Nigeria’s food inflation surged to 12.12% year-on-year in February 2026, reversing January’s single-digit slowdown. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that inflation jumped from 8.89% in January, marking a 3.23-point increase. This rise returned food prices to double-digit territory after over a decade of slower growth.
Despite the monthly spike, food inflation remains lower than February 2025’s 26.98%. The NBS attributed the surge to rising prices of beans, cassava, millet, yam flour, and other staples. Farmers cited high input costs and called for government intervention to stabilize prices.
Regionally, Kogi recorded the highest food inflation at 26.91%, followed by Adamawa at 23.12%. Katsina reported the slowest increase at 5.09%, showing wide state-level disparities. Month-on-month, Bayelsa posted the largest jump of 8.81%, while Katsina experienced a slight decline.
Overall headline inflation eased slightly to 15.06% in February, down from 15.10% in January. Food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed the most, accounting for 6.03 points. Urban areas recorded 15.53% year-on-year, while rural inflation stood at 13.93%. Core inflation also declined annually to 15.88% but rose slightly month-on-month to 0.89%.
The February report highlights ongoing volatility in food markets. Consumers continue to face short-term price pressures, even as long-term inflation trends show significant easing compared with last year.
