Food inflation in Nigeria rose above 20 per cent in 11 states in April 2026, highlighting renewed pressure on household purchasing power even as national inflation showed mixed signals of moderation, official data revealed.
According to the latest Consumer Price Index report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation climbed to 16.06 per cent in April 2026, slightly above the headline inflation rate of 15.69 per cent for the same period. It marks the first time in eight months that food inflation has exceeded overall inflation.
The development signals a reversal of recent trends, as headline inflation had consistently outpaced food inflation between September 2025 and March 2026, driven largely by non-food categories such as transport, energy, housing, and services.
However, food prices have steadily regained momentum since late 2025, rising from 10.84 per cent in December to 14.31 per cent in March before accelerating again in April.
The NBS said food inflation pressures were driven by increases in the prices of staple goods including millet, yam flour, garri, yam tubers, fresh pepper, beef, beans, tomatoes, cassava, plantain, and rice substitutes, reflecting broad-based cost increases across markets.
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On a state-by-state basis, food inflation remained elevated in several parts of the country. Enugu recorded the highest year-on-year food inflation at 32.7 per cent, followed by Kwara at 30.8 per cent and Adamawa at 30.1 per cent.
Other states with food inflation above 20 per cent included Rivers at 26.8 per cent, Delta at 23.9 per cent, Bauchi at 23.7 per cent, Edo at 23.0 per cent, Zamfara at 22.0 per cent, Gombe at 21.6 per cent, Anambra at 20.8 per cent, and Benue at 20.1 per cent.
At the lower end of the spectrum, Borno recorded 1.7 per cent, Jigawa 6.2 per cent, and Taraba 7.2 per cent, indicating significant regional disparities in price pressures.
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Month-on-month figures also pointed to rising short-term inflation momentum in some states. Niger posted the sharpest monthly increase at 8.5 per cent, followed by Bauchi at 6.8 per cent and Kogi at 6.7 per cent. Benue and Plateau also recorded increases above 6 per cent.
The NBS said rural inflation remained higher than urban inflation at 16.36 per cent compared with 15.40 per cent, underscoring deeper cost-of-living pressures outside major cities, where households face weaker infrastructure, higher transport costs and limited market access.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages remained the dominant driver of Nigeria’s inflation basket, contributing 6.40 percentage points to the overall inflation rate.
At the national level, headline inflation rose slightly to 15.69 per cent in April from 15.38 per cent in March, even as month-on-month inflation slowed sharply to 2.13 per cent from 4.18 per cent, suggesting a moderation in the pace of price increases.
The mixed trend has raised concerns among economists about the durability of disinflation in Africa’s most populous economy.
Dr Muda Yusuf, chief executive officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, said inflation remains driven by structural challenges rather than purely monetary factors.
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“Inflation conditions remain severe from a welfare and business cost perspective,” he said, noting that food, transport, energy, healthcare and logistics account for the bulk of inflationary pressure.
He warned that rising global geopolitical tensions, including conflicts in the Middle East, could further push up fuel prices and deepen imported inflation pressures in Nigeria.
Yusuf added that rising petrol, diesel and gas costs were already feeding into transportation and production expenses, with significant spillover effects on food prices.
Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa
“The inflation challenge is structural and supply-driven,” he said, arguing that monetary tightening alone would not resolve the underlying issues.
The report also aligns with projections from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), which estimates that between 16 million and 16.99 million Nigerians could require urgent food assistance by November 2026.
FEWS NET warned that conflict, weak purchasing power and below-average agricultural production would continue to constrain food access, particularly in northern regions affected by insecurity.
Economists and business leaders have called for stronger supply-side reforms, including improvements in food production systems, transport infrastructure, energy supply and trade logistics, to ease pressure on prices.
They warn that without such reforms, inflationary pressures could remain entrenched despite short-term fluctuations in headline figures.
