• Overall inflation reached 0.4% year-on-year in February 2026, but spending patterns created uneven effects across households.
• Food prices fell 0.9%, driven by a 17.8% drop in cereals, while energy prices rose 13% over the same period.
• Rural poor households benefited most from cheaper cereals, whereas urban households faced stronger pressure from energy costs.

Economists often present inflation as a single figure: 0.4% year-on-year in Togo in February 2026. However, that average figure hides very different realities depending on whether households live in urban or rural areas and whether they belong to lower-income groups or the middle class. Prices do not rise or fall at the same pace across spending categories, and households allocate their budgets differently.

What the INSEED data show

In February 2026, data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED) highlight two major trends. On one side, food prices declined 0.9% year-on-year, supported by a sharp 17.8% drop in cereal prices. On the other side, energy prices—including electricity, gas and other fuels—rose 13% over the same period. These shifts affect households with varying intensity.

Poor rural households: the main beneficiaries of falling cereal prices

In rural areas of Togo, households allocate a much larger share of their budget to food than households in cities. For the poorest households, whether rural or urban, food can absorb more than half of daily spending. Therefore, the 17.8% drop in cereal prices over one year provides meaningful relief.

Maize, a staple food in the northern part of the country, sells for CFA143 per kilogram in Kara compared with more than CFA230 in Lomé. At the same time, these households depend less on the electricity grid and butane gas, which limits their exposure to rising energy prices.

As a result, a rural household that relies mainly on local cereals and cooks with wood or charcoal—whose price rose only 3.2% over the month—likely experienced negative inflation. In other words, real purchasing power increased even if monetary income remained stable.

Low-income urban households: caught between two pressures

The situation remains much more difficult for poor urban households, particularly in Lomé. These households benefit from falling cereal prices, but to a lesser extent. In Lomé, white maize still costs CFA231 per kilogram, or 60% more than in the north.

More importantly, these households face greater exposure to rising energy costs. Connected to the electricity network of the CEET, they absorb the full impact of a 13% increase in electricity and fuel prices over one year. Housing expenses therefore include rising energy charges.

These households also rely more heavily on restaurants and street vendors for meals. Meanwhile, the “Restaurants and accommodation services” category—which accounts for 16.5% of the national basket—rose 1% year-on-year. This category carries even greater weight in the budgets of low-income urban workers who lack the conditions to cook every meal at home.

The urban middle class: energy becomes an increasingly heavy expense

For middle-class households in Lomé—including civil servants, private-sector employees and small entrepreneurs—lower food prices provide partial relief. However, consumption patterns make these households particularly sensitive to rising energy prices.

Air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, televisions and internet connections drive structurally higher electricity use. At the same time, electricity, gas and fuels increased 13% year-on-year, which raises overall household spending.

In addition, prices in the “Information and communication” category declined 2.2% over one year. This decline offers some relief for households that rely more heavily on smartphones and internet subscriptions, but it does not offset the pressure from higher energy costs.

This article was initially published in French by Fiacre E. Kakpo

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum