//Kharas, Erongo, Hardap and Omaheke pay most for maize meal

Residents of the //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap and Omaheke regions paid the highest price for a 5kg bag of maize meal in March.

This is according to the latest data released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).

Consumers in these regions, classified as zone 3 by the NSA, paid N$82.19 for a 5kg bag of maize meal – the highest in the country.

In comparison, residents in the northern regions, collectively referred to as zone 1, paid N$78.66, while consumers in the Khomas region (zone 2) paid the lowest price at N$69.74.

The NSA’s data also shows that zone 3 recorded the highest regional inflation rate at 4.4% in March 2025, slightly above the national average of 4.2%.

Although high, the figure reflects a slowdown from the 5.1% recorded in March 2024.

“The slowdown in the annual inflation rate emanated mainly in the price levels of services such as transport (from 3.7% to 2.2%), recreation and culture (from 13.5% to 3.5%), health (from 4.2% to 1.5%), hotels, cafés and restaurants (from 10.5% to 8.4%), and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (from 5.8% to 4.2%),” the NSA stated in its monthly inflation report.

Zone 1 – which includes the Kavango East and West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi regions – registered an inflation rate of 4.2%, while zone 2 (Khomas) recorded a slightly lower rate of 4.1%.

Despite paying less for maize meal, zone 1 residents paid the most for beef stew, with a kilogram averaging N$108.99 in March. Zone 3 followed at N$106.88, while consumers in Khomas paid the least at N$100.39 per kg.

Commenting on the national inflation trend, NSA statistician general and chief executive Alex Shimuafeni confirmed that inflation slowed to 4.2% in March this year, down from 4.5% recorded in the same month last year.

“On a monthly basis, the inflation rate was 0.5% – a slight increase compared to 0.4% registered during the preceding month,” he said.

Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels contributed the most to the Namibia Consumer Price Index basket in March, accounting for 28.4% of the total.

This was followed by food and non-alcoholic beverages at 16.5%, transport at 14.3%, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 12.6%.

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