The Zambia Statistics Agency has announced that annual inflation has reduced to 7.1 percent in March 2026, down from 7.5 percent recorded in February.
This means that, on average, prices of goods and services increased by 7.1per centt between March 2025 and March 2026, reflecting a continued easing in price pressures.
Zamstats Statistician General Sheila Mudenda says inflation has been on a steady downward trend over the past year, declining from levels above 16per centt recorded in early 2025.
Ms. Mudenda says annual food inflation decreased to 7.8per centt in March from 8.2per centt in February. The slowdown has been attributed to price movements in key food items such as maize meal, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and cooking oil.
Annual non-food inflation also dropped to 5.9per centt from 6.5per centt in the previous month, largely driven by changes in the prices of construction materials, fuel, and motor vehicles.
Ms. Mudenda further adds that preliminary figures show Zambia’s economy recorded a growth rate of 3.8 per cent in 2025, maintaining the same pace as in 2024.
The Information and Communication sector led the nation’s economic expansion, contributing 0.8 percentage points to total GDP growth. This reflects the increasing role of digital services in the national economy.
Manufacturing and Mining and Quarrying also remained key drivers of growth, contributing 0.6 and 0.5 percentage points, respectively. Additionally, the Accommodation and Food Service sector recorded a strong recovery, matching Mining’s contribution at 0.5 percentage points.
By Rachel Mumba
