Food prices across Nigeria climbed higher in May, jumping to 16.96 percent from 16.06 percent the previous month. The National Bureau of Statistics released the troubling figures on Thursday.
Month-on-month, food inflation rose 2.98 percent in May alone. Year-on-year comparisons showed an even steeper climb than the previous year's 24.55 percent.
Onions, maize, and melon topped the list of items driving prices up. Fresh tomatoes, cassava flour, and crayfish also pushed the index higher.
Adamawa state recorded the worst year-on-year food inflation at 29.62 percent. Kwara and Rivers followed closely with 28.47 and 28.40 percent respectively.
Borno bucked the trend, posting a decline of 6.53 percent on a year-on-year basis. Taraba managed just 1.13 percent, while Bayelsa recorded 5.99 percent.
Looking month-to-month, Bauchi led with 7.73 percent inflation. Ogun and Jigawa recorded 6.86 and 6.69 percent respectively.
Three states saw prices actually fall over the month. Niger dropped 3.54 percent, Katsina fell 3.48 percent, and Gombe declined 2.22 percent.
Overall headline inflation also worsened, rising to 15.93 percent from 15.69 percent in April. Food and beverages remained the biggest culprit at 6.38 percent.
Restaurants and accommodation services contributed 2.06 percent to headline inflation. Transport added another 1.70 percent to the overall figure.
Recreation and sports had minimal impact at just 0.05 percent. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco contributed 0.06 percent, while financial services added 0.07 percent.
Core inflation, which strips out volatile agricultural and energy costs, stood at 16.82 percent year-on-year. Month-on-month, it reached 1.94 percent, up from 1.03 percent in April.
Yobe state experienced the highest year-on-year headline inflation at 24.94 percent. Anambra and Sokoto followed with 23.29 and 22.60 percent.
Niger state recorded the lowest increase at just 3.07 percent. Plateau managed 7.10 percent, while Edo posted 7.73 percent.
Monthly figures told a different story across the states. Benue recorded the highest month-on-month increase at 8.23 percent.
Bayelsa and Borno followed with 7.62 and 7.29 percent respectively. But three states saw declines over the month, with Niger down 4.55 percent.
