Jollof rice cost rises 19.4% to N34,435 in 2026

The Jollof Index shows the cost of cooking one pot of jollof rice in Sokoto reached N30,435 in 2026, a 19.4 percent rise from the previous October driven by global oil shocks, higher fuel and transport costs. Nigerians cope by adapting creatively but face tough choices as minimum wage covers only two pots, doctors emigrate, children stay out of school, farmers abandon fields due to banditry, the power grid collapses repeatedly, and public trust in police remains very low.

Pidgin: The Jollof Index don show say to cook one pot of jollof rice for Sokoto don reach N30,435 for 2026, na 19.4 percent increase from last October wey global oil shock, higher fuel and transport cost cause am. Naija people dey cope by adjusting well well but dem dey face hard choices as minimum wage fit only do two pots, doctors dey japa, pikin no dey go school, farmers dey abandon farm because of banditry, power grid dey collapse plenty times, and trust for police don very low.

How this affects you: Minimum wage earners, civil servants with families, doctors and nurses, out-of-school children, farmers in North-West and Yorubaland, and patients in public hospitals face food insecurity, emigration, lack of education, abandoned farms, and poor healthcare with no third option except japa.