RBM says Malawi’s inflation rate to decrease

By Chisomo Phiri

The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) says it expects the country’s inflation rate to decrease in the coming months.

In an interview with this publication, RBM Deputy Governor for Economics, Macdonald Mafuta Mwale, shared that the Central Bank is proactively addressing inflationary pressures and is committed to ensuring that inflation trends downward.

Mafuta Mwale highlighted that the RBM is working collaboratively with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture to implement a coordinated action plan, which will help contain inflation within expected levels.

Although Malawi’s headline inflation rose to 34.3 percent in September from 33.9 percent in August, Mafuta Mwale noted that the RBM’s efforts have helped mitigate the impact of rising food prices on non-food inflation, which has remained steady at around 22 percent.



He said the efforts include maintaining a tight monetary policy and conducting open market operations.

Inflation is a general increase in the prices of goods and services in an economy.

This is usually measured using a Consumer Price Index (CPI).

When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduction in the purchasing power of money.