Nigeria’s Inflation Rate drops to 17.93% (May 2021)- NBS

Latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that the consumer price index (CPI,) which measures inflation increased by 17.93 percent (year-on-year) in May 2021, indicating a drop of 0.19 percent points from the rate recorded in April 2021 (18.12 percent).

 

The CPI measures the average change over time in prices of goods and services consumed by people for day-to-day living.

 

According to the NBS, 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 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 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 Inflation 

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

 

On 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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Core Inflation

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 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 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 11.25 percent recorded in April 2021.

 

Amaka E. Nliam