Nigeria’s month-on-month food inflation climbed to 2.19 per cent in May 2025, up 0.12 per cent from April’s 2.06 per cent, signaling persistent pressure on household budgets even as the headline inflation rate eased for the second consecutive month to 22.97 per cent.
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows the CPI rose to 121.35 in May, up 1.83 points from April, reflecting a complex economic landscape where food prices continue to challenge consumers.
The headline inflation rate dropped to 22.97 per cent in May 2025, a 0.74 per cent decrease from April’s 23.71 per cent. On a year-on-year basis, it was 10.98 per cent lower than the 33.95 per cent recorded in May 2024, partly due to a base year shift to November 2009.
The month-on-month headline inflation rate was 1.53 per cent in May, down 0.33 per cent from April’s 1.86 per cent, indicating a slower pace of overall price increases. The 12-month average inflation rate for the period ending May 2025 was 27.55 per cent, down 1.51 per cent from 29.06 per cent in May 2024.
However, food inflation remains a pressing issue. The month-on-month increase to 2.19 per cent in May was driven by insufficient price decreases in staples like yam, ogbono, cassava tuber, maize flour, fresh pepper, and sweet potatoes to offset broader food price rises.
On a year-on-year basis, food inflation fell to 21.14 per cent in May 2025 from 40.66 per cent in May 2024, a 19.52 per cent drop largely attributed to the base year adjustment. The 12-month average food inflation rate was 29.80 per cent, down 4.26 per cent from 34.06 per cent in May 2024.
Core inflation, excluding volatile agricultural produce and energy prices, was 22.28 per cent year-on-year in May 2025, down 4.76 per cent from 27.04 per cent in May 2024. It’s month-on-month rate was 1.10 per cent, a 0.23 per cent decrease from April’s 1.34 per cent. The 12-month average core inflation rate was 24.51 per cent, up 1.06 per cent from 23.45 per cent in May 2024.
Urban inflation fell to 23.14 per cent year-on-year in May 2025 from 36.34 per cent in May 2024, but its month-on-month rate rose to 1.40 per cent from 1.18 per cent in April. The 12-month average urban inflation was 29.30 per cent, down 1.77 per cent from 31.07 per cent in May 2024.
Rural inflation was 22.70 per cent year-on-year, a 9.12 per cent decrease from 31.82 per cent in May 2024, with a month-on-month rate of 1.83 per cent, down 1.72 per cent from April’s 3.56 per cent . The 12-month average rural inflation was 25.56 per cent, down 1.71 per cent from 27.27 per cent in May 2024.
Inflation varied significantly across states. Borno recorded the highest year-on-year headline inflation at 38.93 per cent, followed by Niger (34.97%) and Plateau (32.35%). Katsina (16.25%), Adamawa (18.20%), and Delta (18.41%) saw the slowest rises.
Month-on-month, Bayelsa (9.11%), Bauchi (4.85%), and Borno (4.42%) led increases, while Kaduna (-6.75%), Jigawa (-4.40%), and Edo (-2.94%) recorded declines.
Food inflation was most severe in Borno (64.36%), Bayelsa (39.85%), and Taraba (38.58%) year-on-year, while Katsina (6.90%), Rivers (9.18%), and Kwara (11.31%) saw the smallest increases. Month-on-month, Bayelsa (12.68%), Cross River (11.15%), and Anambra (9.10%) recorded the highest food inflation, while Katsina (-5.42%), Jigawa (-4.02%), and Kaduna (-3.27%) saw declines.
The NBS noted that CPI weights differ by state due to varying consumption patterns, cautioning against direct interstate comparisons. The base year revision, effective across most states except Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, and the FCT, influenced year-on-year figures but did not affect the national CPI for April 2025.
The rise in month-on-month food inflation, despite an easing headline rate, highlights the uneven economic recovery. With supply chain disruptions, insecurity impacting agriculture, and currency volatility persisting, policymakers face urgent calls to address these structural issues to alleviate the burden on Nigerian households.