Kebbi State is currently neckdeep with rising inflationary pressures, following the latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, which placed the state among the hardest-hit in Nigeria.
According to the Consumer Price Index and Inflation Report for March 2025 released in Abuja, Kebbi recorded one of the highest inflation rates in the country on both year-on-year and month-on-month bases.
The report showed that on a year-on-year basis, food inflation in Kebbi rose to 30.85 per cent, placing it behind Oyo at 34.41 per cent and Kaduna at 31.14 per cent.
The state’s overall headline inflation was equally high at 30.74 per cent, coming behind only Kaduna at 33.33 per cent and Osun at 32.08 per cent.
On a month-on-month basis, Kebbi’s food inflation rate stood at 14.03 per cent, with only Oyo at 19.74 per cent and Kaduna at 17.24 per cent recording higher figures within the period under review.
The report also showed that while some states like Sokoto, Nasarawa, and Kwara witnessed a slower rise in month-on-month inflation, Kebbi continued to face a consistent upward trend in prices.
The inflationary surge has had a direct impact on household livelihoods, with prices of staple food items such as rice, maize, millet, tomatoes, and grains rising sharply in local markets, DAILY POST reports.
At the Birnin Kebbi central market, a bag of locally produced rice, which sold for N43,000 in December 2024, now goes for over N60,000, thereby, forcing many residents to reduce their food purchases.
Traders and residents are currently lamenting the growing difficulty in coping with basic food expenses.
Abubakar Mohammed, a trader at Bunzam, the first biggest rice market in Kebbi state, described the situation as unprecedented, noting that even locally grown produce, which Kebbi is famous for, has become too costly for many families.
He said, “Before now, people could at least depend on local produce, but these days, even that is out of reach for many families.
“It’s like every week the prices go up. A bag of rice that was N43,000 in December is now above N60,000, how do you expect people to survive?
“Customers are complaining and some of them just walk away because they can’t afford the prices. It’s affecting everybody.”;
In response, the Kebbi State Government had announced measures aimed at cushioning the economic hardship occasioned by the rising inflation.
Governor Nasir Idris, during a recent media chat, disclosed that the government has commenced the distribution of palliatives across the 21 local government areas of the state.
The palliatives include essential food items such as rice, millet, beans, and cooking oil.
The governor also stated that farm inputs would be subsidised for the 2025 wet season farming, with the aim of boosting local food production and addressing market scarcity.
As part of these efforts, the Kebbi State Government confirmed receipt of 6,000 bags of subsidised rice from the federal government for onward sales at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag.
Hon Zayyanu Aliero, the Commissioner for Special Duties,while flagging off the sales in Birnin Kebbi recently, expressed gratitude for the gesture.
He said it would go a long way in alleviating the burden of inflation on residents.
“The gesture will significantly cushion the effects of the present economic hardship,” Aliero said, confirming that 5,000 bags would be sold to state civil servants and 1,000 bags would be sold to federal civil servants in the state.
Economic analysts have linked Kebbi’s inflationary trend to broader national challenges, worsened by global supply chain disruptions, removal of petrol subsidy, and currency depreciation.
Shehu Usman, an economic analyst and lecturer said, “The inflationary trend in Kebbi is a reflection of what is happening in Nigeria. The removal of petrol subsidy, rising production costs, and the naira’s depreciation have combined to push up prices of both imported and locally produced goods.
“Even though Kebbi is an agrarian state, it’s not insulated from the larger economic realities. Transport costs, farm inputs, and market supply chains are all affected by national policy decisions and global economic shifts.”;
“Until macroeconomic stability is restored at the national level, especially in areas of fuel pricing and currency management, states like Kebbi will continue to bear the brunt of inflation.”;
The NBS had earlier in the year rebased Nigeria’s Consumer Price Index, updating the base year from 2009 to 2024, a move the Statistician-General of the Federation, Adeyemi Adeniran, said was designed to reflect the current economic realities and consumption patterns.
While Kebbi’s figures remain among the highest nationwide, the government has maintained that it is working with relevant agencies and stakeholders to manage the situation.
Governor Idris assured residents that his administration would not abandon them in these difficult times, promising sustained relief efforts and strategic interventions to cushion the effects of inflation and restore economic stability in the state.
