Nigerian households faced renewed pressure on their food budgets in May 2026 as the prices of several staple food items, including tomatoes, onions, ginger, beans and garri, recorded month-on-month increases across markets nationwide, according to the latest data from 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, which tracked price movements of key food commodities consumed by households across the country.
Leading the surge was the price of tomatoes, a staple ingredient in many Nigerian kitchens. The average price of one kilogramme of tomatoes jumped by 32.48 per cent, rising from N1,177.92 in April 2026 to N1,560.56 in May 2026.
“Also on a year-on-year basis, the price of 1kg of tomatoes increased by 12.05 per cent from N1,392.71 recorded in May 2025.”
Fresh ginger also recorded a notable increase during the period. The average price of one kilogramme rose by 5.82 per cent from N5,581.82 in April to N5,906.82 in May.
“On a year-on-year basis, 1kg of ginger increased by 7.28 per cent from the N5,505.77 recorded in May 2025.”
Onions continued their upward trend, with the average price of one kilogramme increasing by 1.34 per cent from N1,164.39 in April to N1,180.01 in May.
“On a year-on-year basis, 1kg of onions decreased by 26.59 per cent from the N1,607.38 recorded in May 2025.”
Beans and garri, two staple foods consumed widely across the country, posted only marginal monthly increases. The average price of one kilogramme of brown beans rose by 0.45 per cent from N1,338.93 in April to N1,344.93 in May.
“On a year-on-year basis, however, the price decreased significantly by 43.61 per cent from the N2,385.15 recorded in May 2025 to N1,344.93 in May 2026.”
Similarly, the average price of one kilogramme of white garri increased by 0.53 per cent from N801.54 in April to N808.96 in May.
“However, on a year-on-year basis, the price dropped by 39.39 per cent from the N1,341.79 recorded in May 2025.”
Palm oil prices remained relatively stable, with only a slight increase of 0.01 per cent. The average price of one litre rose from N2,396.32 in April to N2,396.62 in May.
“On a year-on-year basis, it also increased by 3.17 per cent from N2,475.08 recorded in May 2025.”
Regional Disparities Persist
The report highlighted significant variations in food prices across states and geopolitical zones, underscoring the uneven cost of living experienced by consumers nationwide.
Lagos recorded the highest average price of one kilogramme of tomatoes at N1,974.81, while Ekiti had the lowest at N1,017.
For brown beans, Oyo posted the highest average price at N1,941.78, while Taraba recorded the lowest at N760 per kilogramme.
Abia emerged as the state with the highest average price of white garri at N1,075.71 per kilogramme, while Plateau recorded the lowest at N521.10.
The South-East continued to rank among the most expensive regions for several food commodities. The zone recorded the highest average price of one kilogramme of tomatoes at N1,838.40, followed by the South-South at N1,821.60.
“The lowest price was recorded in the North-West at N1,182.39.”
The South-West and South-South recorded the highest average prices of one kilogramme of brown beans at N1,790.71 and N1,768.66 respectively, while the North-East recorded the lowest at N876.46.
The South-East also recorded the highest average price of one kilogramme of white garri at N947.08, followed closely by the South-South at N944.01.
“The North-Central recorded the lowest at N676.21.”
For onions, Abia recorded the highest average price of one kilogramme at N2,191.63, while Nasarawa posted the lowest at N832.16.
At the regional level, the South-East and South-South recorded the highest average prices of onion bulbs at N1,755.96 and N1,274.13 respectively.
“The North-Central recorded the lowest average price of 1kg of onion at N931.15.”
The report also showed that Ekiti recorded the highest average price of one bottle of palm oil at N2,812.07, while Abia had the lowest at N2,025.75.
Fresh ginger prices were highest in the South-West, where consumers paid an average of N6,969.86 per kilogramme, followed by the South-East at N6,566.13.
“The North-East recorded the lowest average price of 1kg of fresh ginger at N4,495.29.”
The latest figures suggest that while some staple foods such as beans and garri remain significantly cheaper than they were a year ago, rising month-on-month prices for key household items, particularly tomatoes and ginger, continue to place additional strain on consumers already grappling with elevated living costs.
