Inflation monitor: Rwanda at 5% as price pressures stay contained

Consumer price inflation in Rwanda stands at 5% year on year in the latest reading tracked by CBAN, easing from 5.4% in the prior reading.

The moderation gives the National Bank of Rwanda more room for manoeuvre around its 6.5% policy rate. Across African consumer price baskets, food and non-alcoholic beverages typically carry the largest weight, followed by housing, utilities and transport — which is why harvests and fuel prices move headline inflation more here than in advanced economies.

Currency dynamics feed directly into the outlook. The Rwandan franc trades near 1,420 to the dollar, down 3.1% this year — a headwind that keeps imported costs elevated.

Real GDP growth is running at around 7.2%, and official reserves stand near $2.1 billion. The next scheduled BNR rate decision is 19 August 2026.

CBAN tracks inflation across every African economy in the interactive inflation dashboard, updated as national statistical releases are incorporated into the dataset.