The Zambia Statistics Agency has announced that annual inflation for February 2026 has reduced to 7.5 percent, down from 9.4 percent recorded in January 2026, marking a 1.9 percentage point decline and bringing the rate back within the government’s 6 to 8 percent target band.
Acting Statistician General Sheila Mudenda attributed the outturn to movements in the prices of both food and non-food items.
She has explained that annual food inflation slowed to 8.2 percent in February from 10.9 percent in January 2026. The decrease was largely driven by price movements in cereals such as maize grain, breakfast mealie meal, roller meal, imported rice and plain wheat flour.
Prices of fruits including lemons, bananas, watermelon and avocados also contributed to the slowdown, alongside vegetables such as lumanda, cassava leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, sweet potatoes and green pepper, as well as fresh milk and cooking oil.
Meanwhile, annual non-food inflation declined to 6.5 percent from 7.3 percent recorded in January. This was mainly attributed to changes in the prices of fuel, particularly diesel and petrol, passenger air transport fares both domestic and regional as well as the purchase of motor vehicles and accommodation services.
Ms. Mudenda says the combined moderation in food and non-food prices contributed to the overall reduction in inflation recorded in February.
By Rachel Mumba
