Zambia’s trade increases by 41%

By Masauso Mkwayaya

Zambia’s trade has increased to 587-billion Kwacha as of December 2024, up from 416 billion Kwacha in December 2023.

This represents a 41.2 percent increase in international trade, which includes both imports and exports.

Zambia Statistics Agency -ZAMSTATS- Acting Statistician General, SHEILA MUDENDA disclosed this during a press briefing in Lusaka today.

And Ms. MUDENDA said inflation for non-food items dropped to 13.2 percent in January 2025, down from 14.2 percent in December 2024.

She said the decline was mainly due to lower prices for furniture, household items, glassware, utensils, and pharmaceutical products.

Ms. MUDENDA however said the annual inflation rate rose to 16.7 percent in January 2025.

This means that the overall cost of goods and services increased by the said percentage between January 2024 and January 2025.

Ms. MUDENDA said the rise was driven by higher prices for food items, including bread, cereals, mealie meal, maize grain, meat, sugar, and bread flour.

She added that traditional exports, primarily copper, dropped by 2. 8 percent, falling from 20.5 billion Kwacha in November 2024 to 19.5 billion Kwacha in December 2024.

And, ZAMSTATS Deputy Director for Economic Statistics, JOSEPH TEMBO said Northern Province recorded the lowest annual inflation rate at 12.4 percent.

He has attributed this to the province’s growing self-sufficiency.

Mr. TEMBO said Northern Province has largely reduced reliance on imports from other Provinces.

In contrast, Central Province had the highest annual inflation rate at 23.1 percent.