FINDINGS by The ICIR have shown that eight out of nine states that did not participate in the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest are among the top states with the highest food inflation rate in Nigeria.
The findings focused primarily on analysing the first four days of then protest.
These states are Ekiti, Kogi, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Kwara and Ondo. Benue state is the only state that did not participate in the protest and falls among the states with the lowest inflation rate.
The #EndBadGovernance protest, which started on August 1, and is scheduled to last for 10 days, was convened majorly in response to the economic crises Nigerians have experienced since the assumption of President Bola Tinubu in May 2023. It’s been referred to as hunger protest or hardship protest.
Upon his assumption, the removal of fuel subsidies and devaluation of the naira at the foreign exchange market was effected which subsequently harmed the economy with regards to the increase in prices of food, high cost of transportation and other essential commodities.
These lingering challenges forced many protesters, nationwide, to demand reviews of these policies among other demands. However, this is not the first time Nigerians have taken to the streets to revolt against the government as findings by The ICIR showed that several similar protests have been held since 1929.
Food inflation rate in Nigeria
Meanwhile, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that as of June 2024, Nigeria’s inflation rate hit a peak of 34.19 per cent while the food inflation rate rose to 40.87 per cent.
“The rise in Food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of the following items: Millet Whole grain, Garri, Guinea corn, etc (Bread and Cereals Class), Yam, Water Yam, Coco Yam (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Groundnut Oil, Palm Oil, etc (Oil & Fats Class) and Catfish Dried, Dried Fish-Sadine, Mudfish (Fish Class), etc,” NBS stated.
When The ICIR findings from the inflation data showed that the top 13 states with the highest inflation rate also included the state that did not participate in protest.
| State | Inflation rate | Protest remark |
| Edo | 47.34 | Participated |
| Kogi | 46.37 | Not Participated |
| Cross River | 45.28 | Participated |
| Kwara | 44.57 | Not Participated |
| Ekiti | 44.5 | Not Participated |
| Oyo | 44.38 | Participated |
| Abia | 44.28 | Not Participated |
| Ebonyi | 44.14 | Not Participated |
| Gombe | 43.67 | Participated |
| Enugu | 43.55 | Not Participated |
| Ondo | 43.48 | Not Participated |
| Sokoto | 43.38 | Participated |
| Imo | 43.33 | Not Participated |
States with the highest food inflation rate. Source NBS
According to NBS, the states with the highest food inflation rates as of June 2024 are Edo, Kogi, Cross River, Kwara, Ekiti and Oyo. Others are Abia, Ebonyi, Gombe, Enugu, Ondo, Sokoto and Imo states.
Further findings showed that states like Kano, Nassarawa, Borno, and Kebbi where curfew was declared due to the violent outcome of the protest were among the states with the lowest inflation rate.
| State | Inflation rate |
| Kano | 37.56 |
| Plateau | 37.34 |
| Kebbi | 37.3 |
| Benue | 36.89 |
| Borno | 36.59 |
| Adamawa | 35.96 |
| Bauchi | 34.78 |
| Nasarawa | 34.31 |
States with the lowest food inflation rate. Source NBS
The ICIR reported that the #EndBadGovernance witnessed a low or no turn out of people in the South-East states.
Kehinde Ogunyale tells stories by using data to hold power into account. You can send him a mail at [email protected] (jameskennyogunyale@gmail) or Twitter: Prof_KennyJames