Nigeria's headline inflation rate rose to 15.38% in March 2026, up from 15.06% in February, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The month-on-month increase was particularly sharp, with prices rising 4.18% within the single month — more than double February's 2.01% figure — suggesting that daily cost pressures remain acute for households despite a dramatic fall from the 27.35% annual rate recorded in March 2025. Rural areas bore the brunt of the pressure, with rural inflation reaching 17.22% year-on-year compared to 14.64% in urban centres, underscoring persistent economic strain outside Nigeria's major cities.