Cross River is well known for its local restaurants and sumptuous delicacies, from mouth-watering local dishes and ‘swallows’ to tasty ‘proteins’ partially submerged in the soupy delight.
As in any household, cooking in the average local restaurant requires a blend of food condiments and heat-cooking gas.
According to the state profile analysis of the August cooking gas price watch released by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, the heat source is expensive.
The report shows that Cross River recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking Gas) cylinder.
Cooking gas costs an average of N10,172.83 in the riverine state, followed by Ogun with N9,963.64 and Nasarawa with N9,883.37.
The lowest average price was recorded in Adamawa with N7,597.92, followed by Borno with N8,103.69 and Gombe with N8,173.44.
Analysis by zone showed that the South-South recorded the highest average retail price for refilling 12.5kg, with N9,569.58, which is heavily influenced by Cross Rivers numbers, followed by the South West with (Ogun state and not Lagos takes major of the cake).
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In contrast, the North-East recorded the lowest price with N8,631.95.
Data also from the NBS shows that from 2021, Cross River experienced a slow rise in food inflation. By April 2023, food inflation was highest in Cross River (4.65%), Bayelsa (3.61%), and Ekiti (3.49%), while Jigawa (0.14%), Katsina (0.44%) and Osun (0.62%) recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a month-on-month basis.
Progressing from April, Cross River has stayed within the top 13 states regarding food inflation.
In Nigeria, where everything affects other things, do not be surprised; the next time you visit Calabar, your favourite local restaurant might charge you a bit more, but not even that will separate the food lover from a delicious plate of Fufu and Afang soup.
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