Nigeria’s inflation hits 21.09% in October

Food inflation: This is coming as food inflation in October 2022 increased to 23.72% from 18.34% in the corresponding Month last year, as disclosed on Monday, November 14, 2022, in a National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, Consumer Price Index, CPI report.

It was further disclosed that food inflation sharply rose to 23.72% in the Month under review from 23.34% in the prior Month, while the core inflation rate jumped to 17.76% from 17.6% recorded in September 2022.

What the report said: “In October 2022, on a year–on–year basis, the headline inflation rate was 21.09%. This was 5.09% points higher compared to the rate recorded in October 2021, which was 15.99%. This shows that the general price level for the headline inflation rate increased in October 2022 compared to the same Month in the preceding year (i.e., October 2021) by 5.09%.

“On a month-on-month basis, the Headline inflation rate for October 2022 was 1.24%, this was 0.11% lower than the rate recorded in September 2022 (1.36%). This means that in October 2022 the general price level for the headline inflation rate (Month–on–month basis) declined by 0.11%.

“The percentage change in the average CPI for the twelve months ending October 2022 over the average for the previous twelve months period was 17.86%, showing a 0.91% increase compared to the 16.96% recorded in October 2021,” the report said.

About Inflation: In economics, inflation refers to a general increase in the prices of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduction in the purchasing power of money.

According to NBS the likely factors for the increase on a year-on-year basis are: Disruption in the supply of food products, increase in the cost of importation due to the persistent currency depreciation and A general rise in the price of production e.g increase in energy cost.

Also, NBS stated that in October 2022, the inflation rate on all items on a year-on-year basis was highest in Kogi (25.15%), Bauchi (23.45%), Ondo (23.45%), while Plateau (19.02%), Borno (19.31%) and Nasarawa (19.39%) scored the slowest rise in headline Year-on-Year inflation.

What you should know: On a month-on-month basis, however, October 2022 recorded the highest increases in Abuja (3.18%), Kebbi (2.80%), Sokoto (2.57%), while Kwara (-0.14%), Kogi (0.06%) and Oyo (0.30%) recorded the slowest rise on month-on-month inflation.