Food, Transport  Push Nigeria’s April Inflation To 15.69%

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate edged higher in April 2026, rising to 15.69 percent from 15.38 percent recorded in March, as persistent pressure from food prices, transport fares, hospitality costs, and healthcare expenditure continued to squeeze household budgets across the country.

The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed this in its Consumer Price Index report released on Friday, noting that the Consumer Price Index climbed to 138.3 in April 2026, a 2.9 point rise from the 135.4 recorded the previous month.

The April figure, however, represents a significant improvement compared to the same period last year, when headline inflation stood at 26.82 percent in April 2025.

“In April 2026, the Headline inflation rate rose to 15.69 per cent, up from 15.38 per cent in March 2026 and stood at 26.82 per cent in the same month of the preceding year,” the NBS stated.

Despite the uptick in annual inflation, monthly price growth actually slowed. Month on month headline inflation stood at 2.13 percent in April, considerably lower than the 4.18 percent recorded in March, indicating a moderation in the pace of price increases.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages remained the dominant driver, contributing 6.40 percentage points to the overall inflation figure. Restaurants and accommodation services added 3.56 percentage points, while transport contributed 1.70 percentage points. Health, housing, education, and communication rounded out the remaining contributors.

The NBS attributed rising food prices to increases in staple commodities including millet, yam flour, fresh ginger, beef, garri, yam tubers, fresh pepper, crayfish, cassava, beans, Irish potatoes, tomatoes, wheat grain, soybeans, guinea corn, plantain, and carrots.

Food inflation on a yearly basis stood at 16.06 percent in April 2026, down sharply from 24.68 percent recorded in April 2025.

Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, stood at 15.86 percent year on year, significantly lower than the 26.05 percent recorded in April 2025.

Rural areas recorded higher inflation at 16.36 percent year on year, compared to 15.40 percent in urban areas.

At the state level, Sokoto recorded the highest all items inflation rate at 25.74 percent, followed by Bauchi at 22.52 percent and Zamfara at 22.03 percent. Edo State recorded the slowest rate at 5.91 percent, followed by Borno at 6.72 percent and Jigawa at 7.04 percent.

The Financial Market Dealers Association had projected April headline inflation at 16.42 percent, but the actual NBS figure came in lower, offering a modest measure of relief even as food prices and energy costs continued to shape the domestic price environment.