South Africa's Inflation Hits 3.1% in March 2026

In March 2026, South Africa's headline consumer inflation rose to 3.1% year-on-year, an increase from 3.0% recorded in February, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released by the country's Statistics Agency. The increase in inflation reflects moderate cost pressures across key sectors of the economy, even as food inflation eased and transport costs remained relatively subdued.

The CPI data indicates that while there were price increases across several categories, the overall growth was slower, with deflation figures suggesting a mixed inflation environment. The rise in inflation was driven by price increases in various categories, although some sectors recorded slower growth.

The Statistics Agency noted that the March data does not yet reflect the impact of fuel price increases introduced in April and May, which may influence future inflation readings. In contrast, Nigeria's headline inflation rate was reported at 15.06% for February.