Despite the drop of Nigeria’s Headline Inflation figure to 15.06 percent in the month of February, increase in prices of some food commodities saw a spike in monthly food inflation, the National Bureau of Statistics has reported.

According to the NBS, on a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in February 2026 was 4.69 percent, up by 10.70 percent compared to January 2026 (-6.02 percent).

It added that the increase can be attributed to the rate of increase in the average prices of beans, carrots, okazi leaf, cassava tuber, crayfish, millet flour, yam flour, snails, avenger (ogbono/apon), dried ungrinded, cow peas, etc.

It however said the general food inflation is 12.12 percent on a year-on-year basis.

It said this was 14.86 percent points lower compared to the rate recorded in February 2025 (26.98 percent).

It added that the average annual rate of Food inflation for the twelve months ending February 2026 over the previous twelve-month average was 19.08 percent, which was 18.31 percent points lower compared with the average annual rate of change recorded in February 2025 (37.40 percent).

For headline inflation, the report said February’s figure decreased by 0.04 percent compared to the January 2026 Headline inflation rate of 15.10 percent and on a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 11.21 percent lower than the rate recorded in February 2025 (26.27 percent).

“This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) decreased in February 2026 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., February 2025).”

“The Headline inflation rate in February 2026 was 2.01 percent, which was 4.89 percent higher than the rate recorded in January 2026 (-2.88 percent). This means that in February 2026, the rate of increase in the average price level was higher than the rate of increase in the average price level in January 2026.”

For “All items less farm produces and energy” or Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural products and energy, it stood at 15.88 percent in February 2026 on a year-on-year basis; showing a decline of 9.78 percent when compared to the 25.66 percent recorded in February 2025. On a month on-month basis, the Core Inflation rate was 0.89 percent in February 2026, up by 2.58 percent compared to January 2026 (-1.69 percent).

“The average twelve-month annual inflation rate was 22.00 percent for the twelve months ending February 2026, which was 5.25 percent points lower than the 27.25 percent recorded in February 2025.”

States’ profile

It added the All-Items inflation rate on a Year-on-Year basis was highest in Kogi (23.57 percent), Benue (22.85 percent), and Anambra (22.09 percent), while Katsina (7.78 percent), Imo (11.66 percent) and Ebonyi (11.71 percent) recorded the lowest rise in Headline inflation on a year-on-year basis.

“On a month on-month basis, however, February 2026 recorded the highest increases in Enugu (5.92 percent), Ogun (4.39 percent) and Anambra (4.11 percent), while Zamfara (-2.14 percent), Bauchi (-1.23 percent), and Katsina (-1.06 percent) recorded a decline in the month-on-month inflation.”

for Food Inflation, on a Year-on-Year basis was highest in Kogi (26.91 percent), Adamawa (23.12 percent), and Benue (21.89 percent), while Katsina (5.09 percent), Bauchi (7.09 percent), and Imo (7.65 percent) recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis.

On a Month-on-Month basis, however, February 2026 Food inflation was highest in Bayelsa (8.81 percent), Ebonyi (8.51 percent) and Edo (7.72 percent), while Katsina (-0.70 percent), Nasarawa (0.17 percent), and Kano (1.39 percent) recorded a decline in food inflation on a month-on-month basis. (Daily Trust)

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