Mbabane – The country’s annual headline inflation rate rose to 2.0% in April 2026, up from the 1.6% recorded in March 2026.
The figures, released by the Central Statistical Office (CSO), show that while consumer prices increased month-on-month, the current rate sits 1.3 percentage points lower than the 3.3% inflation rate recorded in April 2025.
Data indicates that the annual inflation rate for goods reached 2.6% in April, while the inflation rate for services was documented at 1.1%. The overall month-on-month inflation rate grew by 1.2% between March and April 2026, reversing a deflationary trend of -0.1% observed in the previous month.
The monthly upward shift was driven by utility and transport costs. The housing and utilities category grew from 0.0% in March to 3.9% in April, with upward price changes occurring in liquid fuels, electricity, and water supply. Transport costs increased from -0.2% to 2.4% due to price changes in fuels and lubricants. Additionally, the restaurants and hotels sector recorded an increase from -0.6% to 1.1%, driven by accommodation services.
In contrast, year-on-year data showed a slowdown in several consumer categories compared to April 2025. Food and non-alcoholic beverages dropped into negative territory at -0.9%, down from 3.6% last year, as a result of lower prices for bread, cereals, and vegetables. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics slowed to 4.4% from a previous 10.7% due to lower growth in beer and wine prices. The health sector also decelerated from 4.6% to 0.2% because of zero growth in medical services.
According to the report, housing and utilities, clothing and footwear, and transport were the categories that contributed to the final headline figure of 2.0%.
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