ABUJA - Nigeria's double-digit inflation climbed in April to 16.82%, rising for a third straight month as prices for food and non-food items rose in Africa's biggest economy, the statistics office said on Monday.

Inflation, which has been in double digits since 2016, rose by 0.9 percentage points from 15.92% in March, it said.

The price of diesel, which is used to power generators by most businesses in Nigeria, has more than doubled in the past month while economic analysts say the impact of the Ukraine war on local prices could be felt in the coming weeks.

Nigeria imports many key goods and services. A dollar shortage has put pressure on prices as the government introduced restrictions to support the currency.

Nigerian authorities have said persistent inflationary pressures are structural - linked to deficits and not solely to the money supply - and largely imported.

(Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Toby Chopra and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)