Food Prices Increase in April 2026 Despite Annual Decrease

News in Brief:

—Nigeria’s staple food prices recorded sharp year-on-year declines in April 2026 but still rose slightly compared to March.

—Despite the annual easing, persistent regional price disparities and monthly increases indicate that inflationary pressures and supply challenges continue to affect households and food markets.

Nigeria’s food market recorded significant price movements in April 2026, with several staple food commodities posting significant year-on-year declines despite continued month-on-month increases, according to the latest Selected Food Price Watch report.

The report showed that the average price of tomatoes (1kg) stood at ₦1,177.92 in April 2026, representing an 8.23% decline from ₦1,283.57 recorded in April 2025. However, compared to March 2026, tomato prices increased by 6.60%, driven by reported scarcity in several major cities.

Brown beans recorded one of the sharpest annual declines. The average price of 1kg fell to ₦1,338.93, down by 44.89% from ₦2,429.39 a year earlier. Monthly, the commodity rose slightly by 0.99% from ₦1,325.85 in March.

Similarly, the average price of white garri sold loose dropped by 39.86% year-on-year to ₦808.96 from ₦1,345.10 recorded in April 2025, although it increased by 0.93% compared to the previous month. Onion prices also declined by 22.56% annually to ₦1,164.39 per kilogram, but rose by 0.98% month-on-month.

In contrast, fresh ginger bucked the trend, with its average price rising by 12.30% year-on-year to ₦5,581.82. The commodity also recorded a marginal monthly increase of 0.73%.

Tuber crops such as yams and potatoes also saw price spikes of more than 3% and 1% between March and April, respectively.

Regional Price Gaps Persist Across Food Markets

The report highlighted significant regional and state-level price disparities. Bayelsa State recorded the highest average tomato price at ₦1,600.73, while Plateau State posted the lowest at ₦730.48. Oyo State had the highest average price for brown beans at ₦1,938.91, whereas Taraba recorded the lowest at ₦750.

Across the geopolitical zones, the South-South recorded the highest average price for tomatoes at ₦1,561.10, while the North-West reported the lowest at ₦822.72. The South-West and South-South zones recorded the highest average prices for brown beans, while the North-East had the lowest.

Despite substantial annual declines in several food staples, continued month-on-month increases suggest that inflationary pressures and supply chain challenges are still affecting food markets and household spending across the country.