The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 25.80 per cent in August 2023.

The NBS disclosed this in its August Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Report released in Abuja on Friday.

According to the report, the figure of 1.72 per cent is higher than the 24.08 per cent recorded in July 2023.

It said on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate in August was 5.27 per cent higher than the rate recorded in August 2022 at 20.52 per cent.

The report said the contributions of items on the divisional level to the increase in the headline index are food and non-alcoholic beverages at 13.36 per cent and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel at 4.32 per cent.

Others were clothing and footwear at 1.97 per cent, transport at 1.68 per cent, furnishings, household equipment and maintenance at 1.30 per cent, education at 1.02 per cent, and health at 0.78 per cent.

“Miscellaneous goods and services at 0.43 per cent; restaurant and hotels at 0.31 per cent; alcoholic beverage, tobacco and kola at 0.28 per cent; recreation and culture at 0.18 per cent, and communication at 0.18 per cent,” NBS said.

In addition, the report said, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in August 2023 was 3.18 per cent, which was 0.29 per cent higher than the rate recorded in July 2023 at 2.89 per cent.

It said the percentage change in the average CPI for the 12 months ending August 2023 over the average for the previous 12-month period was 22.38 per cent.

“This indicates a 5.31 per cent increase compared to 17.07 per cent recorded in August 2022,” the bureau stated.

The report said the food inflation rate in August was 29.34 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 6.22 per cent higher compared to the rate recorded in August 2022 at 23.12 per cent.

According to NBS, increases in prices of oil and fats, bread and cereals, fish, potatoes, yams and other tubers, fruits, meat, vegetables, milk, cheese, and eggs cause a rise in food inflation.

It said on a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in August was 3.87 per cent, which was a 0.41 per cent rise compared to the rate recorded in July at 3. 45 per cent.

The report said the “all items less farm produce’’ or core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, stood at 21.15 per cent in August year-on-year.

“This increased by 4.03 per cent compared to 17.12 per cent recorded in August 2022,’’ NBS said.

It said the highest increases were recorded in prices of passenger transport by air and road, gas, vehicle spare parts, medical services, maintenance, and repair of personal transport equipment, etc.

The NBS said on a month-on-month basis, the core inflation rate was 2.18 per cent in August 2023, indicating a 0.07 per cent rise from July 2023 at 2.11 per cent.

“The average 12-month annual inflation rate was 19.18 per cent for the 12 months ending August 2023; this was 4.38 per cent points higher than the 14.80 per cent recorded in August 2022.”

The report said on a year-on-year basis, in August, the urban inflation rate was 27.69 per cent, which was 6.73 per cent higher than the 20.95 per cent recorded in August 2022.

“On a month-on-month basis, the urban inflation rate was 3.29 per cent in August, representing a 0.24 per cent rise compared to July 2023 at 3.05 per cent.’’

The report said that on a year-on-year basis, the rural inflation rate was 24.10 per cent, which was 3.98 per cent higher compared to the 20.12 per cent recorded in August 2022.

“On a month-on-month basis, the rural inflation rate was 3.08 per cent, which increased by 0.34 per cent compared to July 2023 at 2.74 per cent.’’

On states’ profile analysis, the report showed in August, all items’ inflation rate on a year-on-year basis was highest in Kogi at 31.50 per cent, followed by Lagos at 29.17 per cent and Rivers at 29.06 per cent.

It, however, said the slowest rise in headline inflation on a year-on-year basis was recorded in Sokoto at 20.91 per cent, followed by Borno at 21.77 per cent and Nasarawa at 22.25 per cent.

The report, however, said in August 2023, all items inflation rate on a month-on-month basis was highest in Kwara at 6.07 per cent, Osun at 4.36 per cent, and Kogi at 4.35 per cent.

“Sokoto at 1.38 per cent, followed by Borno at 1.73 per cent and Ogun at 1.89 per cent recorded the slowest rise in month-on-month inflation,” it said.

The report said on a year-on-year basis, food inflation was highest in Kogi at 38.84 per cent, followed by Lagos at 36.04 per cent and Kwara at 35.33 per cent.

“Sokoto at 20.09 per cent, followed by Nasarawa at 24.35 per cent and Jigawa at 24.53 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 food inflation was highest in Rivers at 7.12 per cent, followed by Kwara at 5.89 per cent and Kogi at 5.80 per cent.

“With Sokoto at 0.50 per cent, followed by Abuja at 1.30 per cent and Niger at 1.40 per cent recorded the slowest rise on month-on-month food inflation.,” it added.

(NAN)