COMPARISON OF SELECTED FOOD PRICES ACROSS THE STATES OF THE SOUTHEAST REGION OF NIGERIA USING Kruskal–Wallis (H) Test

Abstract

This study investigated the prices of selected food items across the south eastern states of Nigeria, utilizing data obtained directly from the National Bureau of Statistics. The primary focus was on three food items: white garri (sold loose), agric eggs (medium–sized) and onion bulbs. It was observed that the collected datasets did not meet the assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance. As a result, the Kruskal–Wallis (H) test, a non-parametric method particularly suited for comparing three or more independent groups, was employed for the analysis. The findings revealed significant variations in the prices of both white garri (sold loose) and onion bulbs across the southeastern states. Anambra State recorded the highest average price for white garri (sold loose), while Abia State had the highest average price for onion bulbs during the study period. In contrast, the analysis indicated no significant differences in the prices of agric eggs (medium–sized) among the states. This suggests a more standardized pricing structure for eggs, likely due to established supply chains and consistent production practices throughout the region.