Nigeria’s inflation rate showed signs of easing in April 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The headline inflation rate dropped to 23.71% year-on-year, down from 24.23% recorded in March 2025, and significantly lower than the 33.69% rate observed in April 2024.
On a month-on-month basis, inflation also slowed to 1.86% in April, compared to 3.90% in March, indicating a deceleration in price increases across goods and services. This decline is partly attributed to a fall in the prices of staple foods such as maize flour, wheat grain, dried okra, and rice.
Despite this national progress, inflationary pressures remain acute in many parts of the country. The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and ten other states recorded inflation rates exceeding 30%, revealing deep regional disparities in Nigeria’s economic recovery.
Benue State presents one of the most alarming cases. The state recorded an overall inflation rate of 34.3% year-on-year, with food inflation soaring to a staggering 51.8%. Month-on-month, food prices jumped by 25.6%, a spike attributed to ongoing insecurity that has disrupted agricultural activities and food distribution.
In Niger State, inflation rose to 34.8% year-on-year, with a dramatic 14.7% increase month-on-month, the highest among the high-inflation states. Ekiti State also recorded a high inflation rate of 34.0%, mirrored by food inflation figures at the same level. Prices for all items in Ekiti rose 11.0% month-on-month, with food inflation spiking by 16.7%.
Nasarawa State saw a 33.3% inflation rate, with a notable monthly rise of 16.0%. Food prices in the state increased by 7.4% month-on-month. Similarly, Zamfara State reported 33.2% inflation year-on-year, with food inflation at 24.0%, although monthly increases were more moderate.
The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, also recorded an inflation rate of 32.9%. Interestingly, while general prices rose 9.8% month-on-month, food inflation in the capital saw a slight decrease of 0.7%, settling at 22.2% year-on-year.
Other states affected by inflation rates above 30% include Delta (31.9%), where non-food categories like housing and transport were the main drivers; Gombe (31.0%), with food inflation at 26.4%; and Sokoto (30.5%), which experienced a 16.3% rise in general prices within just one month.
These regional inflation disparities suggest that while the broader economy is showing signs of stabilisation, millions of Nigerians are still contending with a harsh cost-of-living crisis. Food inflation, in particular, remains a major concern in several states, significantly surpassing the national average and eating into household incomes.
This development comes in the wake of economic reforms introduced by the federal government, including the removal of fuel subsidies and currency devaluation. While these policies initially pushed inflation to a 28-year high, recent data suggests they are starting to yield some positive effects at the national level. However, the uneven distribution of these gains underscores the need for targeted state-level interventions and stronger support for agriculture and food supply chains.
As the government continues to recalibrate economic policy, experts warn that addressing insecurity, improving transport logistics, and boosting local food production will be essential in reversing the persistent inflation trends affecting Nigeria’s most vulnerable regions.
