Zambia’s Inflation Eases to 12.6% in August 2025
Zambia Inflation Slows to 12.6% in August 2025 as Food and Fuel Prices Moderate
Zambia’s annual inflation rate slowed to 12.6 percent in August 2025, down from 13 percent in July, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats).
In its monthly bulletin, ZamStats attributed the moderation to lower price increases across both food and non-food items.
Acting Statistician General Sheila Mudenda reported that annual food inflation for August stood at 14.9 percent, compared with 15.3 percent in July.
“This means that food prices, on average, increased by 14.9 percent between August 2024 and August 2025,” Mudenda noted.
“The main drivers were cereals such as breakfast maize meal, roller-meal, maize grain, and rice, as well as fruits including bananas, lemons, apples, and pineapples. Fresh milk and eggs also contributed to the rise.”
For non-food items, inflation edged down to 9.3 percent in August from 9.7 percent in July. The decline was largely driven by price adjustments in vehicle spare parts and accessories, car tyres (radial), CV joints, and shock absorbers, as well as air passenger transport, fuel (petrol and diesel), and paraffin.
The easing of inflation comes as the government continues to balance monetary and fiscal policies aimed at curbing price pressures while supporting economic growth.
Analysts, however, warn that food inflation remains a key risk, given Zambia’s dependence on rain-fed agriculture and the continued impact of climatic shocks on crop production.
