Lagos market basket reveals aid in January 2026

Meals costs throughout Lagos markets eased in January 2026, reversing a lot of the festive-driven surge seen in December, though value pressures stay seen in key protein and processed meals classes.

That is in keeping with the January Lagos Meals Market Survey performed by the Nairametrics Analysis Staff throughout Mushin, Daleko, Mile 12, and Oyingbo markets.

Whereas improved provide circumstances and softer post-holiday demand helped drive broad worth corrections, rising logistics, power, and import-linked prices continued to push up costs for choose meals gadgets.

The survey reveals that on a regular basis meals inflation dynamics in Lagos have gotten more and more blended, with welcome aid in perishables like pepper and tomatoes, however persistent pressure on family budgets from fish, vegetable oil, and packaged drinks.

What the info is saying

The January 2026 Lagos meals market survey reveals a broad-based decline in meals costs in comparison with December 2025, signaling a post-festive correction throughout main markets.

Out of the 68 meals gadgets tracked, the bulk recorded worth drops, reflecting improved provide flows and normalization of demand after the vacations.

Out of 68 gadgets tracked, 49 declined in worth, 15 elevated, and 4 remained unchanged, which means 72.4% of things turned cheaper, 22.1% rose, and 5.9% have been flat month-on-month.
Seven out of each ten gadgets both declined in worth or stayed the identical, reversing the sharp will increase recorded throughout the December festive interval.
Nationwide Bureau of Statistics information reveals headline inflation eased to fifteen.15% year-on-year in December 2025, whereas meals inflation declined to 10.84% year-on-year and contracted by 0.36% month-on-month.
Regardless of the general easing pattern, Lagos consumers continued to expertise uneven worth actions on the level of buy, with sharp contrasts between perishables and processed or protein-based meals.

Rise up to hurry

Meals costs in Lagos surged in December 2025 as vacation demand, logistics bottlenecks, and seasonal provide constraints mixed to push market costs greater.

This seasonal spike is a recurring characteristic of Nigeria’s meals economic system, notably for perishables and festive-linked consumption gadgets.

December worth pressures have been pushed by elevated family consumption, tighter transport availability, and better power prices throughout the vacation interval.
As markets reopened absolutely in January, improved haulage from manufacturing zones and renewed competitors amongst wholesalers supported worth normalization.
Lagos State meals inflation eased to 12.5% in December 2025 from 13.6% in November, reflecting the early indicators of moderation captured extra clearly in January market costs.

Nevertheless, structural value drivers corresponding to diesel costs, cold-chain logistics, and import-dependent inputs proceed to restrict how far costs can fall.

Gadgets that elevated in worth

Whereas sector-wide inflation eased, 15 meals gadgets in Lagos posted notable will increase in January 2026, with shoppers in Mushin, Mile 12, Daleko, and Oyingbo feeling the pinch on a number of fronts:

Main the pack was horse mackerel (Kote) fish, which jumped sharply from December’s worth of N4,600 to report a 73.91% improve of N8,000 in January.
A 50kg bag of yellow garri rose by 25% to now promote for a median of N25,000 in January from the earlier common of N20,000.
2.6litres of Poweroil model of vegetable oil elevated by 13.64% to promote for N12,000 from N10,560 that it offered for in December 2025.
A 350g of Ovaltine refill beverage rose by 7.69% to N3,500 from N3,250, whereas the tin pack elevated by 6.67% to promote for N4,800 in January 2026 from N4,500 in December 2025.
Frozen hen laps additionally noticed a light uptick of seven.27%, promoting for a median of N59,000 within the assessment month.

Different staple costs that climbed embrace:

Milo refill (450g): up 4.57%, from N3,500 to N3,660
Bournvita refill (500g): up 2.22%, from N4,500 to N4,600
Melon (egusi): up 2.08%, from N240,000 to N245,000
Golden penny noodles (carton): up 1.88% from N8,500 to N8,660
120g Indomie noodles (carton): up 1.28% from N15,600 to N15,800

Merchants attribute the surge in PowerOil to rising prices of repackaging and transport after the vacations, whereas processed cocoa drinks rose as a result of promotional reductions ended after seasonal gross sales.

