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Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased marginally to 15.39% in August 2026, from 15.43% in July, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Despite the national moderation, inflationary pressures remained elevated across several states.
Lagos recorded the highest headline inflation rate at 23.7%, followed by Zamfara at 22.6% and Enugu at 22.1%.
Here are the 10 states with the highest headline inflation rates in August 2026, ranked from 10th to 1st.
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10. Ondo — 15.1%
From the South West is Ondo which recorded headline inflation of 15.1% in August, down from 17.3% in July, representing a 2.2 percentage-point decline.
Food inflation also fell sharply to 15.8%, from 26.0% in July.
The Ondo State Government responded to broader inflationary and macroeconomic pressures by revising its 2026 budget from N524.4 billion to N769.4 billion, an increase of N245 billion.
The additional N245 billion allocation was targeted at critical sectors including infrastructure, water supply, healthcare and road projects, with the government citing persistent inflation and the impact of subsidy removal among the factors behind the budget expansion.
9. Osun — 16.0%
Osun, also in the South West, recorded headline inflation of 16.0% in August, up from 10.6% in July, representing a 5.4 percentage-point increase.
Food inflation rose sharply to 23.8%, from 12.9% in July.
The Osun State Government, under Governor Ademola Adeleke, has supported initiatives involving traditional institutions aimed at moderating prices and curbing exploitative practices in local markets.
Governor Adeleke backed price-moderation initiatives involving the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers, including interventions by the Ooni of Ife, Oluwo of Iwo and Timi of Ede.
8. Anambra — 16.0%
Anambra from Nigeria’s South-West, recorded annual inflation of 16.0% in August, down significantly from 24.0% in July, representing an 8.0 percentage-point decline.
Food inflation fell to 11.2%, from 16.8% in July.
There are no publicly available standalone measures from the Anambra State Government specifically addressing the August inflation rate.
7. Akwa Ibom — 18.6%
Akwa Ibom, from the South-South, recorded headline inflation of 18.6% in August, down from 19.9% in July, a decline of 1.3 percentage points.
Food inflation also fell sharply to 9.6%, from 17.1% in July.
The state therefore recorded one of the lowest food inflation rates among the 10 states with the highest overall inflation in August.
6. Rivers — 19.1%
Rivers ranked sixth, with headline inflation rising to 19.1% in August from 14.0% in July, an increase of 5.1 percentage points.
Food inflation also increased to 28.4%, from 22.2% in July.
The Rivers State Government has not released a specific standalone policy document addressing the rising inflation in the state.
5. Adamawa — 19.4%
From Nigeria’s North-East, Adamawa recorded headline inflation of 19.4% in August, down sharply from 33.0% in July, representing a 13.6 percentage-point decline.
Food inflation also fell from 51.4% to 38.9%, although it remained one of the highest rates among Nigerian states.
The Adamawa State Government has focused on targeted welfare and palliative measures rather than issuing a standalone macroeconomic policy on inflation.
The state also approved an upward review of the minimum monthly pension for retired civil servants to N50,000, aimed at supporting vulnerable retirees.
4. Delta — 19.6%
Delta which is in the South-South recorded headline inflation of 19.6% in August, down from 22.6% in July, representing a 3.0 percentage-point decline.
Food inflation also fell to 21.2%, from 28.1% in July.
In response to rising construction costs, the Delta State Executive Council, led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, approved upward reviews of ongoing infrastructure and construction contract prices to reflect higher market costs for building materials.
3. Enugu — 22.1%
Enugu recorded annual inflation of 22.1% in August, up sharply from 13.8% in July, representing an 8.3 percentage-point increase.
However, food inflation moderated to 15.3%, from 20.8% in July.
The Enugu State Government has not released a specific standalone policy document addressing the latest rise in headline inflation.
2. Zamfara — 22.6%
Zamfara, the only state from the North-West on this list, ranked second, with headline inflation rising to 22.6% in August from 19.8% in July, an increase of 2.8 percentage points.
Food inflation climbed to 38.0%, from 30.7% in July, representing a 7.3 percentage-point increase.
The Zamfara State Government has not issued a specific standalone policy statement addressing the rising inflation rate.
1. Lagos — 23.7%
Lagos recorded the highest headline inflation rate in Nigeria in August 2026 at 23.7%, rising sharply from 16.3% in July.
This represents a 7.4 percentage-point increase in one month.
Food inflation also accelerated to 30.9%, from 26.8% in July.
There is no publicly available standalone inflation-specific policy document detailing measures taken by the Lagos State Government in response to the August inflation figures.
The August data highlights significant differences in inflationary pressures across Nigerian states.
While Lagos, Zamfara and Enugu recorded the highest headline inflation rates, several states also experienced sharp month-on-month movements.
Adamawa recorded the largest decline among the 10 states, falling by 13.6 percentage points, while Anambra declined by 8.0 percentage points. In contrast, Enugu rose by 8.3 percentage points, Lagos by 7.4 percentage points and Osun by 5.4 percentage points.
Food inflation remains a major pressure point, particularly in Adamawa at 38.9%, Zamfara at 38.0%, Lagos at 30.9% and Rivers at 28.4%.
It is important to note that this is a ranking by inflation rate, not by the absolute cost of living.
