NBS Report Reveals Mixed Trends in Nigeria's Food Inflation for February 2026
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released its latest data, showing that Nigeria's food inflation rate slowed on a year-on-year basis to 12.12% in February 2026. This marks a significant decline of 14.86 percentage points compared to the 26.98% recorded in February 2025, indicating some relief in the long-term price pressures affecting the nation's food sector.
Monthly Spike in Food Prices Despite Yearly Improvement
However, the report highlights a concerning sharp increase in food prices on a month-on-month basis. Food inflation rose to 4.69% in February 2026, representing a jump of 10.70 percentage points from the -6.02% recorded in January 2026. This monthly surge is attributed to rising average prices of key food items, including:
- Beans and cowpeas
- Carrots and cassava tuber
- Okazi leaf and ogbono (apon)
- Crayfish and snails
- Millet flour and yam flour
The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending February 2026 stood at 19.08%, which is 18.31 percentage points lower than the 37.40% recorded in February 2025, reflecting an overall easing trend over the past year.
States with Highest and Lowest Food Inflation
On a year-on-year basis, the states experiencing the highest food inflation in February 2026 were:
- Kogi – 26.91%
- Adamawa – 23.12%
- Benue – 21.89%
Conversely, the slowest rise in food inflation was recorded in:
- Katsina – 5.09%
- Bauchi – 7.09%
- Imo – 7.65%
Month-on-Month Analysis of Food Price Increases
On a month-on-month basis, food inflation was highest in:
- Bayelsa: 8.81%
- Ebonyi: 8.51%
- Edo: 7.72%
The slowest increases were observed in:
- Katsina: 0.70%
- Nasarawa: 0.17%
- Kano: 1.39%
Top 10 States with Highest and Lowest Food Inflation
Top 10 highest food inflation states (year-on-year):
- Kogi: 26.9%
- Adamawa: 23.1%
- Benue: 21.9%
- Bayelsa: 18.9%
- Kebbi: 18.0%
- Edo: 17.7%
- Abuja: 17.3%
- Sokoto: 16.9%
- Zamfara: 16.7%
- Rivers: 16.3%
Top 10 lowest food inflation states (year-on-year):
- Katsina: 5.1%
- Bauchi: 7.1%
- Imo: 7.6%
- Ondo: 10.1%
- Ebonyi: 10.3%
- Abia: 10.6%
- Lagos: 11.1%
- Kaduna: 11.6%
- Kano: 11.8%
- Gombe: 11.9%
Background on Import Restrictions
In related news, the Nigerian Customs Service has enforced a ban on the importation of specific food items in 2026, including animal products, processed foods, beverages, and packaged goods. Key prohibited items include live or dead birds, frozen poultry, pork, and beef. These measures aim to protect local industries but may influence domestic food prices and availability.
This NBS report underscores the ongoing challenges in Nigeria's food economy, with significant regional disparities in inflation rates despite an overall yearly improvement. Residents in states like Kogi, Adamawa, and Benue continue to face the brunt of rising food costs, highlighting the need for targeted economic policies to address food security and affordability nationwide.
