The Nairametrics October 2025 food price survey saw a mix of price drops and increases across Lagos food markets, as traders and households adjusted to shifting supply conditions, transport costs, and energy pressures.
While some staples became cheaper due to new harvests, others surged as scarcity and logistics costs kicked in.
This is the latest market survey by Nairametrics across major Lagos food markets: Mushin, Mile 12, Oyingbo, and Daleko.
According to the September market survey, the price of key food items— including pepper, melon, wheat, and frozen fish— had declined, just as NBS also reported a decline in prices in the same food items (fresh pepper, tomatoes, garri, onions) in the same month.
Notably, Lagos State’s food inflation also fell to 21.2% in September, from 23.0% in August, signaling a gradual moderation in food prices across major markets in the state.
Items that increased in price
- Cooking gas saw the steepest rise in October. A 12.5kg cylinder sells for N18,750, up from N13,500 last month (+38.9%), while the 5kg version jumped 36.4% to N7,500.
- Big bag of melon (egusi): 22.73% increase from N220,000 in September to N270,000 in October.
- A 4.5kg of Ayoola Poundo yam flour rose by 16.88%, to N18,700 from N16,000. While a 2.267kg Olaola poundo yam flour also increased by 10% to N27,500 from N25,000.
This is because of the rising cost of raw yams, processing, and transport markups.
- The medium size tuber of yam increased to N4,000 from N3,500, reflecting a 14.29% increase.
- 2kg Honeywell wheat rose by 12.77% to N2,650 from N2,350, while 10kg of sathe me item increased by 8% to N16,200 from N15,000; due to global wheat price pressure.
Other notable increases:
- Honeywell wheat (2kg): +12.8% (N2,650 from N2,350)
- Local palm oil (5 litres): +10% (N11,000 from N10,000)
- Power Pasta (500g): +10% (N1,100 from N1,000)
- Frozen turkey (carton): +9.2% (N83,000 from N76,000)
- Frozen chicken laps (carton): +8.3% (N52,000 from N48,000)
- Ovaltine (350g refill): +4.76% (N3,300 from N3,150)
Imported and processed foods such as wheat, pasta, and beverages continue to face the impact of forex pressures and global commodity price fluctuations. Proteins like turkey and chicken are also rising due to higher feed and cold-chain costs.
Items that decreased in price
More food items saw price drops in October, bringing some relief to households.
- A big bag of dry onions dropped by 36.36%, selling at an average of N70,000 from N110,000 in the previous month. This is due to seasonal harvest influx, improved supply from producing states.
- A big bag of Oogbono reduced by 32.69%, averaging N350,000 from N520,000 within a month.
- A medium bag of pepper crashed to N45,000, down 32.69% from N60,000 in, while a big bag of the same items dipped by a marginal 6.25%, to N75,000 from N80,000.
- 50kg bag of Oloyin beans dropping to N65,000 in October, up from N80,000, representing an 18.75% decrease.
- The 50kg bag of Yellow Garri reduced by 15.63%, to sell at an average of N27,000 from N32,000, while the same size of a White Garri dropped by 7.41% to sell for an average of N25,500 from N27,000.
- A big basket of sweet potato dropped by14%, selling at an average of N43,000, from N50,000 signaling improved supply from northern markets.
- A bag of Mama Gold foreign rice recorded a reduction in price, selling at an average of N57,000 from N65,000, a 12.31% drop. This is due to improved rice supply and the subsidized imports entering the market.
Other sharp declines were seen in the price of a big basket of tomatoes (11.11%), white and yellow maize (7.41% and 5.51% respectively), etc.
The decline in perishables like onions, peppers, and tomatoes was driven by harvest inflows from the North and better supply chains.
Food items such as cartons of noodles, crates of eggs, Honeywell semovita, and milk remained unchanged.
Market Reaction in Lagos: Voices from Buyers and Sellers
Mrs. Funke, a food vendor at Mushin market, said, “I spend more on refilling gas than on food now, before N13,000 could refill my big cylinder. Now it’s almost N19,000. I had to increase the price of my rice and beans plate by N300 just to make a profit.”
- A consumer at Mile 12, Chidinma lamented, “Egusi is now a luxury. “I had to mix egusi with groundnut powder to stretch it.”
- Conversely, the onion sellers were smiling, as Yakubu, an onion trader in Daleko, told Nairametrics,
“This is our season. “Truckloads are arriving from Sokoto and Kano, so prices are dropping fast.”
- “The prices of grains generally are encouraging,” said Mr. Shola, a grain trader at Mushin market. “But we still fear transport hikes could wipe the gains by next month due to the incoming festive period.”
- Mrs. Afolayan, a consumer at Mushin, expressed her caution, “I can’t even celebrate that beans or onions are cheaper. “Cooking gas has swallowed all my savings this month.”
- A newly wedded couple at Mile 12, Mr &Mrs. Eze said, “When pepper is cheap, gas is high. When gas drops, rice goes up. We are always on a tight budget as nothing is predictable in this country.”