By Isaac Mission
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate recorded a slight decline in August 2026, easing to 15.39% from 15.43% in July, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Despite the marginal improvement at the national level, inflation remained considerably higher in some states, with Lagos, Zamfara and Enugu recording the highest headline inflation rates during the month.
The figures show significant variations in inflationary pressure across the country, with some states experiencing sharp increases while others recorded substantial declines.
Here are the 10 states with the highest headline inflation rates in August 2026:
10. Ondo — 15.1%
Ondo State recorded a headline inflation rate of 15.1% in August, falling from 17.3% in July.
The state also experienced a notable reduction in food inflation, which dropped from 26.0% to 15.8%.
Amid wider economic pressures, the Ondo State Government revised its 2026 budget from N524.4 billion to N769.4 billion, an increase of N245 billion. The additional funds were directed toward areas including infrastructure, healthcare, water supply and roads.
9. Osun — 16.0%
Osun recorded headline inflation of 16.0%, compared with 10.6% in July, representing a 5.4 percentage-point increase.
Food inflation also climbed considerably, moving from 12.9% to 23.8%.
The state government has supported price-moderation efforts involving traditional institutions, including initiatives associated with the Ooni of Ife, Oluwo of Iwo and Timi of Ede.
8. Anambra — 16.0%
Anambra’s headline inflation stood at 16.0% in August, down from 24.0% in July.
The 8.0 percentage-point reduction was accompanied by a decline in food inflation, which fell from 16.8% to 11.2%.
No standalone state government policy specifically addressing the August inflation figure was publicly identified.
7. Akwa Ibom — 18.6%
Akwa Ibom recorded 18.6% headline inflation in August, compared with 19.9% the previous month.
Food inflation also declined significantly, dropping from 17.1% to 9.6%.
Despite ranking among the states with the highest overall inflation, Akwa Ibom recorded one of the lowest food inflation rates within this top-10 group.
6. Rivers — 19.1%
Rivers State saw headline inflation rise to 19.1% in August from 14.0% in July.
This represents an increase of 5.1 percentage points within one month.
Food inflation similarly increased, rising from 22.2% to 28.4%. No specific standalone state policy targeting the latest inflation increase was publicly available.
5. Adamawa — 19.4%
Adamawa recorded headline inflation of 19.4%, a substantial decline from 33.0% in July.
The state recorded the largest decline among the 10 states listed, with inflation falling by 13.6 percentage points.
Food inflation also dropped from 51.4% to 38.9%, although it remained particularly high.
Rather than adopting a specific inflation policy, the state government has focused on welfare and palliative interventions. It also approved an increase in the minimum monthly pension for retired civil servants to N50,000.
4. Delta — 19.6%
Delta State posted headline inflation of 19.6% in August, down from 22.6% in July.
Food inflation also declined, moving from 28.1% to 21.2%.
Against the backdrop of higher construction costs, the Delta State Executive Council approved upward adjustments to some ongoing infrastructure and construction contracts to reflect increased prices of building materials.
3. Enugu — 22.1%
Enugu recorded the third-highest headline inflation rate among Nigerian states in August at 22.1%.
The figure represents a sharp increase from 13.8% in July, translating to an 8.3 percentage-point rise.
However, food inflation moved in the opposite direction, declining from 20.8% to 15.3%.
No standalone policy specifically addressing the latest increase in headline inflation was publicly identified.
2. Zamfara — 22.6%
Zamfara ranked second with headline inflation of 22.6%, up from 19.8% in July.
The state recorded a 2.8 percentage-point increase during the month.
Food inflation also accelerated significantly, rising from 30.7% to 38.0%.
No specific standalone state government policy addressing the latest inflation increase was publicly identified.
1. Lagos — 23.7%
Lagos recorded the highest headline inflation rate in Nigeria in August, at 23.7%.
The figure represents a sharp increase from 16.3% in July, amounting to a 7.4 percentage-point rise in one month.
Food inflation also increased, moving from 26.8% to 30.9%.
No publicly available standalone policy document was identified as specifically addressing Lagos’ August inflation figure.
Wide differences across states
The August inflation figures reveal substantial differences in price pressures across Nigerian states.
While Lagos, Zamfara and Enugu recorded the highest headline inflation rates, some states within the top 10 experienced significant monthly declines. Adamawa recorded the largest fall at 13.6 percentage points, followed by Anambra at 8.0 percentage points.
On the other hand, Enugu recorded an 8.3 percentage-point increase, followed by Lagos at 7.4 percentage points and Osun at 5.4 percentage points.
Food prices continued to exert considerable pressure, particularly in Adamawa, Zamfara, Lagos and Rivers, where food inflation stood at 38.9%, 38.0%, 30.9% and 28.4%, respectively.
The ranking should be interpreted as a comparison of inflation rates, rather than a direct ranking of the states by their absolute cost of living.
