The average prices of tomatoes, beans, garri, onions and ginger increased across Nigerian markets in May 2026, with tomatoes recording the sharpest month-on-month rise, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The NBS disclosed this in its Selected Food Prices Watch Report for May 2026, released on Friday in Abuja.
According to the report, the average price of one kilogramme of tomatoes rose by 32.48 per cent from N1,177.92 in April to N1,560.56 in May.
On a year-on-year basis, the price also increased by 12.05 per cent from N1,392.71 recorded in May 2025.
Brown beans recorded a marginal month-on-month increase of 0.45 per cent, rising from N1,338.93 in April to N1,344.93 in May. However, the price was 43.61 per cent lower than the N2,385.15 recorded in May 2025.
Similarly, the average price of one kilogramme of white garri increased slightly by 0.53 per cent to N808.96 in May from N801.54 in April. Compared with the same period last year, the price declined by 39.39 per cent.
The average price of one kilogramme of onions also rose by 1.34 per cent to N1,180.01 in May from N1,164.39 in April, although it was 26.59 per cent lower than the N1,607.38 recorded in May 2025.
Fresh ginger recorded a stronger monthly increase of 5.82 per cent, rising from N5,581.82 to N5,906.82 per kilogramme. On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 7.28 per cent.
Palm oil remained relatively stable, with the average price of one litre increasing marginally by 0.01 per cent from N2,396.32 to N2,396.62. Compared with May 2025, the price was up by 3.17 per cent.
The report showed that Lagos recorded the highest average price of tomatoes at N1,974.81 per kilogramme, while Ekiti had the lowest at N1,017.
Oyo recorded the highest average price of brown beans at N1,941.78 per kilogramme, while Taraba posted the lowest at N760.
For white garri, Abia recorded the highest average price at N1,075.71 per kilogramme, while Plateau had the lowest at N521.10.
Abia also recorded the highest average price of onions at N2,191.63 per kilogramme, while Nasarawa recorded the lowest at N832.16.
Ekiti posted the highest average price of one litre of palm oil at N2,812.07, while Abia recorded the lowest at N2,025.75.
Regional analysis showed that the South-East recorded the highest average price of tomatoes at N1,838.40 per kilogramme, followed by the South-South at N1,821.60, while the North-West recorded the lowest at N1,182.39.
The South-West and South-South recorded the highest average prices of brown beans at N1,790.71 and N1,768.66 respectively, while the North-East posted the lowest at N876.46.
The South-East also recorded the highest average price of white garri at N947.08, followed by the South-South at N944.01, while the North-Central had the lowest average price at N676.21.
For onions, the South-East recorded the highest regional average price at N1,755.96 per kilogramme, followed by the South-South at N1,274.13, while the North-Central recorded the lowest at N931.15.
The South-West recorded the highest average price of fresh ginger at N6,969.86 per kilogramme, followed by the South-East at N6,566.13, while the North-East recorded the lowest average price at N4,495.29.
Source: NAN
