Consumers in the //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke regions paid the highest prices for basic commodities such as maize as they recorded the highest annual inflation last month.
In its latest Namibia Consumer Price Index (NCPI) report, the Namibia Statistics Agency on Tuesday said the annual inflation rate slowed to 4.2% at the end of March 2025.
The agency said the headline annual inflation was lower than the 4.5% registered in March 2024.
“On a monthly basis, the inflation rate was 0.5%, a slight increase compared to the 0.4% registered during the preceding month,” said statistician general Alex Shimuafeni.
The report shows that annual inflation in the //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke regions, classified as zone three, recorded the highest rate at 4.4%.
Shimuafeni noted that the analysis of the average retail prices for selected products during March shows consumers in zone three paid the highest price for 5kg of maize meal at N$82.19.
In zone one are the Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi regions, which recorded an inflation rate of 4.2%. The Khomas region in zone two recorded 4.1%.
The regions in zone one paid the second highest prices for 5kg of maize meal at N$78.66, while the lowest price of N$69.74 was paid by consumers in the Khomas region.
Meanwhile, consumers in zone one paid the highest price for beef stew at N$108.99 per kilogramme; followed by zone three at N$106.88, and zone two consumers paying the lowest price of N$100.39.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages, which account for 16.5% of the NCPI basket, recorded an annual inflation rate of 6.2% last month.
The annual inflation rate for bread and cereals increased to 6.1%, compared to -1.4% observed in March 2024. The meat subcomponent registered an annual inflation rate of 7.4% in March 2025, compared to the 5.4% recorded last year.
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