Question

Difficulty: HardDirect Costs and Calculation of Prime Cost

The following cost details were extracted from the financial records of Kaduna Industrial Fabrics Ltd for the accounting year ended 31 December 2025:

Cost ItemAmount (₦)
Opening inventory of raw materials85,000
Purchases of raw materials420,000
Carriage inwards on raw materials18,000
Returns of raw materials to suppliers15,000
Closing inventory of raw materials92,000
Direct factory wages310,000
Royalty paid on production design45,000
Factory supervisor's salary60,000
Factory building rent70,000
Depreciation of factory machinery25,000

What is the Prime Cost of production for the year?

Answer: 771000

Answer

The Prime Cost of production for the year is ₦771,000.
Prime Cost consists strictly of direct material costs, direct labour costs, and direct expenses. The raw materials consumed calculate as ₦85,000 + ₦420,000 + ₦18,000 - ₦15,000 - ₦92,000 = ₦416,000. Adding direct wages of ₦310,000 and direct royalty expenses of ₦45,000 gives ₦771,000. Factory overheads such as supervisor's salary, factory rent, and plant depreciation are indirect costs and must be excluded.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Calculate the total cost of raw materials consumed
₦416,000
Raw materials consumed equals Opening Inventory of Raw Materials (₦85,000) + Purchases (₦420,000) + Carriage Inwards (₦18,000) - Returns Outward (₦15,000) - Closing Inventory (₦92,000).
2
Identify direct wages and direct expenses
Direct wages = ₦310,000; Direct expenses (Royalty) = ₦45,000
Direct factory wages represent direct labour costs, while royalties paid specifically for production designs are direct manufacturing expenses.
3
Sum all direct cost elements to determine Prime Cost
₦771,000
Prime Cost is the sum of Direct Raw Materials Consumed (₦416,000) + Direct Labour (₦310,000) + Direct Expenses (₦45,000).

Key Concept

Calculation of Prime Cost from Direct Costs
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