Business

Nigeria’s Inflation Rises To 31.70% For Feb – NBS

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2024

367 Views

The inflation rate has moved to 31.70 per cent in February, according to the latest data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The Bureau released the figure on Friday, with the latest data showing a rise from the 29.90 per cent recorded in January 2024.

According to the ‘Consumer Price Index and Inflation Report’ for February, the hike represented a 1.80 per cent increase from what was recorded in January.

“In February 2024, the headline inflation rate increased to 31.70% relative to the January 2024 headline inflation rate which was 29.90%.

“Looking at the movement, the February 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 1.80% points when compared to the January 2024 headline inflation rate,” the report read in part.

The data showed that on a year-on-year basis, Nigeria’s headline inflation rate was 9.79 per cent higher, compared to 21.91 per cent recorded in February 2023.

“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in February 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., February 2023),” the NBS said.

Tomatoes are displayed in baskets at the market in Jibia on February 18, 2024. (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)

Meanwhile, the food inflation rate in February was 37.92 per cent on a year-on-year basis. This was 13.57 per cent higher when compared to the rate recorded in February 2023 (24.35 per cent), according to the report.

“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fish, oil and fat, meat, fruit, coffee, tea, and cocoa,” the report read.

Friday’s figures come amid a push by authorities to combat the rising costs of living in the country. The removal of fuel subsidies on petroleum, and the floating of the naira were major triggers of the hike.

The rising costs of living have since triggered protests in several parts of the country, however, the government is assuring Nigerians of tackling the challenges.

Despite the rising inflation rates, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yemi Cardoso, had earlier expressed optimism about a drop.

“Inflationary pressures are expected to decline in 2024 due to the CBN’s inflationary targeting policy aiming to rein in inflation to 21.4 per cent, aided by improved agricultural productivity and easy global supply chain pressures.

“The Nigerian foreign exchange market is currently facing increased demand pressures causing a continuous decrease in the value of naira,” he told members of the House of Representatives in February.

Related Topics:Featured Inflation Rises NBS

Up Next

NIN: NIMC orders investigation into data breach allegation

Don't Miss

Heirs Technologies appoints Obong Idiong as Chief Executive Officer

Click to comment

Business

Cardoso Urges Banks To Lend Out Idle Funds With CBN * Retains MPR at 26.5%

Cardoso made the call on Tuesday after the 306th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Abuja from July 20 to July 21.

Published

1 hour ago

July 21, 2026

OCHEFA

8 Views

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso , urged banks from keeping idle funds with the apex bank and encouraging increased lending into the economy.

Cardoso made the call on Tuesday after the 306th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Abuja from July 20 to July 21.

The apex bank retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), also known as benchmark interest rate, at 26. 5 percent.

This decision marks the second consecutive retention of the MPR at 26.5 per cent, following a 50-basis-point reduction in February from 27 per cent.

“The committee’s decision to maintain the current policy stand follows a thorough assessment of the balance of risk,” said Cardoso.

He emphasised that although headline inflation moderated marginally in June 2026, global uncertainties have heightened due mainly to the renewed hostilities in the Middle East.

The MPC also adjusted the asymmetric facilities corridor around the MPR to +50/-450 basis points—a move aimed at discouraging banks from keeping idle fund with CBN.

Furthermore, the committee maintained the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for commercial banks at 45 per cent, retained the rate for merchant banks at 16 per cent, and kept the CRR on non-TSA public-sector deposits at 75 per cent for liquidity management considerations.

Cardoso said despite the global uncertainties, the Nigerian economy has “remained largely resilient to the external shocks”.

Business

CBN admits it opened domiciliary accounts for PFIPC agency

Represented by the Director of its Banking Services Department, Hamisu Ibrahim, the CBN said that the accounts are one in US dollars, the other in British pounds sterling, were opened following a mandate received from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Published

10 hours ago

July 21, 2026

OCHEFA

18 Views

File photo : PFIPC agency DG, Adeniyi Adeyemi

The Central Bank of Nigeria had admitted that it opened two foreign-currency domiciliary accounts for the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

The apex bank made the confirmation, yesterday, during the public hearing convened at the National Assembly Complex by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the existence and operations of the PFIPC, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi and inaugurated by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

He explained that on July 30, 2025, CBN received a mandate dated July 29, 2025 from the Office of the Accountant-General.

“We received the mandate to authorise two accounts, one a US dollar domiciliary account, the other a pound domiciliary account, for the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council,” Ibrahim told the committee.

He explained the CBN’s verification process, “The process of opening an account requires a mandate from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“Once we receive that mandate, we perform all the necessary verifications to confirm that this mandate is actually coming from that office.

The department that handles the mandate is different from the department that actually does the account opening,” he said.

Nevertheless, he noted that no one came to activate the accounts after they were opened.“We did not receive any correspondence, mandate, signature or mandate cards. We were not introduced to the authorising or approving officers.“Based on that, those accounts remain inactive, with zero balance. There have been no foreign exchange allocations.