Food Inflation Climbs to 20.31% in July, Highest in 10 Months

By Benson Daniel

Nigeria’s food inflation rate accelerated sharply to 20.31 per cent in July 2026, reaching its highest level in 10 months despite a decline in the country’s overall inflation rate during the month.

The latest Consumer Price Index figures showed that food inflation increased by 2.79 percentage points from 17.52 per cent recorded in June. The July figure represents the highest food inflation rate since September 2025, when it stood at 20.16 per cent.

The development highlights the continued pressure facing households as the cost of essential food items rises, even as broader inflationary pressures show signs of easing.

On a month on month basis, food inflation also accelerated significantly, rising to 5.56 per cent in July from 3.75 per cent in June. This indicates that food prices increased at a faster pace during the month, adding to the financial strain on consumers.

The rise in food inflation contrasts with the movement in headline inflation, which declined for the second consecutive month. Headline inflation fell from 15.91 per cent in June to 15.43 per cent in July, representing a 0.48 percentage point decrease.

The divergent movement means that while the overall pace of price increases moderated, food remained a major source of inflationary pressure for households.

Food inflation had been on an upward trajectory since the beginning of the year after falling to 8.89 per cent in January. It rose to 12.21 per cent in February, 14.31 per cent in March, 16.06 per cent in April, 16.96 per cent in May and 17.52 per cent in June before reaching 20.31 per cent in July.

The latest increase could further complicate efforts to ease the cost of living, particularly for low and middle income households that allocate a substantial portion of their income to food and other basic necessities.

Food price movements also varied considerably across the country. Adamawa recorded the highest year on year food inflation rate at 51.36 per cent in July, followed by Katsina at 30.84 per cent and Zamfara at 30.65 per cent.

The regional differences point to the uneven impact of food price pressures across Nigeria, with factors affecting production, transportation, market access and supply contributing to variations between states.

The increase also comes despite ongoing government efforts to strengthen domestic food production and improve food supply. Persistent challenges within the agricultural and distribution chains continue to influence the prices consumers pay in markets.

Analysts and economic stakeholders are expected to closely monitor the trend in the coming months, particularly as Nigeria enters the peak period of the rainy season and concerns over flooding and other weather related disruptions remain.

For households, however, the latest figures reinforce the reality that a decline in headline inflation does not necessarily translate into immediate relief at food markets.

The continued increase in food inflation therefore remains a major economic concern, placing pressure on household budgets and highlighting the need for sustained measures to improve food production, distribution and affordability across the country.