- According to the report, the South-West region had the highest average CoHD at N1157 per adult per day, followed by the South-East region at N1077 per day
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that Ekiti, Lagos, and Osun states had the highest costs of a healthy diet (CoHD) per adult per day, amounting to N1295, N1195, and N1184 respectively.
As of February 2024, the national average CoHD per adult per day was N938, as indicated by the NBS report released in Abuja.
According to the report, the South-West region had the highest average CoHD at N1157 per adult per day, followed by the South-East region at N1077 per day.
In contrast, the North-West region had the lowest average CoHD at N723 per adult per day, with Katsina recording the lowest CoHD at N673, followed by Sokoto and Zamfara at N714 and N720 respectively.
The NBS clarified that the CoHD represents the least expensive combination of locally available items meeting globally consistent food-based dietary guidelines.
It said it was used as a measure of physical and economic access to healthy diets.
“This is a lower bound (or floor) of the cost per adult per day excluding the cost of transportation and meal preparation.”
The bureau said that to compute the CoHD indicator, the following data on Retail Food Prices, Food Composition Data, and Healthy Diet Standard were required.
The report added that animal-source foods were the most expensive food group recommendation to meet in February, accounting for 38 per cent of the total CoHD to provide 13 per cent of the total calories.
It noted that fruits and vegetables were the most expensive food groups in terms of price per calorie.
“They accounted for 12 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively, of the total CoHD while providing only seven per cent and five per cent of total calories in the Healthy Diet Basket.
“Legumes, nuts and seeds were the least-expensive food group on average, at six per cent of the total cost.’’
The report also says that in recent months, the CoHD had risen faster than general inflation and food inflation.
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