By Elvira Jordan
Nigeria’s food inflation crisis deepened in July 2026 as the rate climbed to 20.31 percent year-on-year, marking the fifth consecutive monthly increase since March, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
The July figure represents a 2.79 percentage point jump from 17.52 percent recorded in June 2026. It is also the first time the food inflation rate has crossed the 20 percent threshold since February 2021.
For context, food inflation stood much higher at 26.2 percent in July 2025, but the renewed upward trend has raised fresh concerns about affordability for Nigerian households.
Prices Rising Faster Month-on-Month
On a month-on-month basis, food prices accelerated sharply. The NBS said food inflation was 5.56 percent in July 2026, up by 1.82 percentage points from 3.75 percent in June.
The bureau attributed the spike to higher average prices for key staples and condiments including crayfish, fresh pepper, onions, carrots, rice, water yam, tomatoes, garri, plantain, beef, eggs, guinea corn, ginger, and plantain flour.
On a year-on-year basis, Adamawa recorded the highest food inflation at 51.36 percent, followed by Katsina at 30.84 percent and Zamfara at 30.65 percent.
The slowest rises were in Borno at -0.31 percent, Nasarawa at 6.88 percent, and Kebbi at 12.50 percent.
Month-on-month, the pressure was most intense in Adamawa with 17.02 percent, Lagos with 13.48 percent, and Borno with 13.26 percent.
Meanwhile, Jigawa (-3.68 percent), Kebbi (-3.67 percent), and Bauchi (-1.85 percent) recorded the slowest increases.
What It Means
With five straight months of rising food inflation, households across Nigeria continue to face mounting pressure on purchasing power. The surge in prices of basic items like rice, tomatoes, pepper, and protein sources such as eggs and beef is directly affecting daily meals and household budgets.
