Ethiopia’s year-on-year inflation eased to 10.9 percent in November 2025 down from 16.9 percent in the same month a year earlier, the Ethiopian Statistical Service (ESS) disclosed in a statement.
The monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 1.4 percent, compared with a 0.8 percent decline in November 2024/25 FY.
Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages saw a 10.6 percent year-on-year increase, led by oils, meat, dairy products, fruit, and vegetables, while bread and cereals, the largest-weighted category, decreased 3.0 percent.
Non-food inflation has shown a moderate increase, reaching 11.4 percent, supported by slower increase in prices of furnishing goods, restaurants, and housing-related services.
The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has recently said that returning inflation to single digits remains a medium-term objective, in line with ongoing monetary and structural policy measures.
The overall inflation in 2025 stands at 13.8 percent with average prices of food items at 12.8 percent, and non-food at 15.4 percent.
According to ESS, headline inflation declined from 15.5 percent in January 2025 to 10.9 percent in November 2025. Food inflation followed a similar trend, dropping from 15.6 percent to 10.6 percent, while non-food inflation eased from 15 percent to 11.4 percent.
Yet, for millions of Ethiopians, both in urban centers and rural communities, the reality tells a starkly different story.
A quick market survey reveals that prices for essential goods, whether imported or domestically produced, have surged dramatically over the past year. Consumers report sharp, often disorienting increases in the cost of daily necessities, casting doubt on the reliability of official metrics.
MG/as/APA