Food prices in Cameroon rose 5.6% between May 2025 and May 2026, more than double the country’s overall inflation rate over the same period, according to the latest consumer price report published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

The government statistics agency said food prices remain the main driver of inflation and warned that continued increases could reverse the country’s recent progress in bringing inflation under control.

“If recent price increases, particularly for food, continue, they could gradually slow the decline in average annual inflation or even lead to a renewed rise over the medium term,” the INS said.

After a prolonged period of inflationary pressure that began in late 2021 and extended through much of 2025—when inflation averaged 4.1% in the first half of the year—Cameroon has seen inflation ease in recent months, bringing it back below the Central African Economic and Monetary Community’s (CEMAC) 3% convergence threshold.

According to INS data, annual inflation slowed from 3.3% in May 2025 to 2.7% in May 2026, after reaching 2.1% in April 2026.

The statistics agency said the figures point to a significant easing of inflationary pressures compared with a year earlier, while also reflecting a slight month-over-month increase in prices. However, it noted that food prices remain the key factor shaping the country’s inflation outlook.

Source: Business in Cameroon