Rural Food Prices Fell in September, but Transport, Energy and School Costs Rose

Nigeria’s rural inflation picture was mixed in September 2026. National Bureau of Statistics data shows average rural prices fell by 0.89% from August, while urban prices rose by 0.53%. The rural decline was largely driven by harvest-season food supply. Rural food prices fell by 4.90%, while farm produce dropped by 5.11%. Food and non-alcoholic beverages were also down 2.74%. However, several essential non-food costs rose sharply in rural communities. Education services increased by 5.12%, energy rose 4.25%, transport climbed 4.01%, and personal care costs went up 4.39%. This means many families saved on staples such as garri, beans and yam but paid more for school, transport and daily services. Urban food prices were almost flat, reflecting the extra transport, middlemen and market costs involved in moving new harvests to cities.

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