Nigeria’s National Average Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) increased dramatically in June 2024, reaching N1,241 per adult day.
When compared to the N1,041 recorded in May 2024, this indicates a 19.2% increase.
The Cost of Healthy Diet June 2024 report from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and the National Bureau of Statistics made the revelation.
The least-priced combination of locally accessible foods that satisfies internationally accepted food-based dietary standards is known as the CoHD.
It is an essential indicator of the nation’s physical and financial accessibility to a balanced diet.
Differences at the state and regional levels
At N1,545 per adult per day, the South West Zone had the highest average CoHD, while the North West Zone had the lowest, at N956.
Ekiti, Ogun, and Osun led the list of states with expenses of N1,640, N1,599, and N1,557, in that order.
On the other hand, the states of Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano recorded the lowest daily costs, at N937, N926, and N878, respectively, per adult.
- The rate of increase in the CoHD has been significantly quicker than the rates of general and food inflation.
- The CoHD specifically tracks the Cost of the least costly things necessary for a healthy diet, whereas the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Food CPI represent more general increases in the costs of goods and services.
- This indicator, which is expressed in Naira per day and comprises fewer products, offers a narrower perspective on the affordability of food.
The CoHD has continuously outperformed overall inflation trends in the past few months.
- For example, the CoHD was N858 in January 2024 and increased by 45% by June of the same year.
- It is mostly the rising costs of vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and starchy staples that have caused this dramatic increase. Curiously, starchy staples saw the least amount of month-to-month price increases.
What to note
The difficulties households have in obtaining enough food that is safe and nourishing are highlighted by the rising CoHD.
A crucial component of food security, food availability is better understood thanks to the CoHD. It can provide information regarding the minimal income required to afford a nutritious diet to a variety of stakeholders, such as government agencies, members of civil society, and researchers.
It can also direct nutrition education and social protection programs, ensuring that the most vulnerable communities are reached. Supply chain problems affecting particular food groups can be identified and addressed by stakeholders in areas with particularly high CoHD.
Better production, distribution, or market access plans may result from this. When it comes to food security, the CoHD metric encourages cooperation between researchers, policymakers, and members of civil society.
Through the process of identifying the variables that contribute to the high cost of healthy meals, stakeholders can devise solutions that effectively improve food accessibility, affordability, and availability.
