Egg prices in Nigeria are showing signs of easing, with September food inflation declining by 1.55% month-on-month, yet annual food inflation remains high at 19.59%. Market estimates place Jigawa as the state with the highest listed egg price among 26 states, while Jos offers a crate at approximately ₦5,500.
Egg Prices Ease as Food Inflation Declines
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) September 2026 Consumer Price Index report, food inflation fell by 1.55% on a month-on-month basis. However, the annual food inflation rate stayed elevated at 19.59%, underscoring persistent pressure on household budgets. The NBS identified eggs, rice, maize flour, onions, and palm oil among the commodities contributing to the monthly decline.
Earlier official data showed that the average price of a crate of 30 eggs declined from ₦6,263.92 in March to ₦6,143.11 in April, before rising marginally to ₦6,149.18 in May. This represented an overall decline of approximately 1.83% between March and May.
Regional Price Differences Emerge
Market surveys indicate that egg prices remained relatively high in August despite signs of easing in some locations. A News Agency of Nigeria survey published on August 4 showed that a crate of eggs sold for between ₦5,700 and ₦6,500 in Lagos. Traders disclosed that similar crates had sold for approximately ₦5,000 to ₦5,200 earlier in 2026, indicating households were still paying substantially more than at the beginning of the year.
A September market report placed the price of a crate of eggs in Jos, Plateau State, at approximately ₦5,500. In comparison, prices in Nasarawa, Abuja, and Kaduna were reported at ₦6,000 or higher. These figures suggest regional differences, though they do not establish a definitive nationwide price trend because the surveys covered different markets.
States With Highest and Lowest Egg Prices
More recent market estimates published by agricultural price-tracking platform FarmPaddy on October 17 revealed considerable differences across states. Jigawa recorded the highest listed price among the 26 states covered, with a crate of 30 medium eggs estimated at ₦7,350, according to a recent market survey by Legit.ng. Ekiti and Gombe followed at ₦6,500 each, while Nasarawa recorded ₦6,200. Adamawa, Borno, and Ebonyi were listed at approximately ₦6,000 per crate. The platform's benchmark price stood at ₦5,650.
Plateau State emerged as one of the relatively affordable locations in September, with eggs reportedly selling for approximately ₦5,500 per crate in Jos. The Plateau State Poultry Association attributed the state's relatively competitive prices to local poultry production. Nevertheless, the absence of comprehensive September data covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory makes it difficult to identify Nigeria's cheapest state conclusively.
Why Egg Prices Remain Expensive
Poultry farmers continue to face substantial production challenges, particularly high feed costs, transportation expenses, and difficulties obtaining replacement laying birds. Feed ingredients, including maize, account for a significant proportion of production expenses. Industry operators say these pressures have prevented consumers from fully benefiting from reductions in some agricultural commodity prices.
Consequently, while September's inflation figures suggest some relief, households may continue paying elevated prices until production and distribution costs decline more substantially. The NBS data and market surveys provide a mixed picture, but the overall trend points to gradual easing in egg prices, albeit unevenly across the country.
