July 2026 Inflation: The States Where Food, Other Prices Rose Fastest, Slowest

The National Bureau of Statistics’ July 2026 Consumer Price Index reveals a wide gap in inflation across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

While Adamawa recorded the highest year-on-year food inflation at 51.36 per cent, Borno recorded a slight -0.31 per cent, meaning food prices were marginally lower than a year earlier. The differences are even more striking when individual states are compared on a month-to-month basis.

1. Adamawa had Nigeria’s highest food inflation

Adamawa recorded the highest year-on-year food inflation at 51.36 per cent in July.

This means food prices in the state were, on average, substantially higher than they were in July 2025.

The state also recorded the highest month-on-month food inflation at 17.02 per cent, suggesting that food prices accelerated particularly sharply during July.

2. Katsina and Zamfara also recorded very high food inflation

Katsina followed Adamawa with 30.84 per cent year-on-year food inflation, while Zamfara recorded 30.65 per cent.

Both states therefore ranked among the three states with the fastest annual increase in food prices.

3. Borno recorded the lowest food inflation

At the other end of the scale, Borno recorded -0.31 per cent year-on-year food inflation.

That is technically a negative inflation rate, indicating a marginal decline in food prices compared with July 2025.

Nasarawa followed with 6.88 per cent, while Kebbi recorded 12.50 per cent.

4. Lagos had the sharpest monthly food-price increase after Adamawa

Looking only at what happened between June and July, Adamawa again topped the table at 17.02 per cent.

But Lagos came second, recording 13.48 per cent month-on-month food inflation, followed by Borno at 13.26 per cent.

This is significant because it shows that a state can have relatively moderate annual inflation but still experience a sharp increase in food prices within a single month.

5. Some states actually recorded falling food prices in July

The month-on-month figures show declines in food prices in several states.

Jigawa recorded -3.68 per cent, followed by Kebbi at -3.67 per cent and Bauchi at -1.85 per cent.

These negative monthly rates suggest that average food prices in those states fell between June and July.

Headline inflation tells another story

Food is only one component of the overall Consumer Price Index. When all goods and services are considered, Adamawa again recorded the highest year-on-year headline inflation at 33.03 per cent.

It was followed by Yobe at 25.21 per cent and Anambra at 23.99 per cent.

At the other end, Nasarawa had the lowest headline inflation at 7.86 per cent, while Kebbi and Borno both recorded 9.12 per cent.

Highest headline inflation — July 2026
Rank State Inflation
1 Adamawa 33.03%
2 Yobe 25.21%
3 Anambra 23.99%
Lowest headline inflation — July 2026
Rank State Inflation
1 Nasarawa 7.86%
2= Kebbi 9.12%
2= Borno 9.12%

Month-on-month headline inflation shows another contrast

Adamawa also recorded the highest month-on-month increase in overall prices at 12.48 per cent.

Anambra followed at 9.95 per cent, while Delta recorded 9.54 per cent.

At the other end, Niger recorded -5.86 per cent, followed by Enugu at -5.71 per cent and Kebbi at -4.89 per cent.

This means the monthly inflation picture was markedly different from the annual picture in some states.

The biggest takeaway: inflation is not uniform across Nigeria

The July data shows that Nigerians are experiencing very different price pressures depending on where they live.

Adamawa stands out as the biggest inflation hotspot, ranking first for both annual headline inflation and annual food inflation, while also recording the highest monthly food and headline inflation.

At the opposite end, Nasarawa recorded the lowest annual headline inflation, while Borno had the lowest annual food inflation.

The figures also demonstrate why national inflation figures can conceal significant differences at state level. Nigeria’s headline inflation was 15.43 per cent in July, but state-level headline inflation ranged from 7.86 per cent in Nasarawa to 33.03 per cent in Adamawa.

Food inflation was even more uneven, ranging from -0.31 per cent in Borno to 51.36 per cent in Adamawa on a year-on-year basis.

The NBS cautions, however, that state-to-state comparisons of consumption baskets should be treated carefully because expenditure patterns and the weights assigned to individual food and non-food items differ across states.

At a glance

Highest annual food inflation: Adamawa — 51.36%
Lowest annual food inflation: Borno — -0.31%
Highest monthly food inflation: Adamawa — 17.02%
Lowest monthly food inflation: Jigawa — -3.68%

Highest annual headline inflation: Adamawa — 33.03%
Lowest annual headline inflation: Nasarawa — 7.86%
Highest monthly headline inflation: Adamawa — 12.48%
Lowest monthly headline inflation: Niger — -5.86%.