The National Bureau of Statistics has said that the trend in the general rise in prices of goods and services in the Month of April 2021 moderated as price increases were minimal for the month. In its latest report on inflation it said “The consumer price index, which measures the rate of change in the price of goods and services, dropped to 18.12 per cent in April from 18.17 in March”. The last time it dropped was in 2019 when it slowed from 11.08 per cent in July to 11.02 in August.
It said that the food inflation which affects the masses more also moderated. It said “The food inflation also reduced to 22.75 per cent in April from 22.95 in March. “The urban inflation rate increased by 18.68 percent (year-on-year) in April 2021, down by 0.61 the rate recorded in March 2021(1.60), while the rural index also rose by 0.95 percent in August, down by 0.57, the rate recorded in March 2021 (1.52 percent),” the report said. The rise in food index was caused by increase in prices of Coffee, tea, coca, Bread and cereals, soft drinks, milk, cheese and eggs. Vegetables , Meat, oils and Fish and potato, yam and other tubers.
“On a month-on-month basis, the food sub index increased by 0.99 percent in April 2021, down by 0.91 percent points from 1.90 percent recorded in March 2021.”The report noted that food inflation on a year-on-year basis in April was highest in Kogi at (30.52 percent), Ebonyi (28.07 percent), Sokoto (26.09percent), while Abuja (18.63 percent), Akwa-Ibom(18.51 percent), and Bauch (17.64 percent) recorded the slowest rise in year-on-year inflation.
“On a month-on-month basis, however, April 2021 was highest in Kebbi (2.46percent), Ekiti (2.42 percent), and Kano (2.17 percent) while Abuja (0.05percent) recorded the slowest rise in the month-on-month food inflation with Rivers and Ogun recording price deflation or negative inflation.” the report added.
