Ethiopia’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 15.3% in July 2026, rising from 13.9% in June and marking the fourth consecutive month of increases. The latest reading is the highest inflation rate recorded since January 2025.

Food inflation also accelerated, reaching 15.7% in July, up from 15.1% a month earlier and its highest level since January 2025.

Among food categories, sugar, jam, honey and chocolate recorded the sharpest increase at 39.4%, followed by meat at 21.6% and oils and fats at 20.3%. Prices of fruit, dairy products and other food items also increased by around 18% or more.

Non-food inflation rose more sharply, climbing to 14.8% from 12.2% in June. The increase was driven mainly by higher prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (16.0%), restaurants and hotels (15.3%), furnishings and household equipment (15.2%), and clothing and footwear (15.0%).

On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 2.6% in July, accelerating significantly from the 1.0% increase recorded in June. It was the largest monthly rise since March 2025.

The July figures point to renewed broad-based price pressures, with both food and non-food categories contributing to the acceleration in headline inflation.