Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 15.69 per cent in April 2026, according to the latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The new figure represents a 0.31 percentage point increase compared to the 15.38 per cent recorded in March 2026.
According to the NBS report released on Friday, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the average change in prices of goods and services, rose to 138.3 in April from 135.4 recorded in March.
The bureau explained that the increase followed its recent rebasing exercise, which adopted 2024 as the new base year and 2023 as the weight reference period for inflation calculations.
Despite the rise in the annual inflation rate, the NBS noted that the speed of price increases slowed on a monthly basis.
The report showed that month-on-month inflation eased to 2.13 per cent in April, down from 4.18 per cent recorded in March.
The bureau also highlighted a major decline when compared with April 2025, when headline inflation stood significantly higher at 26.82 per cent.
“The National Bureau of Statistics is pleased to announce the release of the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for April 2026,” the statement read.
“Following the completion of the recent rebasing exercise, this report is centred on a new CPI base year of 2024 and a weight reference period of 2023.”
The NBS disclosed that the major contributors to inflation in April were food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurants and accommodation services, and transportation.
According to the report, food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed 6.40 per cent to the headline inflation figure, while restaurants and accommodation services accounted for 3.56 per cent and transport contributed 1.70 per cent.
The bureau added that sectors with the least impact on inflation included recreation, sports and culture, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, as well as insurance and financial services.
Food inflation stood at 16.06 per cent year-on-year in April, lower than the 24.68 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.
The NBS also said the month-on-month food inflation rate slowed to 3.63 per cent from 4.17 per cent in March, indicating a softer rise in the prices of major food items.
Core inflation which excludes volatile agricultural produce and energy costs was recorded at 15.86 per cent year-on-year.
On a monthly basis, core inflation dropped sharply to 1.03 per cent in April from 4.03 per cent recorded in March.
The report further revealed differences between urban and rural inflation levels across the country.
Urban inflation stood at 15.40 per cent year-on-year, while rural inflation was slightly higher at 16.36 per cent, although both categories recorded slower monthly increases compared to March.
