Surging food prices push inflation to 18.17% — highest in 4 years

The consumer price index, which measures the rate of increase in the price of goods and services, increased to 18.17 percent in March from 17.33 in February, riding on the back of surging food prices.

The March figure is the highest since January 2017 when it climbed 18.72 percent.

This is according to the March 2021 consumer price index/inflation report released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday.

The food inflation also increased by 1.16 percent on a year-on-year basis from 21.79 percent in February to 22.95  in March.

This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of Bread and cereals, Potatoes, yam and other tubers, Meat, Vegetable, Fish, Oils and fats and fruits.

“The urban inflation rate increased by 18.76 percent (year-on-year) in March 2021 from 17.92 percent recorded in February 2021, while the rural inflation rate increased by 17.60 percent in March 2021 from 16.77 percent in February 2021,” the report said.

“In March 2021, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Kogi (29.71%), Sokoto (27.02%) and Ebonyi (26.59%), while Abuja (20.10%), Kebbi (19.98%) and Bauchi (18.61%) recorded the slowest rise in year on year inflation.

“On month on month basis however, March 2021 food inflation was highest in Rivers (3.52%), Niger (2.92%) and Gombe (2.85%), while Zamfara (0.51%) recording the slowest rise in month on month food inflation with Yobe and Kebbi recording price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level of food or a negative food inflation rate).”