Windhoek: The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has revealed that the country's inflation rate climbed to 5.0%, driven by a jump in transport costs, as petrol rose N$2 a litre.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the NSA's Consumer Price Index Bulletin for August 2026 indicated that petrol and diesel prices increased by N$2 a litre in every zone compared to July, pushing annual transport inflation from 9.3% to 13.2% in a single month. Bus, taxi, rail, and air fares also climbed further, continuing a sharp rise that began earlier in the year.

Khomas Region, home to Windhoek and classified as Zone 2 in the bulletin, recorded the country's highest inflation rate at 5.9%, up from 5.3% in July. The NSA stated that transport costs were the main driver of the increase in the region.

Zone 3, covering //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke, followed at 5.2%, up from 4.3% a month earlier. Zone 1, covering the northern regions, remained the lowest at 4.0%, up from 3.6%.

Despite recording the sharpest increase, Zone 2 consumers still paid the least for petrol nationally, at N$24.97 a litre in August, compared to N$25.16 in Zone 1 and N$25.11 in Zone 3.

NSA statistician-general and chief executive officer Alex Shimuafeni noted in the bulletin's preface that "high or unpredictable inflation erodes the purchasing power of money, especially for individuals on fixed incomes and creates economic uncertainty."

Core inflation changed little at 3.8%, up from 3.7% in July. The gap between core and headline inflation points to transport as the main reason the cost of living rose in August.

Inflation for goods stood at 5.2% and for services at 4.7%. Monthly inflation was 0.6%, up from 0.1% in July.