Namibia Inflation Rate at Over 1-Year High of 4.1%

The annual inflation rate in Namibia rose for the second month to 4.1% in May 2026, up from 3.1% in April and marking the highest since March 2025. The main upward pressure came from prices of transportation (11.5% vs 5% in April); housing & utilities (4.9% vs 4%) and restaurants & hotels (4.8% vs 4.9%). At the same time, food inflation stood at 2%, the same level as in the prior month, with fruit (12.4%), vegetables (4.9%) and meat (3.5%) registering the biggest increases. On a monthly basis, the CPI rose by 1.2% in May, after a 1.1% increase in the previous month.

The annual inflation rate in Namibia increased to 3.1% in April 2026, the highest in four months, compared to 2.1% in March which was the lowest level since July 2020. The largest upward pressure came from cost of housing and utilities (4.4% vs 4.1%), mostly electricity, gas and other fuels (4% vs 1.5%) and rental payments for dwellings (4.7% vs 4.6%). Transport prices also rebounded (5% vs -1.7%), with cost of operation of personal transport equipment recording an increase of 7.3% and petrol/diesel rising 10.3%. Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages also accelerated (2% vs 1.7%), with fruit (10.9%), coffee, tea and cocoa (4.6%), meat (3.8%) and vegetables (3.7%) recording the biggest increases. Prices also went up for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.8% vs 1.9%). Compared to the previous month, the CPI rose 1.1%, the most since January 2025, after a 0.2% rise in March.

The annual inflation rate in Namibia eased to 2.1% in March 2026, the lowest since July 2020, from 2.4% in the prior month, marking a fifth consecutive month of slowdown. The moderation in price growth was largely driven by alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.9% vs 3.4% in February); hotels, cafes & restaurants (3.7% vs 4.8%) and communications (-1.4% vs -1.6%). Transportation prices also continued to fall (-1.7% vs -1%). To mitigate the effects of Middle East tensions on consumers, Namibia’s government has implemented a temporary fuel levy reduction, cutting levies by 50% for three months starting 1 April 2026. On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up by 0.2%, after being flat in the previous month.