By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have revealed that inflation in Nigeria reached 18.72 percent (year-on-year) in January 2017.

This is in contrast to 18.55 percent it recorded in December 2016.

The figures were released by the NBS on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 and obtained by Business Post.

Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yield the Headline Index.

Communication and Restaurants and Hotels again recorded the slowest pace of growth in January, growing at 5.1 percent and 8.4 percent (year-on-year) respectively.

However, the faster pace of growth in headline inflation, year on year, were bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, potatoes, yams and other tubers, wine and spirits, clothing materials and accessories, electricity, cooking gas, liquid and solid fuels, motor cars and maintenance, vehicle spare parts and fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, passenger transport by road.

On a month on month basis, headline inflation was driven by passenger transport by air, fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, liquid fuels, cooking gas, oils and fats, fruits, Miké cheese and eggs, fish, meat and bread and cereals.

The Food Index increased by 17.82 percent (year-on-year) in January, up by 0.43 percent points from rate recorded in December 2016 (17.39) percent. During the month, all major food sub-indexes increased, with Soft Drinks recording the slowest pace of increase at 7.8 percent(year on year).

Price movements recorded by All Items less farm produce or Core sub-index rose by 17.90 percent (year-on-year) in January, down by 0.20 percent points from rates recorded in December 2016 (18.10) percent.

During the month, the highest increases were seen in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, Education and Transport growing at 27.2, 21.0 and 17.2 percent respectively.

On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased albeit, at a slower pace in January 2017. The index increased by 1.01 percent point in January, 0.05 percent points from 1.06 percent rate recorded in December 2016.

It should be noted that the Headline Index is made up of the Core Index and Farm Produce items. As.

Processed Foods are included in both the Core and Food sub-indices; this Implies that these sub-indices are not mutually-exclusive.

The Urban index rose by 20.31 percent (year-on-year) in January from 20.12 percent recorded in

December, and the Rural index increased by 17.34 percent in January from 17.20 percent in December.

On month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.03 percent in January from 1.08 percent recorded in December, while the rural index rose by 1.00 percent in January from 1.04 percent in December.

The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index increased from 17.05 percent in December to 17.91 percent in January, while the corresponding rural index also increased from 14.54 percent in December to 15.18 percent in January.

The Composite Food Index rose by 17.82 percent in January 2017. The rise in the index was mainly driven by increases in prices of Bread and cereals, Meat, Oil and Fats, and Fish.

On a month-on-month basis, the Food sub-index increased by 1.29 percent in January, down by 0.04 percent points from 1.33 percent recorded in December.

The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending in January 2017 over the previous twelve-month average was 15.54 percent, 0.59 percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in December(14.95 percent).

The ”All Items Less Farm Produce” or Core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce eased by 17.9 percent during the month, 0.20 percent points from 18.1 percent recorded in December as all key divisions which contributes to the index increased.

On a month-on-month basis, the Core sub-index increased by 0.68 percent in January, 0.06 percent points higher from 0.62 percent recorded in December. The highest increases were recorded in electricity, gas, passenger transport by air, liquid fuel, fuel and lubricants for personal transport equipment and solid fuels.

The average 12-month annual rate of rise of the index was recorded at 16.04 percent for the twelve-month period ending in January 2017, 0.73 percent points higher from the twelve-month rate of change recorded in December.