Annual Inflation Rate for October 2025 slows down
The Zambia Statistics Agency (Zamstats) released the key statistical highlights for October 2025 today 30th October 2025.
Addressing the audience during the dissemination, the Acting Statistician General, Mrs Sheila S. Mudenda highlighted that the Annual inflation rate for October 2025 slowed down to 11.9 percent from 12.3 percent recorded in September, 2025. This means that on average, prices of goods and services increased by 11.9 percent between October 2024 and October 2025.
She noted that the annual food inflation had decreased to 14.1 percent in October 2025 from 14.6 percent in September 2025. The main food items contributing to these included cereals (such as breakfast mealie meal, roller mealie meal, maize grain, samp and wheat plain household flour); fish (including frozen fish, bukabuka, fresh kapenta, and dried kapenta chisense); as well as meat products like live chicken and offals.
The Acting Statistician General added that non-food inflation decreased to 8.7 percent in October 2025 from 9.0 percent in September 2025. This reduction was mainly attributed to decreases in the prices of non-food items such as glassware, tableware and household utensils (including ceramic plates, glass mugs, cutlery, non-electric kettles, and silverware); non-durable household goods (such as brooms, candles, and shoe polish); personal care services like hair plaiting and ladies’ shampoo and set; as well as the purchase of vehicles.
At provincial level, Western Province recorded the highest annual inflation rate at 16.8 percent, whereas Eastern Province recorded the lowest at 8.8 percent. It is worth noting that all provinces recorded decreases in annual inflation in October 2025 except the Copperbelt Province whose annual inflation remained unchanged at 12.6 percent.
On International Trade developments, the Acting SG revealed that total trade in September, 2025 increased by 0.7 percent to K56.7 billion in September 2025 from K56.3 billion in August, 2025. A surplus of K0.4 billion was recorded in September 2025 compared to a surplus of K3.3 billion recorded in August 2025.
She further stated that Imports Increased by 6.2 percent from K26.5 billion in August 2025 to K28.1 billion in September 2025, mainly as a result of increases in import bills of Intermediate goods by 11.7 percent, Capital goods by 16.2 percent and Consumer goods by 0.9 percent.
Furthermore, exports decreased by 4.3 percent from K29.8 billion in August 2025 to K28.5 billion in September 2025, mainly as a result of increases in Intermediate goods by 15.1 percent, and Raw material by 46.2 percent. Export earnings from refined copper decreased by 11.0 percent from K17.8 billion in August 2025 to K15.9 billion in September 2025.
Concluding International Trade Development, the Acting SG revealed that the major source of imports in September 2025 was South Africa accounting for 23.4 percent of the import bill, followed by: China at 20.7 percent with dumpers for off-highway use.
In conclusion, on the dissemination for the month of October, the Acting Statistician-General provided an update on the ongoing Economic Establishment Census (EEC), noting that data collection was progressing well. She also expressed gratitude to respondents for their continued cooperation and support to the data collectors.
