The National Bureau of Statistics says prices of beans, eggs, bread, rice, and other food items witnessed significant price increases in October 2024. The NBS said this in its Selected Food Prices Watch report for October 2024, released on Tuesday. The report said that the average price of one kilogramme of brown beans increased by 254.23  per cent from N790.01 recorded in October 2023 to N2,798.50  in October 2024. On a month-on-month basis, one kilogramme of brown beans increased by 2.19  per cent in October  from the N2,738.59 recorded in September 2024. It said that the average price of medium-sized Agric eggs (12 pieces) increased by 140.21 per cent on a year-on-year basis from  N1,112.22 in October 2023 to N2,671.60 in October 2024. On a month-on-month basis, the number of eggs increased by 7.42 per cent from the N2, 487.04 recorded in September 2024. The report said that the average price of sliced bread increased by 103.76  per cent on a year-on-year basis from N760.82 in October 2023 to N1,550.24 in October 2024.
On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 1.44 per cent from the N1,528.19  recorded in September  2024.
In addition, the average price of 1kg of local rice rose by 137.32  per cent on a year-on-year basis from N819.42 recorded in October 2023 to N1,944.64 in October 2024. On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 1.56 per cent from N1,194.77 recorded in September 2024. Also, the report said that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef increased by 98.73   per cent on a year-on-year basis from N2,948.03 in October 2023 to N5,858.58 in October 2024. On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 3.99 per cent from the N5,633.60 recorded in September 2024. On state profile analysis, the report showed that in oc  2024, the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans was recorded in Bauchi at N3,750.00,  while the lowest was recorded in Yobe at N1,749.52. It said that Niger recorded the highest average price of medium size agric eggs (12 pieces) at N3, 450.00, while the lowest was in Adamawa at N2,050.00.
The NBS said that the highest average price of sliced bread was recorded in Rivers at N1,867.14, while the lowest price was recorded in Yobe at N960.07. According to the report, Kogi recorded the highest average price of 1kg local rice (sold loose) at N2,693.41, while the lowest was reported in Benue at N1,267. 25. Analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1kg of brown beans was highest in the South-South at N3,274.39, followed by the North-Central at N2,990.02. The lowest price was recorded in the North-East at N2,294.29. The North-Central and South-East recorded the highest average price of medium-sized agricultural eggs (12 pieces) at N2,915.58 and N2,879.24, respectively, while the lowest price was in the South-West at N2,472.94. The report said that the South-South recorded the highest average price of sliced bread at N1,829.25, followed by the South-East at N1,665.56, while the North-East recorded the lowest price at N1,360.85.
The NBS also said that the South-East and the South-West recorded the highest average price of 1kg of local rice (sold loose) at N2,146.08 and N2,011.05, respectively. The North-West recorded the lowest price of 1kg of local rice (sold loose) at N1,763.62. In July, the federal government, to address the constant increase in food prices and ensure food security, granted a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities. The suspended duty tariffs and taxes will be on importing certain food items across the land and sea borders, including maize, cowpeas, wheat, and husked brown rice. However, experts have suggested more sustainable measures, such as addressing the issue of insecurity, foreign exchange and transportation costs to address the soaring food prices and ensure food security. (NAN) 

More than 2.8 billion people in the world cannot afford healthy diets, the Director-General of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation, Qu Dongyu, has said. Mr Dongyu made this known during the 2024 World Food Day global ceremony with the theme: “Right to ‘Foods’ for a Better Life and a Better Future. Foods’ in the theme stands for diversity, nutrition, affordability and safety. Mr Dongyu said that malnutrition in its various forms existed in countries and socio-economic classes. He added that even in high-income economies, people were choosing convenient and unhealthy foods. The FAO director-general attributed the problems to challenges in agrifood systems where nutritious and diverse foods needed for healthy diets were insufficient and unaffordable.

According to him, food security translates to food availability, accessibility and affordability. “With 730 million people facing hunger, it is clear that there is still much work to be done, and FAO’s mandate to ensure food security for all is as valid as ever. This World Food Day, I am calling on all to renew their commitments to building more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems that can nourish the world,” he said. Mr Dongyu said that immediate action must be taken to ensure the integrated ‘Four Betters.’ “For better production and better nutrition, governments should enable healthy diets for everyone by incentivising production and sale of more nutritious foods. They should also promote their consumption in a healthy way. For a better environment, we need to produce more with less; we need more quantity with more diverse foods with less agricultural inputs and less negative impacts on the environment. We need to produce enough diverse foods, while preserving biodiversity and protecting the planet,” he said.

