By Amos Sikaonga 
By Cecilia Chiluba
Zambia’s annual inflation rate for April 2025 has remained unchanged at 16.5%, according to latest data from the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats).
This is consistent with the previous month’s inflation rate of 16.5%. In March 2025, annual inflation rate reduced to 16.5%, down from 16.8% in February.
Of the overall 16.5 percent April annual inflation, Lusaka province contributed the highest at 5.1 percentage points, followed by Copperbelt which contributed 3.6 percentage points.
Further, Central and Southern Provinces contributed 2.0 and 1.4 percentage points respectively, while Northwestern province had the lowest contribution of 0.6 percentage points.
ZamStats attributed the latest Inflation figures to price movements in non- food items.
According to Agency Acting Statistician General Sheila Mudenda, this means that on average, prices of goods and services increased by 16.5 percent between April 2024 and April 2025.
Mrs. Mudenda revealed that annual food inflation dropped to 18.7 % from 18.9% in March 2025 owing to movements in prices of breakfast and roller mealie meal, maize grain, fruits such as lemons, bananas, apples, avocados, groundnuts as well as vegetables.
She however disclosed that annual non-food inflation rose to 13.4% from 13.2% in March 2025 due to price increase in passenger transport by air, purchase of motor vehicles, and Hammer milling charge.
“Of the overall 16.5 percent annual inflation, the Food and Non-alcoholic beverages group contributed 11.0 percentage points, while the Non-food group accounted for 5.5 percentage points.”
“Of the 5.5 percentage points, Housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels contributed the highest at 2.4 percentage points, followed by Transport at 1.1 percentage point. Clothing & footwear and Furnishings, household equipment & routine household maintenance at 0.6 percentage points, each,” Mrs. Mudenda stated.
She added that miscellaneous goods and services was at 0.4 percentage points, while the rest of the non-food group accounted for the remaining 0.4 percentage points.
On the other hand, the overall monthly inflation for April 2025 was also unchanged at 1.0 percent same as that recorded in March, 2025, owing to price movements in non-food items.
According to Mrs. Mudenda, monthly food inflation rate for April 2025 was recorded at 0.8 percent compared with the 1.0 percent recorded in March, 2025.
She said this means that on average, prices of goods and services increased by 0.8 percent between March 2025 and April 2025, on account of general price movements of Cereals,Vegetables, Frozen Fish and Fresh Kapenta.
“Monthly non-food inflation rate for April 2025 was recorded at 1.2 percent compared with 1.0 percent recorded in March 2025.”
“This out-turn was mainly attributed to price movements in prices of non-food items such as Purchase of motor vehicles Passenger transport by air, Jewelry, clocks and watches, accommodation services and Photocopying,” she added.
Cecilia Chiluba