Further maize, beans and garri are entering Lagos markets.
Food prices across important Lagos markets recorded a varied but broadly easing trend in September 2026, using a larger distribute of staple food items posting month-on-month declines despite renewed increases in a count of key agricultural commodities.
Although decreased prices for grains, legumes and other household staples reflected improved harvest inflows and preferable deliver conditions, commodities such as melon (egusi), tomatoes and vegetable oil recorded remarkable value increases.
The most recent Nairametrics promote survey of 67 food staples across Mushin, Daleko, Mile 12 and Oyingbo markets showed that 16 items increased in charge in September, compared including 18 in August, whilst 36 items recorded charge declines, up from 27 in August.
Another 15 items remained unchanged, compared including 17 in the prior month.
The September survey suggests that easing provide pressures, improving harvest arrivals in parts of the country and relatively secure transportation costs helped moderate prices for a lot of staple foods.
What the traders are saying
Trade operators said improved harvest inflows from producing states helped improve provide for cereals, legumes and root crop products.
Atinuke, a grains trader in Mushin promote, told Nairametrics:
- “The pressure we had earlier this year has reduced. When one trader buys produce from five or six hectares prior to it enters the transparent advertise, it reduces provide obtainable to secondary distributors and pushes up prices.”
Items that recorded the biggest increases
The most significant improve was recorded in melon (egusi), whose ordinary promote price rose from N370,000 for a big bag in August to N480,000 in September, representing a 29.73% month-on-month strengthen and an 118.18% increase compared to N220,000 recording in the corresponding period persist year.
Beyond the brisk supply-and-request dynamics, traders attributed the develop to the rising outlay of producing and moving the crop from farming communities to urban markets, alongside insecurity in some producing areas.
- The ordinary value of a big basket of oval-shaped tomatoes rose from N70,000 in August to N80,000, representing a 14.29% MoM rise and 77.78% YoY growth, whereas Round-shaped tomatoes additionally increased by 12.50%, from N40,000 to N45,000 per big basket.
- Power Oil (2.6 litres) increased from N9,750 to N10,800, representing a 10.77% MoM rise, whilst regional vegetable oil rose by 4.76% for 5litres, from N10,500 to N11,000, and the 25-litre size increased by 1.84%, from N59,900 to N61,000.
- Area palm oil moreover recorded increases, including the five-litre size rising by 6.25%, from N8,000 to N8,500, although the 25-litre size increased by 2.13%, from N47,000 to N48,000.
- A carton of community frozen chicken lap increased by 6.67% to N48,000, whilst the imported brand decreased to N62,000 from N65,000 recorded in the former month.
Sharp declines recorded across important staples
Despite the important gains in some food categories, most staples became cheaper during the month.
- The standard charge of a big and medium bag of pepper decreased by 20% and 11.11% to market for N80,000 and N40,000 respectively.
- A 50kg bag of white and yellow maize fell from N50,000 in August to N40,000 in September, representing a 20% decline.
- Yellow garri (50kg) declined by 14.29%, from N21,000 to N18,000, whereas 50kg bag of white garri dropped by 11.36%, from N22,000 to N19,500.
- Bournvita (450g) jar fell from N5,050 to N4,400, representing a 12.87% decline, whereas Ovaltine refill declined by 9.35%.
- Sweet potatoes fell by 8.57%, from N35,000 to N32,000, whilst Oloyin beans declined by 8.54%, from N82,000 to N75,000.
Other remarkable declines include:
- Royal Stallion compact-grain rice dropped by 7.55% N49,000.
- 5kg Honeywell wheat dip 5.04% to N6,220
- 50kg Brown beans fell by 4.55% to N105,000
- 120g carton of Indomie noodle down 4.24% to N15,800.
Items that remained unchanged
A complete of 15 commodities recorded the same charge in September, down from 17 in August, indicating improving rate stability across important staples.
Items that remained unchanged included ogbono, Kote fish, dry onions, milk, cocoa beverage, etc.
Backstory
The September promote survey comes against a backdrop of moderation in Nigeria’s headline and food inflation.
- Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased marginally to 15.39% in August 2026 from 15.43% in July, extending the country’s disinflation trend for a third continuous month.
- Although the nation’s food inflation moderated for the primary time in six months to 19.57% in August, farm produce inflation accelerated to 21.99% YoY from 20.31% in July, its highest stage in 2026.
At the declare stage, Lagos recorded significantly increased inflation pressure in August.
- Lagos’ headline inflation rose to 23.7% in August 2026, from 16.3% in July, during the time that food inflation increased to 30.9%, from 26.8% in July.
- The NBS attributed the moderation to changes in the standard prices of assorted food products, including palm oil, carrots, pepper, onions, cassava flour, beef, yam flour, water yam, melon, recent ginger, renewed fish, Irish potatoes, wheat grain, frozen chicken and turkey.
- Lagos is a important consumption and distribution hub, meaning food prices are influenced not solely by the outlay of produce at the source but additionally by transportation, storage, distribution expenses, and handle levies incurred in advance of products arrive at consumers.
Concerning the Nairametrics Food Charge Survey
- The Nairametrics Food Rate Watch is a monthly advertise survey tracking the prices of important food items across Nigeria.
- This describe precisely covers four key markets in Lagos Condition: Mushin, Daleko, Oyingbo, and Mile 12 Address.
- The survey provides up-to-date insights into food value trends, helping businesses, policymakers, and consumers build advised decisions.
When furnish improves, traders are forced to compete for customers and that naturally brings prices down.”
Layo, a wholesaler at Daleko market, added that consumer resistance has additionally become additional apparent.
- “Countless buyers now purchase reduced quantities as household budgets are still under pressure. Traders cannot hold increasing prices when request is inferior.”
Traders attributed the upward movement in the items to consistent insecurity in some large food-producing regions, provide disruptions along agricultural value chains, and increased bulk purchases by wholesalers and distributors positioning ahead of the festive season.
A important egusi trader, Mr. Onyeka at Oyingbo trade explained that harvest output remains relatively obtainable, but the resist lies in accessibility and procurement.
- “Community consider there is no egusi, but that is not the problem. Some substantial buyers now shift into producing areas and receive harvests from countless hectares at once.
Source: Lagos food prices: Egusi jumps 29.73% as major staples record wider declines in September
