As Nigerians continue to face rising living costs, new data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for January 2026 highlights the states offering the greatest relief to residents in terms of affordability.
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate moderated slightly to 15.10 percent in January 2026, down from 15.15 percent in December 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the NBS.
The marginal decline of 0.05 percentage points signals a continued easing of price pressures at the start of the year, extending the gradual slowdown observed in recent months.
The year-on-year improvement is even more pronounced. Compared to January 2025, when inflation stood at 27.61 percent, the rate has fallen by 12.51 percentage points, reflecting a significant moderation in overall price growth across the country.
While national figures provide a broad overview of economic trends, cost-of-living conditions differ considerably across states.
Based on state-level inflation data, the following are the Top 10 most affordable states to live in January 2026, ranked by lowest headline inflation rates and reflecting relative stability in essential goods and services.
Gombe State ranks tenth among Nigeria’s most affordable states, despite posting a relatively elevated food inflation rate of 8.8 percent — an improvement from the 10.1 percent recorded in December 2025.
The state’s overall inflation rate stands at 13.74 percent, which is still below the national average and points to moderate price stability across non-food components such as housing, transportation, and services. However, this represents an increase from the 11.3 percent recorded in December 2025.
Under the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the state government has rolled out a number of measures aimed at curbing inflation and easing economic pressure on residents. These efforts focus on fiscal prudence, expanded agricultural support, and infrastructure development, as outlined in the 2026 “Budget of Consolidation.”
To address rising food costs, the government is strengthening the agricultural sector through the distribution of modern farming implements, improved seedlings, and livestock to boost productivity and supply.
The 2026 budget also makes provisions for social protection programmes and citizen reorientation initiatives designed to cushion the impact of ongoing economic reforms.
A major highlight of the budget is the N12 billion allocation to a regional security fund — equivalent to a N1 billion monthly contribution — in line with resolutions reached by the Northern States Governors’ Forum.
