With the constant depreciation in Naira, increase in import prices, government deficit expenditure, increase in food price indices, amongst others, inflation rate hit 17.33% rise (year-on-year) in February 2021.
Disclosing this in a report recently released by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, NBS, “The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 17.33 percent (year-on-year) in February 2021. This is 0.86 percent points higher than the rate recorded in January 2021 (16.47) percent.
“Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index.”
Inflation is the rate at which the the value of a currency is falling and consequently the general level of prices for goods and services is rising.
According to the report, “On month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.54 percent in February 2021, this is 0.05 percent rate higher than the rate recorded in January 2021 (1.49 percent).
“The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending February 2021 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 14.05 percent, showing 0.43 percent point from 13.62 percent recorded in January 2021.
“On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.58 percent in February 2021, up by 0.06 the rate recorded in January 2021, while the rural index also rose by 1.50 percent in February 2021, up by 0.04 the rate that was recorded in January 2021 (1.46) percent.
“The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index is 14.66 percent in February 2021. This is higher than 14.23 percent reported in January 2021, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in February 2021 is 13.48 percent compared to 13.04 percent recorded in January 2021.” It stated.
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