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The online event, organized by the YPARD Oyo State Chapter, brought together young professionals, researchers, and development practitioners to discuss the policy and market dynamics shaping food affordability in Nigeria.
Moderated by ‘Dunsin Olorunfemi, Local Representative of YPARD Oyo State, the 90-minute virtual conversation opened with brief remarks on YPARD’s mission to strengthen youth engagement in agricultural and food systems transformation. In her opening statement, Chidinma Ezeh, Country Representative of YPARD Nigeria, emphasized the timeliness of the discussion, especially amid rising food costs and persistent concerns over the affordability of nutritious diets across Nigeria.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Gbenga Sadik, Graduate Researcher at Cornell University, on the topic “Understanding the Policy and Market Drivers of Food Prices in Nigeria.” His presentation drew from recent national data on the Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD), showing that since 2023, the CoHD has risen much faster than overall inflation, signaling a growing disconnect between income levels and access to nutritious food.
Gbenga highlighted how policy actions, both direct and indirect, influence food prices, from input subsidies and trade restrictions to energy policies that affect transport and storage costs. He also identified market inefficiencies such as high post-harvest losses (30–50%), poor transport infrastructure, and market concentration among wholesalers as key contributors to food price volatility.
Following the keynote, the moderated discussion explored three central questions:
The exchange underscored the need for nutrition-sensitive pricing strategies, improved market transparency, and investments in infrastructure to reduce distribution costs. Participants also highlighted the importance of leveraging youth-led innovations in supply chain management and digital agriculture to enhance price stability and consumer access.
