Nigeria's inflation rate stood at 34.80%, making it the African nation with the third-highest inflation rate in 2024

Key takeaways:

  • With 57.50% inflation, Zimbabwe’s economy is experiencing an extreme price surge, making it the most inflation-affected country in Africa.
  • At 34.80%, Nigeria is battling one of its worst inflation crises in decades, severely impacting food prices, transportation, and living costs.
  • The fact that seven out of ten countries on this list have inflation rates that double or even quadruple the African average shows the depth of the inflation crisis.
  • While their inflation rates (between 16% and 24%), as seen in Ghana, Ethiopia, Zambia, and the Congo, are lower than the top three, they still exceed the sustainable threshold for economic stability.

Inflation remains a pressing economic challenge in Africa, with several nations experiencing skyrocketing price increases that significantly impact businesses, households, and overall economic stability. According to the latest data, Zimbabwe leads the continent with a 57.50% inflation rate, followed by Burundi (36.50%) and Nigeria (34.80%). This means that in these countries, the cost of goods and services is rising at an unsustainable pace, eroding purchasing power and making basic necessities increasingly unaffordable.
With an African average inflation rate of 8.46%, the fact that several nations have inflation rates three to six times higher highlights the severity of the economic pressures they face. For these countries, it means that food prices, transportation costs, and essential services are becoming harder to afford, placing millions at risk of financial hardship.

Source:

Trading Economics

Period:

2024
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Every food item tracked has at least doubled in price since May 2023
  • Every comparable food item tracked is now at least twice as expensive as it was in May 2023.
  • Nearly half of the selected food items have more than tripled in price since the month before fuel subsidy removal.
  • Unripe plantain recorded the steepest increase, rising by 469% between May 2023 and April 2026.
  • Ripe plantain, yam tuber, and fresh tilapia also saw extreme increases of more than 300%.
  • Even the slowest-rising staples, including frozen chicken, beans, gari, and maize, still more than doubled in price.

Healthy diet costs rose fastest in Nigeria’s North-West over two years
  • Healthy diet costs rose 49% nationally in two years.
  • North-West states recorded the fastest increases.
  • All seven North-West states rose above the national average.
  • Katsina and Kogi recorded the steepest increases, at 98%.
  • Akwa Ibom had the lowest increase, at 5%.

One adult’s monthly healthy diet takes two-thirds of minimum wage
  • One adult’s healthy diet takes 66% of Nigeria’s minimum wage.
  • The national average monthly cost is about ₦46,230 per adult.
  • Ekiti has the highest burden, at 90% of minimum wage.
  • Six states require over 80% of minimum wage for one adult’s healthy diet.
  • Adamawa has the lowest burden, at 43%.

The basket of food that cost ₦100k in January 2025 cost approximately ₦114k in August
  • Food prices rose roughly 13.9% from January to August 2025, according to the rebased Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the National Bureau of Statistics.
  • Month-on-month inflation for food fluctuated, with some months seeing sharper increases than others.
  • Using January as a baseline, the purchasing power of money for food declined steadily, meaning households need more naira to buy the same items.
  • Food carries a large weight in the CPI basket, making it a major driver of overall inflation and cost-of-living increases.

South Sudan tops Africa's food inflation list with 106%; two other East African nations in top 5
  • South Sudan and Zimbabwe have crossed 100% food inflation.
  • Three of the top five countries with the highest food inflation in Africa are in East Africa, showing a regional pattern of vulnerability.
  • Nigeria ranks 7th in Africa for food inflation at 21.3%, underlining persistent cost-of-living pressures despite being a major economy.
  • Liberia and Zambia round out the top 10 with double-digit food inflation.
  • Djibouti, Somalia, and Senegal are experiencing food price deflation, setting them apart from most African countries.

In January 2025, the food inflation rate dropped to 26.08% from 39.84% in December 2024
Key takeaways:
  • The inflation rate experienced a growth rate of 60.5% from May 2023 to December 2024.
  • The May 2024 food inflation rate grew by 15.84% points higher than May 2023 levels.
  • The most significant monthly increase occurred in February 2024, when food inflation rose by 2.51% from January 2024.
  • Brief periods of relief were observed in July, August, and December 2024, when the rates showed slight declines.
  • The food inflation rate dropped by 13.76% between December 2024 and January 2025 due to CPI rebasing to 2024 from 2009.

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