Uganda’s annual inflation slowed to 3.4% in October 2025, down from 4.0% registered in September, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS).
Presenting the figures in Kampala, Juliet Nakayenga, Principal Statistician in charge of prices, said the lower rate does not mean prices are falling, but that the pace at which they are rising has reduced.
“When we compare October last year and October this year, there has been a price increment of 3.4% across all items,” Nakayenga explained. “However, when compared to the 4.0% recorded in September, we see a slowdown in the rate of increase. Prices are still going up, but at a slower rate.”
Food Prices Drive Slowdown
The decline in headline inflation was largely driven by a reduction in the rate of increase for food crops and related items. Annual food inflation fell to 6.1% in October, down from 7.4% a month earlier.
Key food items recorded mixed performance. Prices of dried beans rose by 1.8% year-on-year, down from 3.4% the previous month. Sweet potatoes increased by 18.9%, compared to 23.6% in September, while tomatoes rose 18.8%, a significant drop from 30.4%. Notably, onions registered a negative inflation rate of -4.5%, meaning prices this year were lower than October 2024.
Fruits also reflected easing pressure, with pineapples recording 23.2% inflation compared to 44.6% in September, while papaya and oranges registered 7.2% and -7.1% respectively.
Core and Energy Inflation
Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, also declined to 3.4% from 4.0%. Within this category, annual services inflation slowed to 4.5% while core goods inflation eased to 2.6%.
Energy, fuel and utilities increased marginally by 0.1% year-on-year, reversing the -0.1% decline recorded in September. Petrol and diesel prices were cheaper by 2.0% and 1.0% respectively compared to last year, but charcoal prices continued to rise, jumping 6.3% annually.
Monthly Inflation at 0.0%
On a month-to-month basis, Uganda recorded an overall inflation rate of 0.0%, indicating no general change in prices between September and October. However, individual items moved in both directions.
Monthly food inflation dropped by 0.2%, with tomatoes falling 10.9%, pineapples 12.3%, and sweet potatoes 2.2%. Education services, however, saw a 1.8% monthly increase as schools reopened for the final term, while accommodation and restaurant services rose 0.3%.
Inflation by Region
Kampala’s high-income areas posted the highest annual inflation at 4.9%, followed by Masaka at 4.1%. Mbale City registered the lowest rate at 0.6%. Nakayenga clarified that a low inflation rate does not mean prices are cheap, but that the rate of change is slower.
Asked whether the festive season may influence price movements, she said UBOS will continue monitoring trends, noting that some durable goods traditionally experience seasonal price drops, while suppliers often manipulate prices claiming discounts.