Malawi Inflation Slows To 27.9% As Food Prices Ease

AFRICAN BUSINESS AND ECONOMYJanuary 8, 2026 at 9:30 PM UTC

TLDR

Malawi's November 2025 inflation rate decreases to 27.9%, led by slower food price growth.
Non-food inflation rises to 24.2%, driven by increased fuel and transport expenses.
Analysts predict persistent inflation due to supply issues and high non-food costs, impacting consumer purchasing power.

Malawi’s year-on-year inflation rate fell to 27.9% in November 2025, down from 29.1% in October, driven mainly by slower increases in food prices.

Food inflation declined to 30.1%, easing pressure on the headline figure. Non-food inflation, however, continued to rise, reaching 24.2%, reflecting higher costs for fuel, transport, and other household essentials. On a month-on-month basis, inflation stood at 2.3%.

The slowdown marks a modest improvement after months of persistent price growth, though inflation remains among the highest in the region. Analysts said the easing was not yet broad-based, as cost pressures outside food continued to build.

Consumer groups warned that lower inflation readings do not translate immediately into relief at household level. In low-income economies, price declines often lag inflation trends, meaning consumers may continue to face high prices for several months.

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Key Takeaways

While the drop in headline inflation offers some relief, underlying pressures remain strong. Rising non-food inflation shows that households are still absorbing higher fuel and transport costs, which feed through to most goods and services. Economists expect inflation to remain elevated into 2026, citing structural supply constraints, food shortages, and logistics challenges. Weather-related risks and reliance on food imports continue to expose Malawi to price shocks. Fuel price increases have also raised production and distribution costs, limiting the impact of easing food inflation. As a result, real incomes remain under pressure, especially for urban households that spend a larger share of income on non-food items. Without improvements in food supply, transport efficiency, and foreign exchange availability, inflation is likely to stay high. The current slowdown may signal stabilization rather than a sustained downward trend, keeping cost-of-living concerns at the center of economic policy discussions in the months ahead.

Malawi