The National Bureau of Statistics says Nigeria’s inflation rate was 33.88 percent in October — up from 32.7 percent in September.

The data is captured in the NBS’ latest consumer price index (CPI) report for October published on Friday.

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

The data bureau said the headline inflation rate in October rose by “1.18% points when compared to the September 2024 headline inflation rate”.

“On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 6.55% points higher than the rate recorded in October 2023 (27.33%),” NBS said.

“This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in October 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., October 2023).

“Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in October 2024 was 2.64%, which was 0.12% higher than the rate recorded in September 2024 (2.52%).

“This means that in October 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level was higher than the rate of increase in the average price level in September 2024.”

‘INCREASE IN RICE, YAM PUSHED FOOD INFLATION RATE TO 39.16%’

The NBS also said the food inflation rate in October surged to 39.16 percent, compared to 33.77 percent in September.

On a year-on-year basis, the food inflation rate was 7.64 percent higher compared to the rate recorded in October 2023 (31.52 percent).

“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of the following items: guinea corn, rice, maize grains, etc (Bread and Cereals Class), Yam, Water Yam, Coco Yam, etc (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Palm Oil, Vegetable Oil, etc (Oil and Fats Class) and Milo Lipton, Bourvita, etc (Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Class),” the bureau added.

The statistics firm also said the month-on-month food inflation rate in October was 2.94 percent, showing a rise of 0.3 percent compared to the 2.64 percent recorded in September.

“The rise can be attributed to the rate of increase in the average prices of Palm Oil, Vegetable oil, etc (Oil & Fats Class), Mudfish, Croaker (Apo), Fresh fish (Obokun), etc (Fish Class), Dried Beef, Goat Meat, Mut-ton, Skin meat, etc (Meat Class), and Bread, Guinea Corn flour, Plantain flour, Rice, etc (Bread and Cereals Class),” the NBS said.

“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending October 2024 over the previous twelve-month average was 38.12%, which was an 11.79% point increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in October 2023 (26.33%).”

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has shut down two gas plants and two petrol stations in Delta state, for under-dispensing.

Victor Ohwodiasa, coordinator of NMDPRA in Delta, spoke to the press in Warri on Thursday.

Ohwodiasa said NMDPRA’s surveillance team closed the stations at the Asaba and Ibusa axis of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday due to under-dispensing, operating without valid licences, and other illegal practices.

“In line with our mandates, we constantly visit petroleum retail outlets to ensure they sell one litre for one litre,” he said.

“Agreeably, there are bound to be variations due to mechanical error in their machines, but these are subject to limits; when it exceeds, we shut down the facilities.”

Ohwodiasa urged petroleum marketers to ensure that their meters are well-calibrated to sell accurately.

“Based on what we have been doing to ensure the consumers are not shortchanged, we have been visiting retail outlets across the state to ensure sanity is maintained within the area,” Ohwodiasa said.

“This week, we have sealed four stations within the Asaba and Ibusa axis over offences bordering on under-dispensing, operating without valid licenses and illegal activities within the filling stations.”

He said the regulatory authority will continue inspecting such cases through the end of the year to ensure fair sales to consumers.

Ohwodiasa encouraged the public to report suspicious practices to NMDPRA, including under-dispensing, the discharge of unauthorised products by petroleum marketers, product quality, suspected diversion, and illegal bunkering activities.

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) says it disconnected University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan from the national grid over an outstanding N400 million debt.

On Monday, patients at the UCH staged a protest following incessant power cuts at the facility. Nurses and doctors have been using lights from their smartphones to find their way around.

The demonstrators said there has been no water and electricity at the hospital in the last 17 days. The protesters expressed concern that the lack of essential services has contributed to patient deaths.

One member of staff blamed IBEDC for placing the hospital on the Band A tariff — the most expensive electricity band in the country.

In February, IBEDC cut off UCH’s power over “technical faults and indebtedness”.

At the time, the company said the hospital owed about N500m in electricity bills.

According to Punch, Busolami Tunwase, the electricity company’s spokesperson, confirmed that the disconnection was due to an outstanding debt of N400m, adding that the university has not fulfilled its promise to pay up.

She said while the company sympathises with the hospital, IBEDC was compelled to take drastic action because it is being pressured to meet financial obligations to stakeholders.

“However, IBEDC reiterated its commitment to working with UCH and remains open to discussions on a flexible payment arrangement that could be mutually agreed upon by both parties,” she said.

In a statement on Wednesday, Funmi Adetuyibi, UCH spokesperson, said the hospital’s management has held several meetings with IBEDC on payment modalities.

The spokesperson said the electricity bills from IBEDC, inclusive of accumulated bills since 2019 to date, amounted to N3,104,568,114.61.

She added that the hospital has so far paid N2,916,567, 724.27.

“In a bid to mitigate the effects of this hardship, the management has taken some steps, which include dissemination of information to patients and alternative power sources,” the statement reads.

“We have back-up generators to power critical areas, including the Emergency department, operating theatres, Intensive Care Unit, Laboratories, among others.

“Solar/inverter panel has been made available in the Emergency Department, Main Theatre, Intensive Care Unit, Paediatrics, East 3 Ward, South East 3, Owena Dialysis Ward, High Dependency Unit, South West 2 and all the clinics.”