Food Inflation Hits 16.06% in April, Overtakes Headline Rate for First Time Since August 2025

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that food inflation rose to 16.06% in April 2026, edging above the headline inflation rate of 15.69% for the same month. This is the first time since August 2025 that food inflation has moved ahead of headline inflation, signalling renewed pressure on household budgets across Nigeria.

Data from the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report shows that 11 states recorded food inflation rates above 20% on a year-on-year basis. Enugu tops the list at 32.7%, followed by Kwara at 30.8%, Adamawa at 30.1%, Rivers at 26.8%, Delta at 23.9%, Bauchi at 23.7%, Edo at 23.0%, Zamfara at 22.0%, Gombe at 21.6%, Anambra at 20.8%, and Benue at 20.1%. At the other end, Borno recorded the lowest year-on-year food inflation at 1.7%, with Jigawa at 6.2% and Taraba at 7.2%.

On a month-on-month basis, Niger state saw the highest increase at 8.5%, followed by Bauchi at 6.8%, Kogi at 6.7%, Benue at 6.6%, and Plateau at 6.2%. The smallest monthly increases were recorded in Kebbi at 0.2%, Katsina at 0.5%, and Bayelsa at 1.3%.

The NBS report highlights a shift in the inflation pattern. From September 2025 until March 2026, headline inflation had consistently stayed higher than food inflation, driven by increases in transport, accommodation, energy, and other services. In September 2025, food inflation stood at 20.16% against a headline rate of 20.98%. The gap widened in January 2026 when food inflation dropped sharply to 8.89% while headline inflation remained high at 15.10%. Food inflation then slowed from 10.84% in December 2025 to 12.12% in February and 14.31% in March, before climbing back above the headline rate in April.

This reversal means food has resumed its role as a major driver of inflationary pressures in the economy. Nigerian households nationwide are feeling the strain as the cost of living continues to climb.

In a related development, the Nigeria Customs Service has released a list of food items banned from importation in 2026. Prohibited products include live or dead birds, frozen poultry, and other processed foods, beverages, and packaged goods. Customs officers have been instructed to seize these items at airports, land borders, and seaports.