Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Drops To 17.93% In May 2021, 0.19% Lower – NBS

The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation rate increased by 17.93 percent (year-on-year) in May 2021. This is 0.19 percent points lower than the rate recorded in April 2021 (18.12 percent).

Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index.

On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.01 percent in May 2021. This is 0.04 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in April 2021 (0.97 percent).

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending May 2021 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 15.50 percent, showing a 0.46 percent point rise from 15.04 percent recorded in April 2021.

The urban inflation rate increased by 18.51 percent (year-on-year) in May 2021 from 18.68 percent recorded in April 2021, while the rural inflation rate increased by 17.36 percent in May 2021 from 17.57 percent in April 2021.

On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.04 percent in May 2021, up by 0.05 percentage points compared to the rate recorded in April 2021 (0.99), while the rural index rose by 0.98  percent in May 2021, up by 0.03 points compared to the rate that was recorded in April 2021 (0.95 percent).

The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index is 16.09 percent in May 2021. This is higher than 15.63 percent reported in April 2021, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in May 2021 is 14.94 percent compared to 14.48 percent recorded in April 2021.

Food Index

The composite food index rose by 22.28 percent in May 2021 compared to 22.72 percent in April 2021.

This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of Bread, Cereals, Milk, Cheese, Eggs, Fish, Soft drinks, Coffee, Tea and Cocoa, Fruits, Meat, Oils and fats and Vegetables.

On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 1.05 percent in May 2021, up by 0.06 percent points from 0.99 percent recorded in April 2021.

The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending May 2021 over the previous twelve-month average was 19.18  percent, 0.60  percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in April 2021 (18.58) percent.

All Items Less Farm Produce

The “All items less farm produce” or Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce stood at 13.15 percent in May 2021, up by 0.41 percent when compared with 12.74 percent recorded in April 2021.

On a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased by 1.24 percent in May 2021. This was up by 0.25 percent when compared with 0.99 percent recorded in April 2021.

The highest increases were recorded in prices of Pharmaceutical products, Garments, Shoes and other footwear, Hairdressing salons and personal grooming establishments, Furniture and furnishing, Carpet and other floor covering, Motor cars, Hospital services, Fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, Cleaning, repair and hire of clothing, Other services in respect of personal transport equipment, Gas, Household textile and Non-durable household goods.

The average 12-month annual rate of change of the index was 11.50 percent for the twelve-month period ending May 2021; this is 0.25 percent points higher than the 11.25 percent recorded in April 2021.

State Profiles

In analysing price movements under this section, note that the CPI is weighted by consumption expenditure patterns that differ across states. Accordingly, the weight assigned to a particular food or non-food item may differ from state to state making interstate comparisons of consumption basket inadvisable and potentially misleading.

All Items Inflation

In May 2021, all items inflation on year on year basis was highest in Kogi (25.13%), Bauchi (23.02%) and Sokoto (20.11%), while Katsina (15.69%), Imo (15.52%) and Delta (14.85%) recorded the slowest rise in headline Year on Year inflation.

On a month-on-month basis, however, in May 2021 all items inflation was highest in Kogi (2.22%), Ogun (2.17%) and Cross River (2.07%), while Ekiti (0.02%) recorded the slowest rise in headline month on month with River and Sokoto recording price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level of food or a negative food inflation rate).

Food Inflation

In May 2021, food inflation rate on a year on year basis was highest in Kogi (32.82%), Kwara (26.02%) and Enugu (25.43%), while Akwa Ibom (20.06%), Bauchi (18.65%) and Abuja (16.91%) recorded the slowest rise in year on year inflation.

On a month-on-month basis, however, May 2021 food inflation was highest in Kogi (3.11%), Ogun (2.89%) and Anambra (2.37%), while Edo, Sokoto and Ekiti recorded price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level of food or a negative food inflation rate).