Lagos food prices: Maize, ogbono and garri record sharp increases in October

Food prices across major Lagos markets recorded a reversal in October 2026, with more staples posting price increase than declines, despite a month-on-month fall in Nigeria’s national food inflation rate.

The latest Nairametrics market survey of 67 food staples across Mushin, Daleko, Mile 12 and Oyingbo markets showed that 31 items recorded increased in price in October, significantly higher than the 17 in September.

Meanwhile, 20 items declined in price, down from 35 items in the previous month, while 16 items remained unchanged compared to 15 items in September.

The October price movements suggest that while the harvest season and improved supplies continued to moderate prices for some perishables and imported food item, supply disruptions, seasonal demand, transportation costs, and storage-related factors pushed up the prices of several key staples including maize, garri, onions, beans, milk products, and frozen foods.

Mrs. Kemi Adewale, a tomato wholesaler at Mile 12 Market, said the sharp decline in tomato prices was driven by increased supplies from major farming belts across northern and central Nigeria.

Similarly, pepper traders attributed the decline to abundant harvests and intense competition among sellers.

Alhaji Musa Ibrahim, a pepper dealer in Mile 12, explained:

According to Mr. Emeka Nwosu, a frozen fish distributor in Daleko Market:

Mr. Adebayo Olatunji, a grain merchant at Oyingbo Market, said demand from poultry operators and feed millers remained exceptionally strong.

Another trader, Mrs. Hadiza Bello, who sources grains from northern Nigeria, noted that some farmers and aggregators were deliberately holding inventories.

Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, an onion trader at Mile 12 Market, said:

Yellow and white maize posted the highest increase among widely consumed staples. A 50kg bag of both yellow and white maize climbed from N40,000 in September to N55,000 in October, representing a 37.5% month-on-month increase.

Despite the wider increase in the number of staples that became more expensive, some food items recorded notable reductions in October.

Round-shaped tomatoes recorded the largest decline among the items reviewed in the survey.

Lagos market survey in October comes after Nigeria’s headline inflation rate declined to 14.63% year-on-year in September 2026, from 15.39% in August.

This represents a reduction of 0.76 percentage points and marks a further moderation in the annual rate of price increases.

Notably, Lagos records the highest food inflation in September. The state recorded 34.40% year-on-year food inflation compared with 30.89% in August.

This means food prices in Lagos were significantly higher than their levels a year earlier, even as the national month-on-month food inflation rate turned negative.

Lagos’ headline inflation also moderated, falling to 17.35% in September, from 23.68% in August.

The Nairametrics Food Price Watch is a monthly market survey tracking the prices of major food items across Nigeria.

This report specifically covers four key markets in Lagos State: Mushin, Daleko, Oyingbo, and Mile 12 Market.

The survey provides up-to-date insights into food price trends, helping businesses, policymakers, and consumers make informed decisions.

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