Nigeria’s inflation climbs to 15.38% in March, food and rural areas hit hardest

Business

LAGOS, Nigeria — 16 April 2026 (NPA) — Nigeria’s inflation rose again in March 2026, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Prices of everyday goods and services went up by 15.38% compared to last year, slightly higher than the 15.06% recorded in February. This means that, on average, Nigerians are paying more for the same items than they did a year ago.

The Consumer Price Index, which tracks changes in the cost of living, climbed to 135.4 points in March, up from 130.0 in February. Monthly, inflation jumped to 4.18%, showing that prices rose faster in March than they did in February.

Food remains the biggest driver of inflation. Items like yams, cassava, ginger, groundnuts, potatoes, tomatoes, and cassava flour saw noticeable price increases. Restaurants, transport, housing, and healthcare also added to the pressure.

Urban areas recorded inflation of 14.64%, while rural areas were hit harder at 17.22%, showing that people living outside cities are feeling the pinch more severely.

Across the states, Bayelsa, Sokoto, and Bauchi had the highest inflation rates, while Osun, Kano, and Kaduna experienced the lowest. For food prices specifically, Bayelsa, Sokoto, and Adamawa saw the sharpest increases, while Kano, Oyo, and Katsina had the smallest rises.

In simple terms, while inflation has slowed compared to last year’s very high levels, prices are still climbing quickly, especially for food and in rural communities. This means households continue to struggle with higher living costs.