The cost of preparing a pot of jollof rice in Nigeria has increased significantly, with the average now standing at N27,527.85 — a 153% increase between March 2023 and June 2025.
This is according to a new report titled “The SBM Jollof Index, Q2 2025: The crushing cost of a pot” released on Wednesday.
According to the report, “from late 2023 through mid-2025, the Index recorded a dramatic surge, with the national average cost of preparing a pot of Jollof Rice rising by 153% between March 2023 and June 2025, reaching N27,527.85.”
The report further suggested that the escalation has been broad-based, affecting key ingredients such as proteins, pepper, onions, and vegetable oil.
SBM Intelligence stated that the ongoing decoupling of food inflation from general Consumer Price Index (CPI) trends in Nigeria points to deep-seated supply-side issues.
Regional disparities in Jollof prices
According to the report, there are regional disparities in the Jollof Index.
- In Abuja, North-Central Nigeria, Jollof Index significantly increased between July 2016 and June 2025, rising from an average of N4,095 to N32,125.
“This surge, mirroring broader economic trends, saw the sharpest rises post-2021, with prices doubling between 2021 and 2023. Both Nyanya and Wuse II in Abuja followed similar trajectories despite minor short-term differences,” the report noted.
The report further stated, “This period aligns with substantial inflationary pressures across Nigeria and, specifically, Abuja. In July 2016, Nigeria’s annual inflation hit 17.1%, an eleven-year high. By April 2025, Abuja recorded a notable all-items inflation rate of 32.9% year-on-year. While Nigeria’s overall annual inflation eased to 22.97% in May 2025, with a projected decline to 22.37% by June 2025, the underlying drivers of these price increases, such as fuel subsidy removals and foreign exchange adjustments, have consistently impacted consumer purchasing power throughout this period.”
- In the North-East state of Bauchi, between March 2019 and June 2024, the state experienced a nearly eightfold surge, rising from N5,700 to N41,050.
According to SBM Intelligence, “This dramatic price escalation, particularly pronounced from 2022 onwards, reflects severe cost pressures in the northern region, exacerbated by logistics and insecurity challenges.”
From May 2020 to June 2025, Bauchi has consistently shown significant inflationary pressures, the report noted.
“In June 2020, Bauchi’s all-items inflation rate was 15.02%, escalating to 21.99% by June 2022, making it one of Nigeria’s most affected states. By May 2025, Bauchi recorded a notable month-on-month inflation increase of 4.85%, against a national headline inflation rate of 22.97%,” SBM Intelligence stated.
- In Kano, North-West Nigeria, Jollof Index rose from just below N5,000 in mid-2016 to nearly N29,300 by May 2025.
The report stated that the recent major climate events have not significantly affected Kano’s agricultural output or food prices.
- In the Southeast, the report shows that a composite index for Awka and Onitsha demonstrates significant inflation, rising from approximately N4,120 in July 2016 to N21,588 by June 2024, and then falling to N20,500 by June 2025.
According to the report, this region had a lower baseline than northern zones, starting around N4,050 in 2016. “While growth was steady, notable price jumps occurred in 2021 and 2023, with a slight dip mid-2023 before resuming an upward trend.”
- The South-South region of Nigeria, the report stated, has experienced significant price increases, with values soaring from an average of N5,610 in March 2019 to N32,633 by June 2024.
The report states, “Calabar and Port Harcourt have been major contributors to this inflationary pressure, particularly since 2021. The region’s high reliance on port access and inter-regional trade likely amplified volatility and price acceleration.
“Between 2020 (N6,190) and 2025 (N32,633), Port Harcourt recorded the highest peak at N32,600,” the report stated.
The report reveals that the sustained surge has been driven by rising costs in food, transport, and non-food essentials, compounding economic pressures across the region and reflecting broader national inflationary trends during the period.
The report stated that in Southwest Nigeria between June 2016 and Q1 2025, there has been a complex and escalating issue, with discernible disparities between urban centres like Lagos and other parts of the region.
“Lagos’ Balogun market strikingly exemplified this trend, recording the highest index value of N23,591 in June 2025,” the report shows.
What you should know
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 22.22% in June 2025, down from 22.97% recorded in May 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The food inflation rate in June 2025 stood at 21.97% on a year-on-year basis, representing a significant decline of 18.93 percentage points compared to 40.87% recorded in June 2024
The SBM Intelligence urges policymakers in Nigeria to prioritise security, infrastructure, and agricultural support.
(Nairametrics)
