Nigeria's food inflation rose to 20.31% in July 2026, marking the sixth consecutive monthly increase, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The figure is 2.79 percentage points higher than the 17.52% recorded in June 2026.
State-Level Variations in Food Inflation
Adamawa recorded the steepest annual food inflation at 51.36%, far above the national average. Katsina followed at 30.84%, and Zamfara at 30.65%. Delta, Lagos, and Ondo all posted annual rates above 26%.
The NBS attributed the rise to higher average prices for everyday items including crayfish, fresh pepper, onions, carrots, rice, water yam, tomatoes, garri, plantain, beef, and eggs.
Full List of Top 10 States by Annual Food Inflation
- Adamawa: 51.36%
- Katsina: 30.84%
- Zamfara: 30.65%
- Delta: 28.10%
- Lagos: 26.80%
- Ondo: 26.00%
- Gombe: 24.20%
- Kwara: 23.90%
- Benue: 22.30%
- Rivers: 22.20%
States With Lowest Food Inflation
Borno was the only state to record a negative annual food inflation rate at -0.31%. Nasarawa followed at 6.88%, and Kebbi at 12.50%.
On a month-on-month basis, Adamawa again topped the table at 17.02%, with Lagos at 13.48% and Borno at 13.26%. Jigawa recorded the sharpest monthly drop at -3.68%, followed by Kebbi at -3.67% and Bauchi at -1.85%.
Year-on-Year Trends and Headline Inflation
Despite the monthly uptick, year-on-year food inflation in July 2026 at 20.31% was lower than the 26.20% posted in the same month in 2025, indicating a slowdown in annual price increases.
The NBS also reported that Nigeria's headline inflation rate eased slightly to 15.43% in July, down from 15.91% in June, while month-on-month headline inflation fell to 1.57% from 1.66%.
The average annual food inflation rate for the 12 months ending July 2026 stood at 16.06%, a decline of 14.79 percentage points from the 30.85% recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
The NBS data underscores persistent food price pressures in several states, while national trends show gradual easing compared to the previous year.
