Nigeria and United States See Sharp Rise in Food Costs

In Nigeria, the average cost of preparing a pot of jollof rice increased by 14.6% between July 2025 and June 2026, reaching N29,578. The SBM Intelligence Jollof Index reports a 624% rise over ten years and notes that food inflation hit 17.52% year‑on‑year in June 2026, driven by supply‑chain disruptions, currency instability and extreme weather.

In the United States, a Bain & Company and NielsenIQ analysis found that grocery unit sales fell 1.8% and total volumes dropped about 2% year‑on‑year. Around half of American consumers reported cutting grocery spending, citing lower SNAP participation, a 20% jump in gas prices, and cumulative grocery inflation of roughly 33% since 2019. Shoppers are shifting to lower‑priced brands, using coupons more, and buying smaller online baskets, while some are using GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs to reduce food intake.