From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that the average prices of food items and transport fares have hit the roof.
In its November food price report, the bureau said that the average price of 1kg beef boneless stood at N2,337.46 in November 2022.
The bureau said that this is indicative of the fact that on a year-on-year basis, the price rose by 29.00 per cent from the value recorded in November 2021 (N1,812.03), and 3.14 per cent on a month-on-month basis from N2,266.24 in October 2022.
The average price of 1kg rice (locally sold loose) increased on a year-on-year basis by 18.95 per cent from N421.02 in November 2021 to N500.80 in November 2022. On a month-on-month basis, the average price of this item increased by 2.73 per cent in November 2022.
The average price of 1kg of Tomato on a year-on-year basis rose by 30.18 per cent from N350.15 in November 2021 to N455.13 in November 2022. Also, on a month-on-month basis, it increases to 0.15 per cent from N454.46 in October 2022.
Similarly, the average price of 1kg bean brown (sold loose) rose by 18.03 per cent on a year-on-year
basis from N490.19 in November 2021 to N578.55 in November 2022. While on a month-on-month basis, the price rose by 2.45 per cent.
In addition, the average price of palm oil: (1 bottle, specify bottle) increased by 29.87 per cent from
N775.11 in November 2021 to N1,006.64 in November 2022. It also grew by 3.91 per cent on a
month-on-month basis. In the same vein, the average price of vegetable oil (1 bottle, specify bottle) stood at N1,142.99 in November 2022, showing an increase of 30.41 per cent from N876.47 in November 2021. On a month-on-month basis, it rose by 3.34 per cent from N1,106.08 in October 2022.
At the state level, the highest average price of rice (locally sold loose) was recorded in Rivers with N632.05, while the lowest was recorded in Jigawa with N378.81. Ebonyi recorded the highest average price of beans (brown, sold loose) with N868.33, while the lowest was reported in Kebbi with N365.71. In addition, Ekiti recorded the highest price of vegetable oil (1 bottle, specify bottle) at N1,584.31, while Kwara recorded the lowest at N693.08.3
“Analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1kg beef boneless was higher in the South-East and South-South with N2,851.51 and N2,570.87 respectively, while the lowest was recorded in the North-East with N1,971.83. The South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg rice (locally sold loose) with N555.80, followed by the South-West with N526.41, while the lowest was recorded in the North West with N457.16. Similarly, the South-West recorded the highest average price of palm oil: (1 bottle, specify bottle) with N1,174.30, followed by the North-West with N1,129.63, while the North-East recorded the least with N765.04,” the bureau said.
Meanwhile, in its Transport Fare Watch, the bureau said that the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased by 0.12 per cent in November 2022 on a month-on-month from N636.30 in October 2022 to N637.10. While on a year-on-year, however, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop rose by 42.69 per cent from N446.50 in November 2021. In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop rose to N3,848.48 in November 2022 indicating an increase of 0.07 per cent on a month-on-month compared to the value of N3,845.81 in October 2022. On a year-on-year, the fare prices rose by 45.53 per cent from N2,644.50 in November 2021.
In air travels fare, the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey, increased by 0.09 per cent on a month-on-month from N73,198.65 in October 2022 to N73,267.57 in November 2022. On a year-on-year, the fare rose by 97.90 per cent from N37,022.97 in November 2021. The average transport fare paid on ‘Okada’ transportation was N459.02 in November 2022 which was 0.12 per cent higher than the rate recorded in October 2022 (N458.05) on a month-on-month basis. While on a year-on-year, the fare rose by 45.13 per cent when compared with November 2021 (N316.29).
Whereas the average fare paid for water transport (waterway passenger transportation) in November 2022 increased to N1,006.33 showing an increase of 16.66 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N862.60 in November 2021 and 0.21 per cent on a month-on-month from N1,006.22 in October 2022.
At the state level, the bus journey within the city (per drop constant route): Taraba recorded the highest
with N845.15 followed by Bauchi State with N800.10. On the other hand, Borno State recorded the least
fares with N500.10 followed by Anambra with N507.15. For intercity bus travel (state route charged per
person fare) in November 2022, the highest fare was recorded in Abuja with N6,000.00 followed by Adamawa with N5,300.00. The least fares were recorded in Kwara N1,700.00 followed by Bayelsa
N2,500.00. Taraba recorded the highest air transport charges (for specified routes single journeys) with
N77, 100.00 in October 2022, followed by Delta with N76,500.00
Conversely, Niger recorded the least fare with N67,100.00. In October 2022, Kwara State had the highest
motorcycle transport fare with N762.15 followed by Lagos with N700.00. The least fare was recorded in
Edo with N186.12 followed by Bayelsa with N186.47. Similarly, water transport fare was higher in Delta
State with N3,300.00 followed by Rivers with N3,000.00, while the least fare was recorded in Borno with
N364.10 followed by Kebbi State with N420.10.
Distribution of transport fare categories by zones shows that in November 2022, transport fares of bus
journeys within the city recorded the highest in the North-East with N690.00 followed by South-South
with N657.43. While the South-West recorded the least with N594.02. In terms of bus journey intercity,
the South-West had the highest fare with N4,178.57 followed by North-East with N3,968.05, while North-West recorded the least with N3,661.36. South-East recorded the highest fare of air transport in November 2022 with N74,500.00, followed by South-West with N74,300.00. While North-Central had the least with N71,428.57. Also, commuters on a motorcycle (Okada) paid the highest fare in the North-Central with N523.28 followed by the South-West with N512.50, while the North-West recorded the least with N328.62. The South-South zone had the highest charges paid on water transport with N2,351.03 followed by the South-West with N901.64, while North-East had the least fare with N645.7.