Nigeria’s Food Inflation Slows to 19.57%, Food Costs Still Squeeze Households

News in Brief:

— Nigeria’s food inflation slowed to 19.57% in August 2026, with monthly food price growth falling sharply to 1.02%.

— Despite the slowdown, households continue to face high food costs, with significant price pressures persisting across several states.

Nigeria’s food inflation rate slowed to 19.57% year-on-year in August 2026, pausing the rapid price increases in previous months, but households still face high food costs as prices remain elevated.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation fell from 20.31% in July to 19.57% in August. Month on month, the rate dropped sharply to 1.02%, compared with 5.56% in July.

The decline means food prices rose more slowly in August, rather than becoming cheaper. For households already spending a large share of their income on food, the continued increase means purchasing power remains under pressure.

The NBS attributed the moderation mainly to changes in the average prices of commodities including palm oil, carrots, pepper, onions, cassava, flour, beef, yam flour, water yam, melon (egusi), fresh ginger, fresh fish, Irish potatoes, wheat, grains, frozen chicken and turkey meat.

Food Costs Still Vary Sharply Across Nigeria

The national moderation also masks significant differences in food price pressures across states.

Adamawa recorded the highest food inflation at 38.85% compared to last year, followed by Zamfara at 37.96% and Bayelsa at 36.20%. In contrast, Borno recorded -4.04%, while Jigawa and Kebbi recorded -0.23% and 3.47%, respectively.

Month-on-month, Katsina recorded the highest food inflation at 9.48%, followed by Rivers at 8.86% and Osun at 8.32%. Taraba recorded the largest decline at -12.42%, followed by Borno at -12.15% and Bauchi at -8.88%.

The average annual food inflation rate for the 12 months ending August stood at 15.70%, down 14.15 percentage points from 29.86% a year earlier.

The moderation follows government efforts to support agricultural production through fertiliser and seed distribution, mechanisation and farmer financing programmes.

However, lower inflation will only bring meaningful relief for households if food supply improves enough to stabilise or reduce prices. Rising production, transportation, storage and distribution costs continue to influence what consumers ultimately pay.

For Nigerian households, therefore, August’s figures point to a slower rise in food costs, not cheaper food.