Food, petrol and other essentials remain expensive, putting pressure on household budgets even as some of Nigeria’s broader economic indicators have improved. The strain is likely to become a central issue as the country moves towards the 2027 general election. Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics reported headline inflation of 15.91 per cent, while food inflation stood at 17.52 per cent. Reuters reported that many households remain outside the financial gains associated with stronger investor confidence, while borrowing costs remain high. Nigeria’s economic story, in other words, is increasingly being judged at the market stall and petrol station — not just in financial markets.