Namibia’s consumer prices rose 5.6% year on year in October 2026, compared with 5.4% in September and 3.6% in October 2025, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency bulletin released on 5 November. Prices increased 0.7% from September, following a 0.4% monthly increase in the previous month.
Transport was the biggest driver. Prices in the sector rose 16.5% over twelve months, accounting for 2.5 percentage points of Namibia’s 5.6% headline inflation rate. Core inflation, which excludes selected volatile food and energy items, stood at 3.7%.
In year-on-year %
Source: Namibia Statistics Agency, October 2026 NCPI, Appendix A, national year-on-year changes.
| Annual inflation (%) | |
|---|---|
| January | 2.9 |
| February | 2.4 |
| March | 2.1 |
| April | 3.1 |
| May | 4.1 |
| June | 4.4 |
| July | 4.4 |
| August | 5 |
| September | 5.4 |
| October | 5.6 |
Fuel and public transport costs surge
Petrol and diesel prices rose 34.1% year on year in October, against a 0.8% rise a year earlier. The cost of operating personal transport equipment was up 22.7%, while public transport services increased 15%, compared with 0.8% in October 2025.
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices increased 4.8% over the year, up from 4.6% in October 2025. Fruit prices climbed 13.5%, while vegetables, including potatoes and other tubers, rose 10.5%. Food contributed 1 percentage point to overall inflation, matching the contribution from housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, according to the agency’s breakdown.
In percentage points
Select a bar to see its details.
Source: Namibia Statistics Agency, October 2026 NCPI, “Main division contributions” table, page 2.
| Category | percentage points |
|---|---|
| Transport | 2.5 |
| Housing and energy | 1 |
| Food | 1 |
| Alcohol and tobacco | 0.3 |
| Household furnishings | 0.2 |
| Recreation and culture | 0.2 |
| Health | 0.1 |
| Education | 0.1 |
Annual inflation has accelerated since spring
The bulletin’s statistical appendix records annual inflation increasing from 2.1% in March to 3.1% in April, 4.1% in May, 5.0% in August and 5.6% in October. The national index reached 187.7 in October, up from 177.8 in October 2025, with December 2012 set at 100. Index levels are distinct from annual percentage changes.
Inflation differed across regions. Khomas, home to Windhoek, recorded 6.2% annual inflation. The zone including Erongo, Hardap, Omaheke and //Kharas posted 6.1%, while the northern and northeastern grouping registered 4.6%.
The Namibia Statistics Agency compiles the national index using household expenditure weights and prices collected across three geographic zones. The figures reported here refer to the same national index and the periods specified in the October bulletin’s Appendix A. This issue does not explicitly flag revisions to earlier monthly figures.