NIGERIA’S INFLATION RATE HITS NEW HIGH OF 24.08% AMID FOREX SCARCITY

August 15, 2023

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Nigeria’s inflation rate climbed to 24.08% in July 2023, the highest level in years, due to shortage of foreign exchange.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released on Tuesday that the rate for July 2023 increased by 1.29% points as compared to the rate for the previous month, which was 22.79%.

The CPI measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services.

On July 25, 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), which measures interest rate, from 18.5 percent to 18.75%.

The interest rate increase occurred amid soaring food prices and rising cost of transportation occasioned by the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol with the price per litre jumping from N184 to about N600, more than 200% hike.

The apex bank said “hiking the interest rate has made a lot of difference in moderating the rate of inflation”.

To address the forex shortage in the country with a dollar exchanging at over N900 to the naira, Acting CBN Governor, Folashodun Shonubi, on Monday, said the apex bank would take certain steps in the next few days to improve the liquidity in the market.