The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has projected that inflation will ease to an average of 12.94 percent in 2026, driven largely by lower food and petrol prices. The forecast was outlined in the bank’s 2026 macroeconomic outlook released on Wednesday, which also estimates that Nigeria’s economy will grow by about 4.49 percent next year.
According to the CBN, the expected growth will be driven by ongoing structural reforms and a gradual relaxation of tight monetary policies.
It explained that headline inflation should ease as food becomes more affordable and the cost of premium motor spirit (petrol) declines.
The outlook follows recent reductions in petrol prices across the country, fueled by intense competition in the downstream sector.
Dangote Refinery recently cut its ex-depot petrol price, pushing pump prices nationwide to between ₦739 and ₦910 per litre.
Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show that food inflation eased to 11.08 percent in November 2025, reinforcing expectations of a further slowdown in overall inflation.
