A report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Imo, Ebonyi, Katsina, Abia, Kaduna were the top 5 most expensive states to live in, according to a survey conducted in January 2025.
The agency made this known in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) rebased results released in Abuja on Tuesday.
The CPI is a key macroeconomic indicator that reflects the movement of aggregate price levels in a country and is expected to be rebased every five years.
However, in Nigeria, the last CPI rebasing was conducted in 2009.
The CPI showed that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate dropped to 24.48% year-on-year in January 2025, following a decline in the general price level of goods and services compared to 34.80% in December 2024, which was calculated using the previous methodology.
The NBS updated the base year from 2009 to 2024, revised the weighting structure to reflect current spending patterns, and expanded the product basket to better capture household consumption. The shift from the Dutot index to the Jevon index also improved price measurement accuracy.
Despite the methodological change, regional disparities in the cost of living persist, with some states remaining significantly more expensive than others.
The report showed that Imo is the most expensive state to live in, in Nigeria, as of January 2025, with an all-items inflation rate of 17.77 per cent, a decline from 29.99 per cent recorded in December 2024. Food inflation also dropped from 36.33 per cent to 16.80 per cent following the rebasing. The high cost of living in Imo is driven by persistent increases in food prices and essential commodities.
Imo was closely followed by Ebonyi with an all-items inflation rate of 16.13 per cent in January 2025, compared to 34.90 per cent in December 2024. Food inflation, which was previously at 42.79 per cent, declined to 16.88 per cent. The state’s high food prices and increasing cost of essential services contribute to its elevated position on the list. While the rebasing exercise adjusted the inflation metrics, the underlying price trends indicate that Ebonyi remains an expensive place to live.
The third most expensive state to live in, in Nigeria, is Katsina, with an all-items inflation rate of 15.99 per cent in January 2025, down from 28.33 per cent in December 2024. Food inflation dropped from 37.12 per cent to 13.61 per cent following the rebasing. The state saw one of the largest declines in reported inflation due to the new weighting structure. However, the cost of food remains a major concern, with price pressures persisting despite the lower headline inflation figures.
Abia State placed fourth, with an all-items inflation rate of 15.38 per cent in January 2025, down from 36.18 per cent in December 2024. Food inflation in the state also saw a substantial drop, falling from 42.79 per cent to 15.21 per cent, while Kaduna followed in firth place with inflation rate for all items at 14.82 per cent in January 2025, a decline from 36.44 per cent in December 2024. Food inflation followed a similar trend, falling from 42.21 per cent to 13.83 per cent.
Enugu State ranks sixth among Nigeria’s most expensive states, with an all-items inflation rate of 14.69 per cent in January 2025, compared to 34.68 per cent in December 2024. Food inflation also saw a considerable decline, dropping from 43.15 per cent to 14.40 per cent. Enugu’s cost of living is primarily driven by rising food prices and increasing housing costs, which remain elevated despite the rebasing.
Rivers State, in seventh place, however, remains one of the costliest states in Nigeria, with an all-items inflation rate of 13.84 per cent in January 2025, a decline from 33.32 per cent in December 2024. Food inflation also dropped from 35.43 per cent to 12.27 per cent over the same period. The cost of essential services, particularly accommodation and transport, remains a significant burden on residents.
In eighth place was Zamfara where all-items inflation rate fell from 39.63 per cent in December 2024 to 13.82 per cent in January 2025, while food inflation dropped from 46.39 per cent to 11.81 per cent, followed by Borno as the ninth most expensive state, with an all-items inflation rate of 12.52 per cent in January 2025, down from 32.05 per cent recorded in December 2024. Food inflation in Borno experienced an even sharper decline, dropping from 41.69 per cent to 10.49 per cent within the same period.
Kano was ranked as the tenth most expensive state in Nigeria, with an all-items inflation rate of 12.51 per cent in January 2025, a sharp decline from the previously recorded 35.81 per cent in December 2024. Food inflation in the state also fell significantly from 40.39 per cent to 12.34 per cent following the rebasing.
