Business
Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Rises For Four Months, Consecutively – NBS
The National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS) has released the consumer price index for the month of March 2015.
The statement which was obtained by our correspondent at its zonal office in Port Harcourt stated that the index had shown that inflation had risen to 8.5 per cent.
The March increase, according to the document, was a marginal increase of 10 basis points from the 8.4 per cent recorded in the month of February.
The 8.5 per cent increase inflation according to the report makes it the fourth consecutive month that the index would be moving in an upward direction.
It said while the pace of increase in food prices held firm for the second consecutive month the fastest increased in the Headline Index was driven by increase in the non-food divisions.
The copy which was made available to our correspondent said.
“In March the CPI which measures inflations rose by 8.5 per cent (year-on-year) marginally higher from 8.4 per cent rate recorded for the year.
“The headline rate for March also equals last year’s high recorded in August.
“While the pace of increase in food prices held firm for the second consecutive month, the faster increase in the headline index was driven by increases in the non-food divisions”.
The report added that food prices, as observed by the food-sub-index increased at relatively the same pace in March as in February by 9.4 per cent.
His pace of increases it explained was weighted upon by a slower increase in the bread and cereals, oils and fats dairy and confectionary groups.
Year-one-year the report added both the urban and Rural Price indices recoded faster increases in March.
“The urban index increased by 8.6 per cent 0.2 percentage points from February, while the rural index increased marginally from 8.3 per cent in February to 8.4 per cent in March.
“On a month-on month basis, both the urban and rural indices increased at a faster pace in March, increasing by 0.9 per cent the report added.
On a month-on-month basis, the higher price increases were recorded in the Fruit Fish Potatoes, yam and other tubers and vegetable groups.