December 2025 has delivered a well-known however placing story for Lagos households; the festive season demand has collided with tightening provide, pushing costs of most meals gadgets sharply increased throughout main markets.
In comparison with November, value actions in December had been overwhelmingly upward, reflecting elevated family consumption, increased logistics prices, and dealer hypothesis typical of the end-of-year interval.
Primarily based on the newest Lagos market survey, out of the 70 tracked meals gadgets, 49 elevated, 18 declined, and 3 had been flat in December towards November 2025, that means 69.0% of things rose, 25.4% fell, and 5.6% had been unchanged.
The breadth of value will increase means that the modest aid seen in November has largely evaporated, reinforcing how fragile meals affordability stays for city customers.
The December market survey, carried out throughout 4 main markets—Mushin, Mile 2, Daleko, and Oyingbo market affirm that seasonality stays a strong inflation driver in Lagos, usually overriding broader macro enhancements similar to harvest inflows or non permanent gas value aid.
In keeping with the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s headline and meals inflation moderated to 14.45% year-onyear (YoY) and 11.08% (YoY) in November 2025, respectively, whereas Lagos meals inflation eased to 13.6% (YoY) from 14.76% (YoY), reflecting broad market moderation.
Nonetheless, this ease could not replicate in December as costs of things as noticed within the December survey are pushed by renewed will increase in contemporary meals, tubers, and protein gadgets.
Value will increase in December had been broad-based, slicing throughout contemporary produce, staples, proteins, oils, and processed meals, similar to:
Different notable will increase:
Merchants attribute the surge to diminished inflows from the North, spoilage dangers throughout transportation, and heavy festive shopping for by households and meals distributors.
Fish sellers report that cold-chain prices and weaker provide from coastal hubs compounded festive demand.
The will increase in oils, flours and processed staples level to continued enter value pass-through, together with packaging, transportation, and financing prices.
Regardless of the festive inflation wave, in response to our survey, 18 gadgets recorded value declines, largely amongst processed items and chosen staples:
Notably, costs of noodles and tea additionally recorded marginal value reductions
Nonetheless, a small group of things (about 4 in complete) confirmed minimal or no motion, primarily area of interest processed merchandise the place pricing is tightly managed by producers and demand elasticity is restricted, similar to a basket of potatoes, a bag of white and oloyin beans, and many others.
For a lot of Lagos residents, December purchasing has change into an train in prioritization moderately than abundance.
“As soon as December begins, pepper turns into gold,” “Northern vans are fewer, and drivers are charging extra for gas and journeys. Pepper jumped to N85,000 per large bag; if provide improves after Christmas, it ought to settle down.”
“Hen lap and turkey cartons moved quick. Feed remains to be costly, diesel for chilly rooms too.”
“Some firms diminished costs to draw Christmas consumers,”“However foodstuffs that individuals prepare dinner contemporary are those costly now.”
“Individuals who postponed shopping for yam in November rushed again in December,” “That sudden demand pushed costs up rapidly.”
“There are forms of ogbono out there starting from Nsukka to Cameroun and Benue ogbono, which is mirrored of their value distinction. As an example, an enormous bag of Nsukka ogbono prices N330,000 due to its dietary worth, whereas the common Cameroun is promoting for N300,000.” “It’s best to know what you might be shopping for to keep away from shopping for the incorrect one for a excessive value.”
The Nairametrics Meals Value Watch is a month-to-month market survey monitoring the costs of main meals gadgets throughout Nigeria.
This report particularly covers 4 key markets in Lagos State: Mushin Market, Daleko Market, Oyingbo Market, and Mile 12 Market.
The survey gives up-to-date insights into meals value tendencies, serving to companies, policymakers, and customers make knowledgeable selections.
