Despite enduring deadly attacks that claimed 200 lives over a single weekend, Benue State recorded Nigeria’s sharpest decline in food inflation for May 2025.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Benue’s year-on-year food inflation fell dramatically to 22.0% from April’s 51.8%—a 57.5% drop.
However, month-on-month food prices still rose by 4.1%, reflecting persistent supply chain disruptions linked to local violence. The state’s headline inflation stood at 25.9% year-on-year.
This decline starkly contrasts with states like Borno and Niger, where conflict and flooding drove food inflation to 64.4% and 30.3%, respectively. Nationally, Nigeria’s headline inflation eased to 22.97%, partly due to CPI rebasing.
President Bola Tinubu postponed a trip to Kaduna following the Benue attacks and will visit the state on June 18 to assess the devastation firsthand. Survivors described the recent violence—which displaced hundreds and destroyed communities like Yelewata—as one of the deadliest episodes in months.
While annual inflation metrics show improvement, monthly price surges for staples like yams and cassava highlight ongoing cost-of-living pressures, especially in conflict-affected regions.
