Freetown, 29th July 2026- Sierra Leone’s annual consumer price inflation climbed sharply to 14.77% in June 2026, up from 12.69% in May, according to official figures released by the Statistics Office. The 2.08 percentage point jump marks one of the steepest monthly increases this year, underscoring mounting pressures on households and businesses.
The report highlights several sectors that contributed to the surge:
Housing, water, electricity, gas and fuels: Inflation skyrocketed from 65.46% in May to 81.33% in June, a staggering 15.87 percentage point increase. Rising utility and fuel costs remain the single largest driver of overall inflation.
Transport: Prices rose from 37.40% to 40.23%, reflecting higher fuel and transport service costs.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages: Inflation increased from 5.17% to 6.79%, adding further strain to household budgets.
Clothing and footwear: Prices rose modestly from 2.25% to 3.28%, while furnishings and household equipment jumped from 1.10% to 3.38%.
Restaurants and hotels also saw inflation rise slightly to 17.77%.
Not all sectors contributed to the rise. Inflation eased in: Health: Down from 11.14% to 9.25%. Recreation and culture: Dropped further into negative territory at -2.80% and miscellaneous goods and services: Fell from 1.14% to -0.43%.
On a month-to-month basis, consumer inflation stood at 1.57% in June, slightly down from 1.73% in May. While food inflation eased marginally, housing, utilities, and household equipment continued to exert upward pressure.
The sharp rise in headline inflation reflects persistent structural challenges in Sierra Leone’s economy, particularly in energy and transport costs. Unless fuel and utility prices stabilize, inflationary pressures could continue to erode purchasing power and complicate fiscal planning.
