A market survey carried out by this reporter to assess price performance of various staple food items in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital between October 2025 and June 2026 reveals a significant fall.

Statistics authoritatively gathered in two major markets in Ibadan, Odo Ona Kekere Market and Apata Market, show significant reduction in all items surveyed, except palm oil.

This shows that prices of everyday food items in Ibadan, which may be symbolic of the situation in many other towns across Nigeria, have dropped between the last quarter of 2025 and the first half of 2026.

The survey, conducted on 25th June 2026, involved interviews with eight (8) traders in the two markets. It examined the cost of ten (10) selected food commodities—rice, beans, garri, palm oil, groundnut oil, tomatoes, onions, eggs, crayfish, and seasoning—using the units and measurements commonly sold by traders.

Overall, the findings suggest that food affordability is moving in an upward direction. While several major staples and vegetables became cheaper offering temporary relief, only palm oil, recorded an increase in price.

Rice, for instance, fell from ₦75,000 per 50kg bag in the last quarter of 2025 to ₦60,000 in June 2026. This represents a ₦15,000 decrease and a 20% drop.

Beans also declined from ₦88,000 to ₦75,000, a reduction of ₦13,000, representing about 14.8%.

Among the most striking decreases, Garri dropped from ₦35,000 per 50kg bag in October–December 2025 to ₦24,000 in June 2026 an ₦11,000 reduction and 31% decrease, according to traders’ responses.

Palm oil rose from ₦25,000 (10 litres) in October–December 2025 to ₦30,000 10 litres in June 2026, indicating a ₦5,000 increase about 20%.

Groundnut oil, on the other hand, decreased from ₦44,000 (15 litres) to ₦30,000, showing a ₦14,000 decline 31.8% change based on the survey.

For vegetables, Tomatoes decreased from ₦32,000 (1 basket) to ₦29,000, a ₦3,000 fall about 9.4%. Onions followed a similar pattern, dropping from ₦25,000 to ₦20,000 (a ₦5,000 reduction, about 20%.

Prices of protein-related items also recorded reductions. Traders reported that Eggs fell from ₦6,400 per crate to ₦5,500, representing a ₦900 drop (14%).

Crayfish likewise reduced from ₦35,000 to ₦18,000 for “1 paint bucket,” a substantial change of ₦17,000 48.6%.

Meanwhile, Maggi (Knorr) remained relatively stable, moving from ₦27,000 to ₦27,500, a slight rise of ₦500 about 1.9%.

In summary, the survey indicates that between October–December 2025 and June 2026, food prices in Odo Ona Kekere Market and Apata Market recorded significant reductions in major staples such as rice, beans, garri, groundnut oil, tomatoes, onions, eggs and crayfish, while palm oil and a seasoning item recorded slight increase.

Market traders attributed the palatable trend to changes in supply, government policies, inflation trend, demand, and transportation costs as goods move in and out of the market from one quarter to another.

With prices still subject to variation, consumers in Ibadan are advised to compare prices across stalls in Odo Ona Kekere Market and Apata Market and plan purchases ahead to better manage household food budgets.