Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 15.93% in May 2026, up from 15.69% in April. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on June 15, 2026, this marks the third consecutive month that annual inflation has gone up.
Key Inflation Numbers Year-on-Year Headline Inflation: Rose to 15.93% (up from 15.69% in April 2026, but lower than the 26.06% recorded in May 2025).
Eased to 1.75% (down from 2.13% in April 2026), meaning prices are still rising, but at a slightly slower pace than the month before.
Food Inflation: Climbed to 16.96% year-on-year, driven by the expensive cost of household staples.
Main Causes of the RiseReports point to ongoing global energy price pressures and local challenges as the main reasons for the climb. Food and non-alcoholic drinks made the biggest impact on the numbers. Households paid more for everyday items such as:
Onions and fresh pepperMaize and wheat grainsTomatoes, yam tubers, and sweet potatoesCassava flour and egusi (melon seeds)
State-by-State Differences Not all parts of Nigeria experienced the price changes the same way.
Consumers in Yobe, Anambra, and Sokoto states faced the highest overall year-on-year inflation rates.
On a monthly basis, food prices jumped the fastest in Bauchi (7.73%), Ogun (6.86%), and Jigawa (6.69%).
States like Niger, Plateau, and Edo saw the slowest overall rise in consumer prices
