What is pushing prices: It is a stack: diesel and spare parts push transport up; insecurity disrupts farm output and logistics; FX volatility hits imported inputs (fertiliser, packaging); plus post-harvest losses from heat and poor storage. Traders pay more to hold inventory, so they mark up quickly.

Practical coping tactics: Shift to seasonal menus and substitutes (e.g., local rice/beans mixes, sweet potato for yams during spikes). Buy grains and oil in co-ops; negotiate “market day” timing when supply is fresh and prices dip. For perishables, blanch and freeze vegetables in labelled portions; for grains, use airtight containers with desiccant and simple palletisation to avoid moisture. Track a price book across 2–3 markets; you will spot predictable weekly dips. If you run a canteen/catering SME, pre-sell set menus to lock demand and buy exactly to orders; publish small surcharges transparently when diesel or transport rises above a threshold so customers understand.