Chamwe Kaira
Namibia’s annual inflation rate rose slightly to 3.5% in September 2025, up from 3.4% recorded in September 2024.
On a monthly basis, inflation remained unchanged at 0.0%, the same rate as in the previous month.
Zonal data showed that Zone 1, which includes Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi, recorded the highest annual inflation rate at 3.8%.
Zone 3, covering ||Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke regions followed at 3.4%, while Zone 2, representing the Khomas region, registered the lowest rate at 3.2%.
The statistician general and chief executive officer of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), Alex Shimuafeni, said consumers in Zone 2 paid the highest prices for several goods.
“Analysis of average retail prices for selected products in September 2025 revealed that consumers in Zone 2 paid the highest price for biltong (per kg) at N$568.16, followed by Zone 1 at N$532.93, while the lowest price was paid by Zone 3 consumers at N$416.51.
In addition, consumers in Zone 2 paid the highest price for Whisky-assorted (750 ml) at N$266.26, followed by Zone 3 at N$262.29, with Zone 1 consumers paying the lowest price at N$254.58,” he said.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy, stood at 3.6%, slightly above the overall headline rate of 3.5%. “These volatile items typically include food and energy (excluding gas, paraffin, methylated spirits and coal/charcoal), which are prone to significant price fluctuations due to factors such as weather conditions, geopolitical events, or changes in supply and demand,” Shimuafeni explained.
Inflation for vehicle purchases accelerated to 4.4% in September from 2.8% a year earlier. The increase was driven by higher prices for motorcycles, which rose from 0.7% to 8.4%, bicycles from -0.5% to 5.8%, and motorcars from 2.9% to 4.2%.
The inflation rate for the operation of personal transport equipment dropped to 0.3% in September, compared to 0.6% a year ago. The slowdown was due to lower price movements in driving lessons, licences and tests, which declined from 11.0% to 0.0%; parking fees, from 5.9% to 0.0%; and spare parts and accessories, from 4.0% to 0.8%.
Public transportation services recorded an annual inflation rate of 0.9% in September 2025, slightly down from 1% in the same month last year. The change was mainly influenced by air transportation, which dropped from 37.9% to -0.2%, and rail transportation, which slowed from 0.8% to 0.3%.
