Residents of the //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap and Omaheke regions paid the highest price for a 5kg bag of maize meal in March, according to the latest data released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).
Consumers in these regions, classified as Zone 3 by the NSA, paid N$82.19 for a 5kg bag of maize meal – the highest in the country. In comparison, residents in the northern regions, collectively referred to as Zone 1, paid N$78.66, while consumers in the Khomas region (Zone 2) paid the lowest price at N$69.74.
The NSA’s data also shows that Zone 3 recorded the highest regional inflation rate at 4.4% in March 2025, slightly above the national average of 4.2%. Although high, the figure reflects a slowdown from the 5.1% recorded in March 2024.
“The slowdown in the annual inflation rate emanated mainly in the price levels of services such as ‘Transport’ (from 3.7% to 2.2%); ‘Recreation and culture’ (from 13.5% to 3.5%); ‘Health’ (from 4.2% to 1.5%); ‘Hotels, cafés and restaurants’ (from 10.5% to 8.4%); and ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (from 5.8% to 4.2%),” the NSA stated in its monthly inflation report.
Zone 1 – which includes the Kavango East and West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi regions – registered an inflation rate of 4.2%, while Zone 2 (Khomas region) recorded a slightly lower rate of 4.1%.
Despite paying less for maize meal, Zone 1 residents paid the most for beef stew, with a kilogram averaging N$108.99 in March. Zone 3 followed at N$106.88, while consumers in Khomas paid the least at N$100.39 per kg.
Commenting on the national inflation trend, NSA Statistician-General and CEO Alex Shimuafeni confirmed that inflation slowed to 4.2% in March 2025, down from 4.5% recorded in the same month last year.
“On a monthly basis, the inflation rate was 0.5%, a slight increase compared to 0.4% registered during the preceding month,” Shimuafeni said.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels contributed the most to the Namibia Consumer Price Index (NCPI) basket in March, accounting for 28.4% of the total. This was followed by food and non-alcoholic beverages at 16.5%, transport at 14.3%, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 12.6%.
