Rwanda experienced a
significant rise in market prices in May 2025, with the general cost of goods
and services increasing by 6.9% compared to the same month last year. The data
was published by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).
The surge was mainly
driven by higher costs of essential items. Food and non-alcoholic beverages saw
the biggest jump, rising by 9.2%. Housing-related expenses, including water,
electricity, gas, and other fuels, increased by 3.3%, while transportation
costs went up by 3.7%.
Combined, the rise in
food and housing costs alone reached 16.6%, indicating a notable shift in the
cost of living for Rwandans.
A month-on-month
comparison also shows that market prices rose by 0.6% between April and May
2025, suggesting a consistent upward trend.
Soraya Hakuziyaremye,
Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, reassured the public that the
situation remains under control. “Our projection is that the rate of price
increase will not exceed 6.5%,” she said.
The National Bank further
predicted that the general increase in prices throughout 2025 would stay
between 2% and 8%, which it described as a sign of a healthy and stable
economy.
Rwanda sees 6.9% price surge
in May 2025