Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased marginally to 15.91 per cent in June 2026, down from 15.93 per cent in May, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The slight decline indicates a modest slowdown in the overall pace of price increases across the economy, although food inflation continued to rise.

The NBS attributed the marginal decline in headline inflation largely to a reduction in core inflation, which fell to 15.92 per cent in June from 16.82 per cent in May. On a month-on-month basis, headline inflation also slowed to 1.66 per cent, compared with 1.75 per cent recorded in the previous month.

Despite the moderation in overall inflation, food inflation increased to 17.52 per cent in June from 16.96 per cent in May. The NBS said the rise was driven by higher prices of essential food items, including crayfish, fresh pepper, fresh tomatoes, dried green peas, yam flour, water yam, beef, bananas, cassava flour, cowpeas, garri, Irish potatoes, and yam tubers.

According to the report, Kogi, Niger, and Benue recorded the highest year-on-year food inflation rates, while Katsina, Rivers, and Imo experienced the slowest increases. On a month-on-month basis, Katsina, Kebbi, and Niger posted the highest food inflation, whereas Borno, Benue, and Bayelsa recorded the slowest rise.

Although the latest figures point to a slight easing of overall inflationary pressures, the continued rise in food prices underscores the persistent cost-of-living challenges facing many Nigerians, with household incomes remaining under pressure as the prices of essential commodities continue to increase.