Nigeria’s headline inflation rate climbed to 15.69 per cent in April 2026, according to the latest Consumer Price Index released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday.
The figure represents a slight increase from 15.38 per cent recorded in March 2026, while it is significantly lower than the 26.82 per cent reported in April 2025.
The NBS noted that the April reading shows a 0.31 percentage point rise compared with the previous month, indicating a continued but slower upward movement in general price levels.
On a month-on-month basis, inflation stood at 2.13 per cent in April 2026, a sharp decline of 2.05 percentage points from March’s 4.18 per cent, suggesting a moderation in the pace of price increases.
Food inflation also rose to 16.06 per cent year-on-year, down from 24.68 per cent in April 2025, reflecting a slower annual rate of increase in food prices.
However, on a month-on-month basis, food inflation eased slightly to 3.63 per cent from 4.17 per cent in March 2026.
The NBS attributed price increases to staple food items such as millet, yam flour, ginger, beef, garri, yam, pepper, crayfish, cassava, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, wheat, soybeans, guinea corn, plantain and carrots.
The report also showed wide regional variations. Enugu State recorded the highest food inflation at 32.67 per cent, followed by Kwara at 30.77 per cent and Adamawa at 30.14 per cent. Borno, Jigawa and Taraba recorded the lowest increases.
On a monthly basis, Niger, Bauchi and Kogi states posted the highest food inflation rates, while Kebbi, Katsina and Bayelsa recorded the slowest increases.
The NBS said the average annual food inflation rate for the 12 months ending April 2026 stood at 17.55 per cent, lower than the 34.60 per cent recorded in the same period in 2025, indicating some easing in longer-term price pressures.