Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 15.15 per cent in December 2025 following a review of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) methodology by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The NBS disclosed this in its latest CPI report released in Abuja on Thursday, indicating a notable slowdown from the 17.33 per cent recorded in November 2025.

According to the bureau, the moderation reflects both a deceleration in the pace of price increases and the impact of the recent rebasing and methodological review of the CPI, which adopted 2024 as the new base year.

The report showed that the CPI for December stood at 131.2 index points, up marginally from 130.5 points in November, suggesting that while prices are still rising, the rate of increase has slowed.

Food inflation, which constitutes a major component of household expenditure, declined significantly during the period. The NBS attributed the drop to reduced prices of key food items, including grains, tubers, vegetables and protein sources across major markets nationwide.

On a month-on-month basis, food inflation recorded a slight decline, reflecting improved supply conditions and relatively stable distribution during the festive season.

The report also indicated that core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, moderated in December, pointing to easing price pressures in non-food items such as clothing, household goods and transport services.

In terms of location, urban inflation slowed to 14.85 per cent, while rural inflation stood at 14.56 per cent, highlighting a narrowing gap in price movements between urban and rural areas.

Reacting to the data, stakeholders in the private sector described the moderation as a positive signal for households and businesses, though they cautioned that sustained price stability would depend on consistent economic policies, improved food supply chains and stable energy costs.

Economic analysts, however, urged caution in interpreting the figures, noting that the CPI review played a role in the sharp moderation and that inflation levels remain elevated relative to household incomes.

They added that continued monitoring would be required to determine whether the downward trend reflects lasting economic improvement or a temporary statistical adjustment.

The inflation data is expected to inform monetary and fiscal policy decisions in the coming months, particularly as authorities seek to ease cost-of-living pressures and stabilise the macroeconomic environment.