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Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 15.38% in March 2026, up from 15.06 per cent recorded in February.

This is according to the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The figures indicate a renewed uptick in price pressures, with both month-on-month and annual indicators pointing to rising costs across the economy.

The latest data suggests that while inflation remains lower than previous year levels, short-term price increases are accelerating.

The NBS data shows a moderate increase in headline inflation alongside stronger monthly price growth.

The data indicates that the pace of price increases accelerated in March compared to the previous month.

March’s inflation data comes amid heightened global economic uncertainty driven by geopolitical tensions.

These global dynamics continue to exert upward pressure on domestic prices, particularly through energy and logistics costs.

Inflation in Nigeria has remained a key macroeconomic challenge in recent years.

These factors continue to shape inflation dynamics across both urban and rural areas.

Breakdowns of inflation components reveal mixed trends across food and core categories.

The changes reflect easing annual pressures but rising short-term price momentum.

Additional inflation indicators show continued divergence between urban and rural price trends.

While year-on-year inflation appears to be moderating, the sharp rise in monthly figures suggests that cost pressures remain elevated in the near term.

Nairametrics earlier reported that the headline inflation rate moderated marginally to 15.06% in February 2026, down from 15.10% recorded in January 2026.

In December 2025, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) projected that headline inflation will moderate to an average of 12.94% in 2026, driven by easing food prices and a decline in the cost of premium motor spirit (PMS).

The projection is contained in the apex bank’s 2026 Macroeconomic Outlook for Nigeria.