INFLATION EASES TO 11.9% IN OCTOBER
Lusaka…. Thursday, October 30, 2025 (SMART EAGLES )
Zambia’s annual inflation rate for October 2025 slowed to 11.9 percent from 12.3 percent recorded in September, according to the latest figures released by the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats).
The Agency attributed the easing in inflation to slower price increases in both food and non-food items.
“On average, prices of goods and services increased by 11.9 percent between October 2024 and October 2025,” Ms Sheila Mudenda, the Acting Statistician General, told journalists in Lusaka.
She explained that food inflation stood at 14.1 percent, down from 14.6 percent the previous month, mainly due to lower prices of cereals, fish, and chicken.
Meanwhile, non-food inflation declined to 8.7 percent from 9.0 percent, driven by slower increases in the prices of household goods, personal care items, and motor vehicles.
Provincially, inflation decreased in most regions, with Western Province recording the highest rate at 16.8 percent, while Eastern Province registered the lowest at 8.8 percent.
Ms Mudenda noted that the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages category contributed 8.3 percentage points to the overall inflation, while the Non-Food group accounted for 3.6 percentage points.
“The moderation in inflation is a positive development, and it reflects easing price pressures in key commodities,” she said.
“The Agency continues to monitor trends closely to support evidence-based economic policy formulation.”