Nigeria's Health Inflation Hits 30.35% in January 2026

In January 2026, health inflation in Nigeria surged to 30.35%, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the National Bureau of Statistics. This rise occurred even as the broader inflation rate moderated to 15.15% in December 2025, down from 27.61% in January 2025.

The health inflation rate increased from 20.09% in January 2025 to 30.35% a year later, indicating persistent structural pressures in the healthcare sector. Contributing to this inflation are higher import costs for pharmaceuticals and increased energy expenses, which have led to hospitals raising service tariffs and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) increasing premiums.

The healthcare price index rose from 110.7 points in January 2025 to 127.4 points in January 2026, translating to a 15.10% annual inflation rate on a month-to-month basis. The health segment contributed 0.91 percentage points to the overall inflation rate of 2.88% in January 2026, reflecting the significant impact of rising healthcare costs on consumer spending patterns.