Dealers Release New Food Prices: Maize, Garri, Other Items Record New Rates
- Food prices rose across major Lagos markets in October, with 31 of 67 surveyed items becoming more expensive
- Maize jumped 37.5%, and yellow garri rose 27.78%, while tomatoes, rice and other items became cheaper
- Lagos food inflation hit 34.40% in September, as falling national inflation offered little relief to households facing high food costs
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Food prices in major Lagos markets took a fresh turn in October 2026, with maize, garri, onions and other household staples becoming more expensive, putting additional pressure on families already struggling with the rising cost of living.
A new market survey showed that 31 out of 67 food items recorded price increases in October, compared with just 17 in September.
Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, the number of items that became cheaper dropped from 35 to 20, while 16 products maintained their previous prices.
The survey, conducted across Mushin, Daleko, Mile 12 and Oyingbo markets, revealed mixed price movements, with some essential commodities recording increases of more than 30%.
The development comes despite signs of easing inflation nationally, highlighting the gap between official inflation figures and the prices consumers encounter in markets.
Maize, garri prices record sharp increases
Maize recorded one of the steepest increases among widely consumed food staples.
A 50kg bag of yellow and white maize jumped from ₦40,000 in September to ₦55,000 in October, representing a 37.5% increase.
Similarly, yellow garri rose by 27.78%, from ₦18,000 to ₦23,000 per 50kg bag, while white garri increased from ₦19,500 to ₦21,000.
Ogbono also became significantly more expensive, with a big bag rising from ₦300,000 to ₦405,000, representing a 35% increase.
Other notable price increases included:
- Dry onions: ₦200,000 to ₦220,000, up 10%.
- Brown beans (50kg): ₦105,000 to ₦110,000, up 4.76%.
- Frozen chicken laps (carton): ₦48,000 to ₦55,000, up 14.58%.
- Dano refill milk (320g): ₦3,300 to ₦3,950, up 19.70%.
- Peak refill milk (900g): ₦9,200 to ₦10,800, up 17.39%.
Bournvita also increased by 14.77%, from ₦4,400 to ₦5,050, while Golden Penny noodles recorded a 4.88% increase.
Rice and tomatoes offer consumers some relief
Despite the widespread increases, several food products became cheaper during the period, offering consumers some relief.
Round tomatoes recorded one of the biggest reductions, with a large basket falling from ₦45,000 to ₦35,000, representing a 22.22% decline.
Oval tomatoes also dropped by 12.5%, from ₦80,000 to ₦70,000 per basket.
Titus mackerel declined from ₦10,500 to ₦9,000 per kilogram, representing a 14.29% reduction.
Other items that became cheaper included:
- Royal Stallion rice (50kg): ₦49,000 to ₦48,000.
- Oloyin beans: ₦75,000 to ₦70,000.
- Sweet potatoes: ₦32,000 to ₦30,000.
- Palm oil (25 litres): ₦48,000 to ₦47,000.
- Honeywell semolina (5kg): ₦8,150 to ₦7,870.
The reductions suggest that improved seasonal supplies continued to influence prices, particularly for some agricultural products.
Lagos food inflation remains a major concern
The latest price movements come as Nigeria's headline inflation moderated to 14.63% in September 2026, from 15.39% in August.
However, food inflation remained elevated at 19.59%, slightly above the 19.57% recorded in August.
Lagos recorded particularly severe food price pressures, with annual food inflation reaching 34.40% in September, compared with 30.89% in August.
The figures indicate that although national inflation has moderated, many Lagos households continue to face substantial food costs.
Source: Getty Images
What new food prices mean for Nigerians
The October survey underscores the uneven nature of food price changes across Nigeria's commercial capital.
While cheaper rice, tomatoes and selected food products may provide some relief, rising maize, garri and bean prices could increase household food expenditure.
For traders and consumers, transportation expenses, seasonal supply conditions and storage costs remain important factors influencing market prices.
The findings also suggest that declining inflation does not necessarily translate into cheaper food, especially when essential household staples continue to record significant increases.
Food prices rise despite falling inflation
Legit.ng previously reported that Nigeria’s inflation rate slowed again in August 2026, but millions of households are still paying considerably more for food, highlighting the gap between improving economic data and the reality at markets across the country.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that headline inflation eased marginally to 15.39% in August from 15.43% in July, a decline of just 0.04 percentage points.
Source: Legit.ng
