Food prices increase in March 2026- NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says prices of eggs, beans, garri, onions, ginger and other food items witnessed a month-on-month increase in March 2026.

The NBS said this in its Selected Food Prices Watch report for March 2026 released in Abuja on Wednesday.

The report said that the average price of eggs (a crate of 30 pieces) decreased by 20.12 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N7,670.56 recorded in March 2025 to N6,127.63 in March 2026.

“On a month-on-month basis, the price of a crate of egg increased by 2.00 per cent from N6,007.35 in February 2026.”

Similarly, the report said that the average price of 1kg of brown beans decreased by 49.39 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N2,616.26 in March 2025 to N1,325.85 in March 2026.

“On a month-on-month basis, however, the price increased by 1.41 per cent from the N1,307.44 recorded in February 2026”.

It also showed the average price of 1kg of white garri decreased by 41.19 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N1,362.96 in March 2025 to N801.4 in March 2026.

However, on a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 1.38 per cent from the N790.62 recorded in February 2026.

The report said that the average price of 1kg of onion decreased by 19.63 per cent from N1,434.85 recorded in March 2025 to N1,153.14 in March 2026.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of onions increased by 1,59 per cent in March from the N1,135.12 recorded in February 2026.”

The report said the average price of 1kg of fresh ginger increased by 20.46 per cent from the N4,600.23 recorded in March 2025 to N5,541.25 in March 2026.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of ginger increased by 0.61 per cent in March from the N5,507.43 recorded in February 2026.”

However, it said the average price of one litre of palm oil decreased by 4.71 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N2,511.77 recorded in March 2025 to N2,393.38 in March 2026.

“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 0.27 per cent from N2,386.96 recorded in Feburary 2026.”

On state profile analysis, the report showed that in March 2026, the highest average price of a crate of eggs was recorded in Taraba at N6,999.00 while the lowest was recorded in Niger at N5,610.04.

It said that Oyo recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N1,937.20 while the lowest was in Taraba at N745.

According to the report, Abia recorded the highest average price of 1kg of white garri at N1,075.45, while the lowest was reported in Plateau at N513.78.

The report said the highest price on 1kg of onion bulb was recorded in Abia at N2,115.67 while Kwara recorded the lowest price at N684.38.

The NBS said that the highest average price of 1kg Onion bulb was recorded in Abia at N2,300.76 while the lowest price was recorded in Kwara at N829.91.

It said Ekiti recorded the highest average price of one bottle of palm oil at N2,801.95, while Abia recorded the lowest at N2,012.54.

Analysis by zone showed that the average price of a crate of egg was highest in the South-East at N6,521.47, followed by the North-East at N6,375.91.

“The lowest price was recorded in the North-West at N5,908.61.”

The South-West and South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N1,770.57 and N1,762.49, respectively, while the lowest price was in the North-West N851.11

It said the South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of white garri at N942.68 followed by the South-East at N942.04, while the North-Central recorded the lowest at N670.16.

The NBS said also that the South-East and South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of onion bulb at N1,714.81 and N1,266.80, respectively.

The North-Central recorded the lowest average price of 1kg of onion at N907.76