5 Everyday items that have become luxury goods in Nigeria

What was once an affordable weekly purchase now strains many family budgets. Products like bread and eggs have surged by multiples since 2023 while rice, cooking oil and petrol have climbed to prices once unthinkable for average consumers. This dramatic shift forces households to make deliberate spending choices, seek homemade or local substitutes and rethink the true cost of daily staples. Below are 5 items whose rising prices illustrate how ordinary necessities have crossed into luxury territory. ALSO READ: How to haggle in a Nigerian market like a pro 1. Loaf of bread A 600 g loaf that sold for under ₦100 in 2023 now fetches between ₦500 and ₦700 in most Lagos and Abuja bakeries. The surge stems from higher wheat import duties, erratic baking gas supply and steeper packaging costs. Middle-class households have cut back from daily bread to weekend treats or invested in countertop mixers and baking trays to make bread at home. Informal community bakeries have also emerged, offering cooperative baking services where neighbors share the cost of bulk gas refills and flour purchases to keep bread affordable. 2. Carton of eggs (30 eggs) Where you paid ₦1,200–₦1,500 per tray in early 2023, Lagos and Ibadan markets now list 30 eggs at ₦5,000–₦6,000. Rising feed prices, transport challenges on rural roads and increased power costs for hatcheries have doubled production expenses. Nutritionists warn that cutting out eggs undermines protein intake, so community poultry projects where urban families sponsor chicks in rural hatcheries are gaining popularity. These schemes pool resources to reduce per-unit costs and deliver fresh eggs back to the city at lower rates. RECOMMENDED: 7 Top Places to Get Cheap Food Items in Lagos 3. Two-kilogram small bag of rice In December 2023 shoppers bought 2 kg rice packs for under ₦1,000; today those same packs cost ₦4,000–₦5,000 in major markets. The naira’s weakening against the dollar has driven up import costs, and local millers spend more on generator fuel during power outages. To cope, many consumers blend rice with locally grown grains like millet or fonio, boosting volume and nutrition. Others form buying cooperatives to purchase 25 kg bags directly from farm-gate producers, securing discounted wholesale rates and sharing bulk sacks among neighbors. 4. One-litre pack of vegetable oil A 1 L sachet cost about ₦400 in April 2024; now it’s between ₦1,000 and ₦1,200. Global palm-oil price spikes, forex scarcity and inland haulage delays have compounded wholesale price surges. Households ration oil for high-flavour dishes only, reuse frying oil judiciously and club together in market associations to buy 5 L tins at subsidized rates, rotating storage space in apartments and sharing usage according to a schedule to minimize waste. 5. Premium motor spirit (petrol) The national average price per litre rose from ₦600 in 2024 to ₦1,239 in April 2025 according to the NBS. While Lagos stations hover at ₦860–₦880 thanks to competition from the Dangote refinery, cities like Kano and Port Harcourt see prices near ₦1,200. Commuters adjust by joining car-pool WhatsApp groups, using app-based ride shares only during off-peak hours and coordinating errands to reduce mileage. Transport unions renegotiate bulk diesel purchases and optimize route planning software to keep haulage viable despite fuel hikes. These examples reveal how macroeconomic pressures have transformed everyday goods into occasional luxuries. By embracing home production, cooperative buying and alternative staples, Nigerian consumers are adapting to sustain nutrition and household comfort under sharply rising prices. EXPLORE: 5 Nigerian foods that could be slowly killing you