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The cost of moving agricultural produce from farms to consumer markets is continuing to drive up food prices across Nigeria, despite the ongoing harvest season, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria has said.
AFAN President, Mohammed Magaji, said transportation expenses remained a major factor behind the differences in food prices across the country, explaining that areas closer to production centres were less affected by the rising cost of distribution.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics’ September 2026 Consumer Price Index report showed that Lagos recorded the highest year-on-year food inflation at 34.40 per cent. Imo followed with 33.79 per cent, while Ondo State recorded 31.49 per cent.
However, the situation was different in parts of northern Nigeria. Taraba recorded a negative food inflation rate of 7.47 per cent, indicating that food prices were lower than they were in September 2025. Yobe also recorded a decline of 0.37 per cent, while Borno’s food inflation stood at 2.18 per cent.
Magaji explained that the difference could be linked to the proximity of food-producing communities to the markets where their produce was sold. According to him, the cost of transporting agricultural products over long distances adds to their final selling prices, placing consumers in distant locations at a disadvantage.
He identified Taraba and other northern states as important food-producing areas supplying agricultural commodities to neighbouring locations. He noted that states such as Gombe and Bauchi receive substantial quantities of food from Taraba, where some crops are harvested earlier.
The AFAN president also pointed to the harvest of guinea corn and other crops as a source of supply that could sustain food availability in the coming months. He said the seasonal increase in agricultural produce could help maintain supplies through November and December.
Although harvest activities are expected to improve food availability, the association’s position suggests that lower prices may not be achieved uniformly across the country while transportation expenses remain high. The cost of moving produce from farms to major consumption centres continues to influence how much Nigerians pay for essential food items.
