The National Bureau of Statistics has disclosed that the average price of a 50kg bag of local rice rose by 20.5 per cent to N112,000 in March 2026.
The bureau stated this in its Selected Food Price Watch report released on Thursday.
According to the report, the price increased from N92,946 recorded in February 2026, reflecting fresh pressure on food costs across the country.
The NBS also revealed that the average price of a 50kg bag of imported rice climbed by 3.06 per cent to N133,975 in March from N110,589 recorded in the previous month.
The report further showed that several other food items recorded price increases during the review period.
It noted that the average price of a crate of eggs rose by two per cent on a month-on-month basis, while the average price of brown beans increased from N1,307.44 in February to N1,325.85 in March.
Similarly, the average price of loose white garri rose by 1.38 per cent to N801.54 per kilogram during the period under review.
The average price of onion bulbs also increased by 1.59 per cent to N1,153.14 per kilogram, while fresh ginger recorded a 0.61 per cent rise to N5,541.25 per kilogram.
The bureau identified Taraba State as having the highest average price for a crate of eggs at N6,999, while Niger State recorded the lowest at N5,610.04.
For brown beans, Oyo State recorded the highest average price at N1,937.20 per kilogram, while Taraba State posted the lowest at N745.
In the case of white garri, Abia State recorded the highest average price at N1,075.45 per kilogram, while Plateau State had the lowest at N513.78.
The report also showed that Abia recorded the highest average price for onions at N2,115.67 per kilogram, while Kwara State posted the lowest at N829.90.
Despite the figures released by the NBS, market checks in some parts of the country indicated that prices of local rice varied significantly, with some traders selling 50kg bags below the bureau’s reported average.
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