Health inflation rises to 11.8% as price pressures persist

Health inflation in Nigeria rose by 11.8% year-on-year in May 2026, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), showing continued pressure on medical costs across the country.

The increase showed the health index moved from 128.8 points in May 2025 to 144.0 points in May 2026.

The new health inflation figure came as overall inflation also moved up slightly. NBS reported that headline inflation rose to 15.93% in May 2026, from 15.69% in April 2026.

On a month-on-month basis, health costs increased by 0.82% in May, as the index rose from 146.9 points in April to 148.1 points in May, indicating continous rise in prices in the health sector.

January to February however recorded a decline, with the index falling from 142.6 points to 140.6 points, a drop of 1.40%.

The trend reversed in March, when the index rose to 145.2 points, an increase of 3.27% from February. In April, it climbed further to 146.9 points, a 1.17 % increase, before rising again slightly in May to 148.1 points.

Overall, the data shows that health inflation has remained consistently high over the period, with a brief dip in February, followed by steady increases from March to May.