Benue State recorded the sharpest decline in food inflation nationwide in May 2025, dropping to 22.0% year-on-year from 51.8% in April — a staggering 57.53% reduction — according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released Monday.
The drop comes amid a surge in violent attacks across the state, including a weekend massacre that left nearly 200 people dead in communities like Yelwata. Survivors described the assault as one of the most devastating in recent memory, with homes destroyed and hundreds displaced.
Despite the year-on-year drop, Benue’s food prices rose by 4.1% on a month-on-month basis, reflecting continued supply challenges likely driven by local insecurity and disruption of agricultural activity and distribution channels.
The state’s overall (headline) inflation stood at 25.9% year-on-year and 3.1% month-on-month, highlighting ongoing cost-of-living pressures for residents.
In response to the escalating crisis, President Bola Tinubu announced a postponement of his scheduled trip to Kaduna and confirmed he will visit Benue on Wednesday, June 18, to assess the situation and meet with affected communities.
Inflation Soars in Borno and Niger Amid Conflict and Floods
While Benue recorded relief in inflation metrics, other states continue to struggle. Borno State reported the highest food inflation rate in the country at 64.4% year-on-year and a monthly increase of 8.0%. Its headline inflation reached 38.9%, driven by widespread displacement, crop failure, and broken supply chains due to insurgency and flooding.
Niger State also faced significant inflationary pressure, posting a 30.3% year-on-year food inflation rate and a modest 0.2% monthly increase. Its headline inflation stood at 35.0%, placing it among the most impacted states.
National Trends: Inflation Eases Slightly After Rebasing
At the national level, headline inflation eased to 22.97% in May, down from 23.71% in April, aided by the recent rebasing of the CPI to reflect 2024 as the new base year. This marks a notable decrease from 33.95% recorded in May 2024.
Food inflation nationally stood at 21.14% year-on-year, significantly lower than 40.66% a year earlier. However, monthly food inflation ticked up to 2.19%, driven by increased prices of key staples including yam, cassava flour, maize flour, sweet potatoes, fresh pepper, and ogbono.
Urban inflation stood at 23.14% year-on-year, while rural inflation was slightly lower at 22.70%. Core inflation — which excludes food and energy — dropped to 22.28% annually, with a monthly rate of 1.10%.
Regional Highlights: Disparities in Inflation
- Bayelsa recorded the highest month-on-month inflation at 9.11%.
- Kaduna (-6.75%), Jigawa (-4.40%), and Edo (-2.94%) posted the steepest month-on-month declines.
- Borno (64.36%), Bayelsa (39.85%), and Taraba (38.58%) saw the highest annual food inflation rates.
- Katsina, Rivers, and Kwara recorded the slowest increases in food inflation.
- On a monthly basis, food prices surged most in Bayelsa (12.68%), Cross River (11.15%), and Anambra (9.10%), while Katsina (-5.42%), Jigawa (-4.02%), and Kaduna (-3.27%) saw notable declines.
Bottom Line
While the rebasing of the CPI has contributed to more favorable year-on-year inflation figures, many Nigerians — especially in conflict-hit and flood-prone areas — continue to face rising prices on a monthly basis, underscoring the gap between statistical relief and real-world hardship.
