The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 22.22 per cent on a year-on-year basis in April 2023.

The NBS Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Report for April 2023 said the figure is 0.18 per cent points higher compared to the 22.04 per cent recorded in March 2023.

It said on a year-on-year basis the headline inflation rate in March 2023 was 5.40 per cent higher than the rate recorded in April 2022 at 16.82 per cent.

The report showed that contributions of items on the divisional level increase in the headline index are food and non-alcoholic beverages at 11.51 per cent.

While housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel at 3.72 per cent.

Others are clothing and footwear at 1.70 per cent; transport at 1.45 per cent; furnishings, household equipment and maintenance at 1.12 per cent, education at 0.88 per cent, and health at 0.67 per cent.

“Miscellaneous goods and services at 0.37 per cent; restaurant and hotels at 0.27 per cent; alcoholic beverage, tobacco and kola at 0.24 per cent; recreation and culture at 0.15 per cent and communication at 0.15 per cent.”

It said the percentage change in the All-Items Index in April 2023 was 1.91 per cent on a month-on-month basis.

“This indicates a 0.05 per cent increase compared to the 1.86 per cent recorded in March 2023.

“This means that in April 2023, on average, the general price level was 0.05 per cent higher relative to March 2023.”

The percentage change in the average CPI for the 12 months ending April 2023 over the average of the CPI for the previous 12 months period was 20.82 per cent.

“This indicates a 4.37 per cent increase compared to the 16.45 per cent recorded in April 2022.’’

It said increases were recorded in all Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions that yielded the headline index.

The report said the food inflation rate in April 2023 was 24.61 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 6.24 per cent higher compared to the rate recorded in April 2022 at 18.37 per cent.

“The rise in food inflation is caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yams and other tubers, and oil and fat, fish, vegetable, fruits, meat, and spirits.”

It said on a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in April was 2.13 per cent, a 0.06 per cent rise compared to the rate recorded in March 2023 at 2.07 per cent.

The report said the “All items less farm produce’’ or core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, stood at 20.14 per cent in April 2023 on a year-on-year basis.

“This increased by 5.96 per cent compared to 14.18 per cent recorded in April 2022.’

“On a month-on-month basis, the core inflation rate was 1.46 per cent in April 2023, which was a 0.78 per cent drop compared to what it stood at in March 2023 at 1.84 per cent.”

According to the report, the highest increases were recorded in gas prices, passenger transport by air, liquid fuel, fuels, lubricants for personal transport equipment, and spare parts.

“Others are maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment and solid fuel, medical services, and passenger transport by road, among others.

“The average 12-month annual inflation rate was 17.91 per cent for the 12 months ending April 2023. This was 4.23 per cent points higher than the 13.68 per cent recorded in April 2022.”

The report said on a year-on-year basis in April 2023 that the urban inflation rate was 23.39 per cent, 6.05 per cent higher than the 17.35 per cent recorded in April 2022.

“On a month-on-month basis, the urban inflation rate was 2.05 per cent in April 2023, representing a 0.05 per cent rise compared to March 2023 at 2.00 per cent.’’

It said the corresponding 12-month average for the urban inflation rate was 21.50 per cent in April 2023.

“This was 4.49 per cent higher compared to the 17.01 per cent reported in April 2022.’’

The report said on a year-on-year basis, in April 2023, the rural inflation rate was 21.14 per cent, which was 4.82 per cent higher compared to the 16.32 per cent recorded in April 2022.

“On a month-on-month basis, the rural inflation rate in April 2023 was 1.78 per cent, which increased by 0.06 per cent compared to March 2023 at 1.72 per cent.’’

It said the corresponding 12-month average for the rural inflation rate in April 2023 was 20.18 per cent, 4.27 per cent higher than the 15.91 per cent recorded in April 2022.

On states’ profile analysis, the report showed in April 2023, all items inflation rate on a year-on-year basis was highest in Bayelsa at 26.14 per cent, followed by Kogi at 25.57 per cent, and Rivers at 24.95 per cent.

However, it said the slowest rise in headline year-on-year inflation was recorded in Borno at 19.60 per cent, Taraba at 19.64 per cent, and Sokoto at 19.90 per cent.

However, the report said in April 2023 that all items’ inflation rate on a month-on-month basis was highest in Cross River at 3.05 per cent, Bayelsa at 2.92 per cent and Rivers at 2.62 per cent.

“ Katsina at 0.52 per cent, followed by Jigawa at 0.74 per cent and Osun at 0.96 per cent recorded the slowest rise in month-on-month inflation.”

The report said food inflation in April 2023, on a year-on-year basis, was highest in Kogi at 29.50 per cent, followed by Kwara at 29.48 per cent, and Bayelsa at 29.38per cent.

“ Sokoto at 19.55 per cent, followed by Taraba at 20.20 per cent and Jigawa at 20.68 per cent recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis.’’

However, the report said on a month-on-month basis, that in April 2023 food inflation was highest in Cross River at 4.65 per cent, followed by Bayelsa at 3.61 per cent and Ekiti at 3.49 per cent.

” With Jigawa at 0.14 per cent, followed by Katsina at 0.44 per cent and Osun at 0.62 per cent recorded the slowest rise on month-on-month inflation.’’

(NAN)