Potato emerges Nigeria’s most expensive food, with price rising 182% YoY
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Rice – despite the hype about its delicacy, demand, and high consumption – is not the most expensive food in Nigeria, that spot is taken up by sweet potato, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed.
Selected Food Price Watch of the NBS for April 2024 shows the average price of 1kg of local rice sold loose stood at N1,399.34 – a 155.93 per cent hike year-on-year (YoY) from 546.76 in April 2023 and 3.47 per cent increase month-on-month (MoM) from N1,340.74 in March 2024.
NBS data shows the 10 most expensive staple foods in Nigeria as of April 2024 as follows:
1. Sweet potato
Sweet potato tops the list with a 182.04 per cent hike YoY. The price was N286.26 in April 2023 and surged to N807.35 in April 2024. It rose 17.1 per cent MoM from N689.47 in March 2024 to N807.35 in April.
2. Plantain (unripe)
Unripe plantain grew 168.29 per cent in price YoY, from N372.89 in April 2023 to N1,000.41 in April 2024. MoM, it rose 7.21 per cent from N933.16 in March 2024 to N1,000.41 in April.
3. Broken rice (ofada)
Ofada rice has seen a 158 per cent YoY price increase. It was N601.61 in April 2023 but surged to N1,552.18 in April 2024. From March 2024 to April 2024, the price jumped from N1,525.75 to N1,552.18, adding just 1.73 per cent MoM.
4. Rice (local) sold loose
Local rice price climbed 155.93 per cent YoY, from N546.76 in April 2023 to N1,399.34 in April 2024. And 4.37 per cent N1,340.74 in March 2024 to N1,399.34 in April.
5. Yam tuber
A tuber of yam saw a 154.19 per cent price increase YoY. It cost N444.69 in April 2023 which grew to N1,130.37 in April 2024. The price rose from N1,068.78 in March 2024 to N1,130.37 in April, or by 5.76 MoM.
6. Rice (medium grain)
The price of medium grain rice grew 151.95 per cent YoY, from N609.57 in April 2023 to N1,535.83 in April 2024. MoM, it increased from N1,438.07 in March 2024 to N1,535.83 in April, a 6.8 per cent rise.
7. Irish potato
YoY, the price of Irish potato surged 149.18 per cent. It was N567.29 in April 2023 but hiked to N1,413.57 in April 2024. MoM, it increased from N1,254.45 in March 2024 to N1,413.57 in April, up 12.68 per cent.
8. Plantain (ripe)
A bunch of ripe plantain shot up in price 144.6 per cent YoY, from N412.39 in April 2023 to N1,009.05 in April 2024. I hiked from N947.35 in March 2024 to N1,009.05 in April, a difference of 6.51 per cent.
9. Chicken legs
Chicken legs experienced 138.58 price increase YoY, from N1,115.29 in April 2023 to N2,660.90 in April 2024. It grew 9.04 per cent MoM, from N2,440.35 in March 2024 compared with April.
10. Rice (agric) sold loose
Rice agric rose 135.62 per cent YoY, from N631.50 per 1 kg in April 2023 to N1,487.91 in April 2024. It increased from N1,378.84 in March 2024 to N1,487.91 in April, or by 7.91 per cent.
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