Nigeria’s 10 most affordable states have been unveiled, with Taraba emerging as the cheapest state in terms of annual inflation, following a decline in the country’s headline inflation rate to 14.63 per cent in September 2026.
According to the September 2026 Consumer Price Index data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s headline inflation fell from 15.39 per cent in August to 14.63 per cent in September, representing a decline of 0.76 percentage points.
However, food inflation edged up slightly to 19.59 per cent in September from 19.57 per cent in August, indicating that food prices continued to put pressure on household budgets.
An analysis of the NBS data shows that northern states dominated the ranking of the 10 states with the lowest annual headline inflation rates, with the North-East accounting for six states, followed by three from the North-West and one from the North-Central region.
The ranking is based on annual all-items inflation, which measures changes in the prices of goods and services over 12 months. It indicates where prices have risen the least, rather than necessarily identifying states with the lowest absolute cost of living.
Top 10 most affordable states in Nigeria
1. Taraba – 1.8%
Taraba emerged as Nigeria’s most affordable state in September, recording headline inflation of 1.8 per cent, down from 10.2 per cent in August. Its food inflation rate dropped from 9.3 per cent to -7.5 per cent.
The state’s agricultural activities, improved farm output and local food availability were identified as factors that may have helped moderate price increases.
Taraba moved from 10th position in August to the top spot in September.
2. Bauchi – 2.8%
Bauchi ranked second, with headline inflation falling from 8.2 per cent in August to 2.8 per cent in September.
Food inflation also declined to 5.3 per cent from 12 per cent in the preceding month.
The state’s agricultural initiatives, including support for farmers and dry-season farming, have helped strengthen local food production.
3. Adamawa – 3.7%
Adamawa recorded headline inflation of 3.7 per cent, down significantly from 16 per cent in August.
Food inflation, however, increased slightly from 11.2 per cent to 11.5 per cent.
The state climbed from 28th position in August to third place in September, supported by its agricultural activities, particularly grain and livestock production.
4. Borno – 4.0%
Borno retained fourth position, with headline inflation declining from 5.1 per cent in August to four per cent in September.
Food inflation rose from -4 per cent to 2.2 per cent, indicating that food prices increased slightly compared with the same period last year.
5. Kebbi – 6.2%
Kebbi recorded headline inflation of 6.2 per cent, while food inflation increased from 3.5 per cent to 5.4 per cent.
The state’s strong rice production and investment in irrigation farming have supported agricultural output and local food supply.
Kebbi dropped from second position in August to fifth place in September.
6. Jigawa – 7.0%
Jigawa recorded headline inflation of seven per cent, compared with 3.8 per cent in August.
Food inflation also rose from -0.2 per cent to 8.1 per cent.
Despite the increase, the state remained among the 10 states with the lowest annual inflation rates, although it slipped from third position in August to sixth place.
7. Gombe – 7.3%
Gombe recorded headline inflation of 7.3 per cent, while food inflation declined from 22.9 per cent in August to 13.6 per cent in September.
Agricultural production and rural development initiatives have been identified as possible contributors to the state’s relatively moderate inflation rate.
8. Yobe – 7.3%
Yobe also recorded headline inflation of 7.3 per cent, matching Gombe’s rate.
Its food inflation fell sharply from 22.9 per cent in August to -0.4 per cent in September, indicating an annual decline in food prices.
Yobe advanced from 13th position in August to eighth place in September.
9. Kogi – 7.5%
Kogi recorded headline inflation of 7.5 per cent and food inflation of 8.6 per cent.
Its strategic location between northern and southern Nigeria supports the movement of agricultural produce and other consumer goods.
The state dropped from fifth position in August to ninth place in September.
10. Sokoto – 8.0%
Sokoto completed the ranking with headline inflation of eight per cent, up from 2.1 per cent in August.
Food inflation, however, declined sharply from 21.3 per cent to 6.1 per cent.
The state’s investments in irrigation farming and livestock production remain important to its local food supply.
Sokoto, which ranked first in August, fell to 10th position in September.
Lagos ranks 30th
Meanwhile, Lagos did not make the list of Nigeria’s 10 most affordable states, ranking 30th nationally with headline inflation of 17.3 per cent.
The state also recorded food inflation of 34.4 per cent, significantly higher than the national rate of 19.59 per cent.
As Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos faces considerable cost pressures associated with transportation, housing, logistics, energy and strong consumer demand.
The September figures highlight the differences in inflation across the country, with northern states recording comparatively lower annual price increases than many other parts of Nigeria.