{"id":16774,"date":"2026-07-10T11:24:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T11:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/?p=16774"},"modified":"2026-07-10T15:52:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T15:52:38","slug":"is-the-staple-meal-in-nigeria-and-ghana-becoming-a-luxury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/is-the-staple-meal-in-nigeria-and-ghana-becoming-a-luxury\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the staple meal in Nigeria and Ghana becoming a luxury?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nigerians and&nbsp;Ghanaians have a long, lively debate about whose jollof rice is better. (Senegalese&nbsp;<em>thieboudienne,<\/em>&nbsp;which gave birth to jollof, arguably trumps both.) A more pressing question is whose is cheaper? The Jollof index, issued quarterly by a Lagos-based consultancy called&nbsp;SBM&nbsp;Intelligence, tracks the prices of 12 ingredients used to make the staple in both countries, from the tinned tomato pur\u00e9e that gives the dish its renowned orange hue, to the oil used to saut\u00e9 the onions and spices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In both countries ingredient prices have risen during the war over Iran. After the conflict began, in Nigeria, a pot of jollof for a family of five was soon going for&nbsp;n30,435 ($22.4), a whopping 40% of the monthly minimum wage. This 20% jump since October came mostly from diesel costs for the lorries moving tomatoes and peppers from north to south. In Ghana, tomatoes now cost 56% more than before the war; the average price of rice is up by 29%. The cost of cooking gas has risen by 31%, adding to the cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"384\" height=\"384\" data-attachment-id=\"16775\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/is-the-staple-meal-in-nigeria-and-ghana-becoming-a-luxury\/20260620_mac247\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247.avif\" data-orig-size=\"384,384\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"20260620_MAC247\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247.avif\" src=\"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16775\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247.avif 384w, https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247-300x300.avif 300w, https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247-150x150.avif 150w, https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247-100x100.avif 100w, https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247-50x50.avif 50w, https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260620_MAC247-320x320.avif 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chart: The Economist<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the picture then diverges. In Ghana, where the government has steered a rocky return to single-digit inflation from a peak of 54% in December 2022, this average pot still works out in dollar terms cheaper than it was three years ago. Though its jollof basket depends more on imports, a stronger currency has cushioned families from the worst shocks. But in Nigeria that same pot is up by 50% in dollars terms over the same period. Though headline inflation has slowed over the past year, Nigeria\u2019s bureau of statistics has just noted that prices are up by 16% on last year, the third monthly rise this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most jollof ingredients in Nigeria are farmed locally. But bad roads and weather always cause spikes at this time of year\u2014worsened by the war. Nigeria\u2019s higher rate of food insecurity means that even small, brief price rises can make the difference between someone eating their jollof rice with chicken\u2014or settling for a morsel of smoked fish. For the 140m Nigerians under the poverty line, jollof has long been an unheard-of luxury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/middle-east-and-africa\/2026\/06\/18\/is-the-staple-meal-in-nigeria-and-ghana-becoming-a-luxury?giftId=YTFlMTFmZTMtYjNlZS00MjUxLWFlMTEtYjRjMTQ5ODYyMjQz&amp;utm_campaign=gifted_article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a> for source<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Beyond the cultural debate, the Jollof Index offers a snapshot of economic conditions, showing how inflation, imports, and food supply challenges influence household costs across Ghana and Nigeria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":16776,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[153],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-articles"],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14091,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/domestic-electricity-tariff-regime-ranked-among-africas-best-performing-purc-study\/","url_meta":{"origin":16774,"position":0},"title":"Domestic electricity tariff regime ranked among Africa\u2019s best performing \u2013 PURC study","author":"Michael Teye","date":"November 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Ghana remains one of the best-performing and most balanced electricity tariff jurisdictions in Africa, according to a new comparative study by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC). The analysis, conducted in line with the PURC Act 1997 (Act 538), places domestic electricity pricing near the continental median \u2013 reflecting what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News Articles","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/news-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Domest.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Domest.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Domest.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Domest.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Domest.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14546,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/africa-squeezed-between-import-substitution-and-dependency-syndrome\/","url_meta":{"origin":16774,"position":1},"title":"Africa squeezed between import substitution and dependency syndrome","author":"Michael Teye","date":"January 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Squeezed between import substitution and dependency syndrome, a condition characterised by a set of associated economic symptoms\u2014that is rules and regulations\u2014majority of African countries are shifting from United States and Europe to an incoherent alternative bilateral partnerships with Russia, China and the Global South.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News Articles","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/news-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Africa-Squeeze.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Africa-Squeeze.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Africa-Squeeze.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Africa-Squeeze.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Africa-Squeeze.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15665,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/trade-surplus-surges-to-gh%c2%a247-2bn-in-q4-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":16774,"position":2},"title":"Trade surplus surges to GH\u00a247.2bn in Q4 2025","author":"Michael Teye","date":"April 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The country\u2019s trade surplus surged to GH\u00a247.2billion in fourth quarter-2025, driven by strong export growth that outpaced imports, the latest data from Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) have shown.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News Articles","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/news-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Trade-surplus-sureges-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Trade-surplus-sureges-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Trade-surplus-sureges-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Trade-surplus-sureges-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Trade-surplus-sureges-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Trade-surplus-sureges-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12742,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/access-bank-appoints-pearl-nkrumah-as-new-managing-director\/","url_meta":{"origin":16774,"position":3},"title":"Access Bank appoints Pearl Nkrumah as new Managing Director","author":"Michael Teye","date":"October 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Access Bank (Ghana) Plc has appointed Ms. Pearl Nkrumah as Managing Director, effective October 1, 2025. 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Ghana\u2019s strong democratic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News Articles","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/news-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/gh-pp.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/gh-pp.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/gh-pp.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/gh-pp.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/gh-pp.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ESQ-Elsie-17.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16774"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16852,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16774\/revisions\/16852"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}