Nigeria’s headline inflation has risen to 24.23% in March 2025.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that the increase was due to the rise in prices of fresh ginger, yellow garri, ofada rice, natural honey, crabs, potatoes, plantain flour, unshelled periwinkle, and fresh pepper.

Inflation spikes by 1.05% in March

The NBS report disclosed that the inflation rate rose marginally by 1.05% from 23.18% in February.

Reports say this will be the first time inflation has risen since the national statistics body rebased the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

According to the NBS, food inflation recorded a 21.79% yearly increase, but monthly analysis shows a 0.50% rise from 2.18% to 1.67% recorded in February this year.

NBS said that monthly, the headline inflation rate in March 2025 was 3.90%, representing 1.85% higher than in February at 2.04%.

The development means that in March, the rate of increase in the average price level was higher than the rate of increase in the previous month.

States with the highest inflation

Daily Trust quoted the NBS as saying that contributions on the divisional level are food and non-alcoholic beverages at 9.28%, restaurants and accommodation services at 2.99%, transport at 2.47%, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at $1.95%, education services at 1.44%, and health at 1.40%.

The NBS data disclosed that the price of food commodities rose in Oyo at 34.41%, Kaduna at 31.14%, and Kebbi at 30.85%, relative to the same period last year.

States with the lowest inflation

However, Bayelsa, Adamawa, and Akwa Ibom recorded the slowest increases in food prices in the review period.

Every month food prices rose highest in Oyo at 19.74%, Kaduna at 17.24%, and Kebbi at 30.74%.

Akwa Ibom recorded the lowest food prices at 12.81%, Bayelsa at 14.02%, and Sokoto at 14.83%.

States with the highest and lowest food inflation

Per the NBS data, the all-items inflation rate per year was highest in Kaduna, Osun, and Kebbi states, while Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Sokoto recorded the lowest rise in the yearly inflation figure.

Monthly, March saw the highest inflation increases in Kaduna, Osun, and Oyo, while Sokoto, Nasarawa, and Kwara states recorded the lowest increases in monthly inflation.