Imo's inflation reaches 30.04% in September, the highest of any state
State inflation figures for September show a wide gap between the south-east and the north-east.
Key findings
- Imo's headline inflation rose to 30.04% in September 2026 from 20.47% in August, after prices rose 8.64% within the month.
- Imo's rate is 15.41 percentage points above the national rate of 14.63%.
- State rates ranged from 1.78% in Taraba to 30.04% in Imo, a gap of 28.26 percentage points.
- Lagos inflation eased to 17.35% from 23.68% in August.
- All 6 north-east states recorded rates below the national figure, with Adamawa falling to 3.66% from 19.40%.
Consumer prices in Imo rose 30.04% in the year to September 2026, the highest rate of any state in the National Bureau of Statistics' September CPI report. Imo's rate was 12.33% in July and 20.47% in August, so it has climbed sharply over two months. Prices in the state rose 8.64% in September alone.
The national rate eased to 14.63% in September. Imo's rate stands 15.41 percentage points above it. Enugu (22.38%), Niger (22.05%) and Delta (20.67%) also recorded rates well above the national figure, while Lagos eased to 17.35% from 23.68% in August. The Federal Capital Territory recorded 13.20% and Kano 11.91%.
At the other end, all 6 north-east states recorded rates below the national figure. Taraba had the lowest rate in the country at 1.78%, followed by Bauchi (2.84%), Adamawa (3.66%) and Borno (4.00%). Yobe and Gombe recorded 7.34% and 7.32%. Adamawa's rate fell from 19.40% in August.
| State | Aug 2026 | Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Imo | 20.47 | 30.04 |
| Enugu | 22.06 | 22.38 |
| Niger | 11.22 | 22.05 |
| Delta | 19.59 | 20.67 |
| Anambra | 16.05 | 18.26 |
| Taraba | 10.17 | 1.78 |
| Bauchi | 8.20 | 2.84 |
| Adamawa | 19.40 | 3.66 |
| Borno | 5.10 | 4.00 |
| Kebbi | 3.72 | 6.23 |
Why it matters
The national rate is an average, and September's state figures show how far households' experience departs from it. A gap of 28.26 percentage points between the highest and lowest states means the easing that informed the policy rate cut has not reached every market. For residents of Imo and its neighbours, prices are rising faster than in August, not slower. State rates move more from month to month than the national series, so a single reading is a signal to watch rather than a settled trend.
What to watch
- Whether Imo's rate holds near its September level in the October CPI report or reverses.
- Whether price pressure in Enugu and Anambra points to a wider south-east trend.
- Food prices in the north-east, where the lowest rates have come with falling monthly prices.
Methodology
State headline inflation rates are the year-on-year rates NBS published in its September 2026 CPI report (Table 5, 2024 base), compared with the rates in the August 2026 and July 2026 reports. The national rate is NBS's headline all-items rate for September 2026. Gaps between rates are Dataminal calculations, the simple difference in percentage points.