NBS Data Shows Significant Price Drops for Key Staple Foods Across Nigeria
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released comprehensive commodity price data for January 2026, revealing substantial declines in the prices of essential food items across markets nationwide. This development brings welcome relief to Nigerian households grappling with food inflation pressures.
Major Staple Foods Experience Sharp Declines
According to the NBS report, garri, beans, maize, and rice recorded significant year-on-year price reductions. White garri dropped from an average of N1,267.63 in January 2025 to N771.98 in January 2026, representing a substantial 39.10% decrease. Yellow garri followed a similar trend, declining from N1,358.96 to N821.91, marking a 39.52% reduction.
Beans prices showed even more dramatic declines, with brown beans falling from N2,458.53 to N1,262.43 (a 48.65% drop) and white beans decreasing from N2,123.85 to N1,209.91 (a 43.03% reduction). Maize (white grains) also experienced a significant price drop, falling from N1,168.34 to N784.59, representing a 32.85% decline.
Rice Prices Show Modest but Meaningful Reductions
The data indicates that rice prices also decreased during the period under review. Local short-grained rice declined from N2,068.00 to N1,841.83, representing a 10.94% drop. Imported long-grain rice fell from N2,505.48 to N2,197.01, marking a 12.31% reduction. These decreases, while more modest than those seen in garri and beans, still represent meaningful relief for consumers.
Additional Food Items Showing Price Declines
Beyond the major staples, several other food items recorded price reductions:
- Fresh onions dropped by 17.87%
- Sweet potatoes fell by 12.65%
- Fresh tomatoes declined by 5.25%
Regional Price Variations Across States
The NBS data reveals significant regional disparities in food prices across Nigeria. Bauchi, Taraba, and Adamawa states recorded some of the lowest prices for key staples, while Oyo and Bayelsa states experienced some of the highest prices for items like beans. This variation highlights the complex interplay of local production, transportation costs, and market dynamics across different regions.
Food Items Recording Price Increases
While many staple foods showed price declines, the report also identified several items that experienced price increases during the same period:
- Crayfish, small white (+39.07%)
- Ginger, fresh (+29.43%)
- Chicken feet (+20.02%)
- Dried fish, Bonga (+18.53%)
- Catfish (fresh) (+15.82%)
Other items showing increases included smoked mackerel (+15.76%), fresh tilapia (+15.46%), chicken wings (+14.79%), boneless beef (+12.28%), and frozen chicken meat (+7.51%).
Food Inflation Context
This price data comes against the backdrop of improving food inflation figures. The NBS previously reported that food inflation eased to 12.12% in February 2026 on a year-on-year basis, representing a significant decline of 14.86 percentage points compared to the 26.98% recorded in February 2025.
The comprehensive NBS report provides valuable insights into Nigeria's food price dynamics, offering both encouraging news about declining staple food prices and important context about regional variations and items still experiencing price pressures. This data will be crucial for policymakers, market analysts, and consumers navigating Nigeria's complex food economy.