Mr Dongyu said that,  for a better life, innovation such as information technology, Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology and digital agriculture were needed. He also said that, to support governments, the private sector would need to shift from unhealthy foods and make a greater diversity of safe and nutritious foods available, affordable and appealing. “They need to be our allies in addressing this global challenge. Governments cannot do it alone. “We cannot build peaceful communities without addressing hunger and malnutrition,” he said. He said that the younger generation had a vital role to play, adding that a food secure future without malnutrition was a human right. Mr Dongyu called for renewal of commitments to building efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems that would guarantee the right to good foods for all. (NAN)

Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, have asked the Federal Government to improve on  subsidise the N40,000 per 50kg bag of rice and revisit the condition of National Identification Number, NIN, presentation including telephone number before purchasing the commodity. Speaking to newsmen in an interview, the CSOs said there should be serious consideration for Nigerians who are in Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps, and the very vulnerable groups who do not have such documents to present before buying a bag of rice. They also asked government to list out for Nigerians the designated shops they can buy the subsidised rice. The Executive Director, ED, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor, said “I see the plan by the Federal Government to subsidize rice so that Nigerians can buy a bag of 50kg at N40,000 as a short-term measure. This is a good approach to address the high rate of poverty in the country as many people are no longer able to afford two meals a day. The use of identification mediums such as the NIN and phone numbers to control access seem to be government option of ensuring that the commodity gets to the intended audience. But the truth is that the population of poor and hungry Nigerians is far more than those that have NIN.

However, the usual occurrence is that the commodity will be hijacked and smuggled to private shops to sell at higher prices. The situation we found ourselves in the country is most unfortunate. Ordinarily, once the government announces a programme, citizens should be able to get the rice at designated shops to make purchases with ease. If you take example from the time fuel was cheap in the country, marketers were smuggling the product to neighbouring countries to sell.  Why do you think the sale of rice will be different? Any measure to ensure that the rice gets to the intended persons is welcomed. In the long term, the government should evolve workable policies to reduce the hardship Nigerians are currently facing. If the commodity will be freely available for people at the grassroots to buy at N40,000 per 50kg bag, it is better than buying it at the current rate which ranges from N80,000 to N110,000 and even more. Government should implement targeted Subsidies and Vouchers to further reduce the price of basic food items to address affordability issues. In addition, cash transfer programmes should be implemented in collaboration with independent monitors to provide direct financial support to beneficiaries. This approach has been successful in other contexts, reducing the risks associated with physical distribution, such as diversion and logistical challenges.

Improving the Social Register: A well-maintained and accurate social register is critical for identifying and reaching the poor and most vulnerable population. These should be the first target for the subsidised food items. Decentralised Distribution Centres: Establish decentralised distribution centres across the country especially in rural and remote areas to reduce travel burdens on the poorest households in a n attempt to purchase the commodity. These centres should be accessible, well-stocked, and managed transparently to prevent shortages and ensure timely availability of food supplies.

The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, Andrew Mamedu, said, “ActionAid Nigeria recognises the Federal Government for acknowledging the economic hardship faced by Nigerians due to high inflation and taking steps to mitigate it. “However, we believe that the subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag of rice is still unaffordable for many Nigerians, particularly those living in poverty. To make this intervention truly pro-poor, we recommend further subsidies to reduce the cost and reach the most vulnerable populations. We also express concern that relying solely on NIN or phone numbers for identification may exclude vulnerable populations like the elderly, IDPs, rural communities, or those without access to identification services. To address this, we suggest accepting alternative forms of identification, such as voter’s cards or community verification by community leaders, to ensure wider coverage. This way, we can ensure fair distribution among families in rural communities without incidences of fraud. In addition to this intervention, ActionAid Nigeria recommends implementing a gradual price reduction plan to make rice more affordable for the masses, supporting local rice production to reduce reliance on imports and stabilise prices, and establishing an independent monitoring mechanism to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution process.

Supporting local rice production is a crucial factor in reducing reliance on imports and stabilising prices. By investing in local agriculture, the government can ensure a steady supply of rice, reduce the burden on foreign exchange, and create jobs for Nigerians. To ensure the subsidised rice reaches the intended beneficiaries, the government must prioritise its availability across the country. This can be achieved by decentralising distribution channels and making the rice accessible in various locations, including rural areas and community centres as earlier mentioned.  Additionally, the government should consider partnering with local organisations and community leaders to facilitate distribution and ensure that the rice reaches the most vulnerable populations. By doing so, the government can guarantee that the subsidised rice is widely available, easily accessible, and effectively addresses the food security needs of Nigerians. For accountability’s sake, establishing an independent monitoring mechanism is essential to ensure transparency in the distribution process. This would prevent fraud and ensure that the subsidised rice reaches the intended beneficiaries. This will build trust in the government’s interventions.