Food prices shoot up in April 2026 – NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics says prices of key food items including tomatoes, beans, garri and onions recorded month-on-month increases in April 2026, despite significant year-on-year declines.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the prices of several staple food items, including tomatoes, beans, garri and onions, increased on a month-on-month basis in April 2026. The bureau disclosed this in its Selected Food Prices Watch report for April 2026 released in Abuja on Tuesday, highlighting fresh increases in the cost of major food commodities across the country.

According to the report, the average price of 1kg of tomatoes rose by 6.60 per cent from N1,104.85 in March 2026 to N1,177.92 in April 2026. “However, on a year-on-year basis, the price of 1kg of tomatoes decreased by 8.23 per cent from N1,283.57 recorded in April 2025.” The NBS also reported that the average price of 1kg of brown beans increased by 0.99 per cent month-on-month, rising from N1,325.85 in March to N1,338.93 in April. “On a year-on-year basis, however, the price decreased significantly by 44.89 per cent from the N2,429.39 recorded in April 2025 to N1,338.93 in April 2026.”

The report further showed that the average price of 1kg of white garri increased by 0.93 per cent from N801.54 in March to N808.96 in April. “However, on a year-on-year basis, the price dropped by 39.86 per cent from the N1,345.10 recorded in April 2025.” Similarly, the average price of 1kg of onions rose by 0.98 per cent from N1,153.14 in March to N1,164.39 in April. “On a year-on-year basis, 1kg of onions decreased by 22.56 per cent from the N1,503.56 recorded in April 2025.” The figures indicate that while food prices continued to edge upward on a monthly basis, many staple commodities remained significantly cheaper than they were a year earlier.

READ THE FULL STORY IN VANGUARD