- Melon (big bag): down 7.41%, from N270,000 to N250,000
Overall, the strongest declines came from pepper, maize, vegetable oil, garri and tubers, reflecting supply recovery.
Items with no price change
Prices of about 26 items, including semo, tomatoes, tea, wheat, ogbono and noodles, remained unchanged, showing stabilization in those market segments.
Market reactions: voices from Lagos markets
- Mrs Ebere Okon – Vegetable seller, Daleko
“Onion didn’t turn out as cheap as we expected. From N70,000, I now pay N90,000. Transport and supply situation are the problem.”
- Mrs Grace – Grocery retailer, Mushin
“Bakers are worried. Flour keeps going up, so they are either reducing loaf sizes or increasing prices.”
- Ms. Amina Salawu – Tuber seller, Mile 2
“Yam is cheaper this week, and I’m stocking more, but loading delays from the North still worry us.”
- Mr. Segun – Pasta seller, Oyingbo
“Bonita at N1,400 is pushing customers to switch to cheaper spaghetti.”
- Mrs. Funke Adebayo – Food vendor, Mile 2
“Gas drop is a big relief. We are still cautious, but profits are better than before.”
- Mr. Shola Adeyemi – Garri wholesaler, Mile 2
“N23,000 for 50kg yellow garri is good news, but most buyers still buy in small quantities because money is tight.”
About the Nairametrics Food Price Survey
The Nairametrics Food Price Watch is a monthly market survey tracking the prices of major food items across Nigeria.
This report specifically covers four key markets in Lagos State: Mushin Market, Daleko Market, Oyingbo Market, and Mile 12 Market.
The survey provides up-to-date insights into food price trends, helping businesses, policymakers, and consumers make informed decisions.