Fish sellers report that cold-chain diesel, decrease catches and import publicity contributed to the rise within the worth of proteins.

Gadgets that lowered in worth

January introduced broad worth reductions throughout 49 gadgets, largely pushed by post-holiday provide normalization, improved haulage from manufacturing zones, and seasonal harvest inflows. For a lot of Lagos residents, this introduced welcome aid.

Pepper recorded the best worth declines as a giant bag and medium bag dropped by 52.9% and 46% respectively, promoting for a median of N40,000 from N85,000 and N27,000 from N50,000.
Tomatoes — a giant basket of round-shaped and oval formed tomato lowered by 42.3% and 40% respectively to promote for N30,000 and N21,000 from N52,000 and N35,000 respectively.
A giant basket of potatoes likewise recorded a 22.2% decline to promote for N35,000 in January 2026 from the N45,000 in December 2025.
Moreover, a 50kg bag of white garri dropped 20% from N30,000 in December 2025 to N24,000 in January 2026.
Worth declines additionally mirrored within the worth of yams as a 0.9kg of Ayoola poundo yam flour dropped by 11.76% to promote for N3,750 from N4,250 recorded in December 2025, and a medium-sized tuber of yam lowered to N4,000 from N4,500, a 11.11% discount.

Different notable declines are:

Honeywell Semovita (10kg): down 10.98%, from N16,850 to N15,000
Oloyin beans (50kg): down 10.77%, from N65,000 to N58,000
Native palm oil (25 litres): down 10.14%, from N69,000 to N62,000
Dano refill milk (350g): down 10% from N3,500 to N3,150
Bonita pasta (500g): down 10% from N1,500 to N1,350
Honeywell wheat (1kg): down 10% from N1,500 to N1,350

Different staples like bush mango (ogbono), mamador vegetable oil, quick grain rice (Royal Stallion), and many others., additionally softened by double digits as rural provide chains stabilized and demand from festive internet hosting abated.

General, merchants reported that wholesale competitors in early 2026 has returned to pre-holiday norms, permitting these worth corrections.

Gadgets that remained flat

A small however noticeable group of about 4 gadgets remained nearly unchanged from December into January, starting from minimie noodles, titus (mackerel) fish, Lipton Yellow Label tea and a bi-size tuber of Abuja yam, whose provide contracts and retail pricing are much less delicate to short-term seasonal swings.

Market reactions: voices from consumers and sellers

Mrs. Lolade – frozen meals vendor, Daleko

She defined that seasonal catch fluctuations and better ice/cold-chain prices have tightened out there inventory, pushing costs greater. “We’re shopping for much less from the seaside as a result of gasoline for freezers and transport remains to be pricey.”

Mr. Chijioke, a grain dealer, Mushin

“Though the value of white garri was excessive, the yellow garri surprisingly was on the excessive facet, and there’s no particular cause for it except for the excessive value of transportation from the Southeastern a part of the nation.” “Now we have now improvised to cut back the amount to 20kg for N17,000 as an alternative of the standard 50kg for N25,000, however this didn’t make it any higher.”

Ms. Cynthia – groceries dealer, Oyingbo

She attributed will increase in costs of vegetable oil and drinks to the top of promotions and bonuses after the festive interval. “A lot of the costs of cocoa drinks elevated in worth as a result of most model ran promo and reductions throughout the competition.”

Mrs. Binta Suleiman – meals vendor, Mile 12

She was excited concerning the drop in worth of pepper, tomatoes, onion. “Because of cheaper peppers, tomatoes and onions, I can conveniently cut back the costs for stews and jollof rice and nonetheless make my revenue.”

Mrs. Aisha, a mom of three in Mushin, had blended emotions concerning the worth motion.

She mentioned, “The worth of staple meals gadgets is now cheaper, and that makes it simpler to cook dinner a very good meal for the household now, however costs of drinks are so costly now, and this types a part of the children’ day by day meal and that has tightened my weekly price range.”