Workers Struggle to Afford Nutritious Diets Amidst Rising Food Costs
Analysis of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’s latest Cost of Healthy Diet (CoHD) report reveals that individuals earning Nigeria’s national minimum wage of N70,000 can afford a healthy diet for merely 12 days in states like Ekiti, Imo, and Bayelsa, where the cost of nutrition is notably high.
This analysis, grounded in the NBS’s average cost of a healthy diet, underscores how the current monthly minimum wage inadequately covers the cost of nutritious meals throughout a full 30-day month, assuming an intake of three healthy meals per day.
According to the NBS, the average cost of maintaining a healthy diet surged to N1,589 per adult daily in April 2026, marking a 3.12 percent increase from March’s figure of N1,541. Year-over-year comparisons show a 4.74 percent rise from April 2025, reflecting ongoing hikes in food prices across various categories.
The bureau attributes this month-to-month increase to rising prices across nearly all food categories, with starchy staples being the lone major food group to experience a decrease. It also highlights significant disparities in healthy eating costs across different states.
Ekiti tops the list for the average daily cost of healthy food at N2,036, followed closely by Imo at N2,018 and Bayelsa at N1,909. Conversely, Adamawa reports the lowest average daily cost at N1,143, with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at N1,278 and Akwa Ibom at N1,314.
Regionally, the South East holds the highest average daily healthy diet cost at N1,830, while the Northeast reports the lowest at N1,415. This stark variation in prices reveals the widening gap between workers’ wages and the cost of nutritious food, raising significant concerns about food security.
Minimum Wage Insufficiency Highlights Economic Disparities
The implications of the NBS figures become evident when applied to the national minimum wage. The analysis, which assumes adults consume three healthy meals daily, uses the formula N70,000 ÷ (cost of healthy eating × 3) to gauge how long the national minimum wage can sustain a nutritious diet across both high-cost and low-cost states.
In Ekiti, where a healthy meal averages N2,036 per day, workers would require approximately N6,108 daily to fully meet their nutritional needs. Thus, a minimum wage of N70,000 would only last about 11.5 days. Similarly, in Imo and Bayelsa, minimum wage coverage extends to just 12 days before exhausting funds for healthy meals.
However, in more affordable states like Akwa Ibom and the FCT, the minimum wage can support a healthy diet for around 17 to 18 days, respectively. Even in Adamawa, which boasts the lowest healthy food costs, the monthly wage would only last 20 days when solely spent on nutrition, highlighting a systemic issue of inadequacy in worker compensation.
Rising Food Prices: The Most Expensive Dietary Components
The NBS report indicates that animal products remain the priciest aspect of a healthy diet, comprising 40 percent of total expenses but contributing just 13 percent of required calories. Meanwhile, fruits and vegetables make up 16 percent and 14 percent of costs, respectively, while only accounting for 7 percent and 5 percent of caloric intake.
Despite recent price reductions in starchy staples and fats, costs for other food categories continue to climb, exacerbating the financial burden on households attempting to maintain a nutritious diet. The NBS identified beans and palm oil as the most affordable options across various sectors, pointing to local foods as a viable way to mitigate costs.
Increased Food Insecurity: A Growing Concern
As the issue of food affordability escalates, the World Food Program (WFP) predicts that nearly 35 million Nigerians will grapple with food insecurity in 2026 due to factors such as conflict, climate change, displacement, and disruptions in local food systems. The Northeast region remains the hardest hit, with approximately 5.8 million people facing severe food insecurity.
The pressing need for action is further emphasized by the United Nations, which warns that without immediate measures, up to 82 million Nigerians could experience hunger by 2030, worsened particularly among vulnerable populations, including children. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has pointed out that Nigeria’s nutritional crisis ranks among the world’s most severe.
Government Initiatives Fall Short of Addressing Long-term Needs
In response to escalating food prices, government efforts designed to alleviate this crisis have included a significant expenditure of NOK 13.07 billion on food relief measures from June 2023 to December 2025. However, despite these efforts coinciding with wider economic reforms, food affordability remains a critical issue for households, raising questions about the efficacy of such programs.
The growing disparity between wages and the cost of living has ignited renewed calls for wage adjustments. Advocates argue for a percentage increase in basic salaries while urging the government to conduct an assessment of national minimum wage levels.
Nutrition Experts Stress Long-term Impacts and Solutions
Nutritionists express deep concern over the long-term consequences of insufficient access to healthy meals. They warn that rising food prices push many families toward cheaper, less nutritious alternatives, which can negatively impact child development and overall health.
Experts recommend focusing on seasonal produce and local food sources to enhance affordability and nutritional intake. They also emphasize the need for governmental support to boost agricultural productivity and worker welfare, underscoring the importance of addressing insecurity within food-producing regions.
The stark reality facing millions of Nigerians is not just the high cost of healthy food but the monthly struggle to manage rent, transportation, utilities, and other essential expenses. As the gap between incomes and food costs widens, questions linger about how families will cope when their earnings run out before the month concludes.
