The Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (IHPC) in Senegal recorded a 1.4% year-on-year increase at the end of March 2026. According to data published on Monday, April 13 by the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD), this inflationary trend is mainly driven by the category of “food and non-alcoholic beverages”, up by 1.7%, as well as by “restaurants and accommodation services”, which show a 2.7% increase.
Other consumption segments also contributed to the pressure on prices, notably “alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics” with a significant jump of 10.7%. Health services grew by 1.9%, while the sectors of “personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods” and “furniture, household equipment and routine maintenance” progressed by 2.6% and 1.5% respectively. The underlying inflation, an indicator excluding fresh products and energy to measure the underlying trend, stood at 2.6%.
Analysis by product origin reveals a disparity between the domestic market and foreign trade. The prices of local goods increased by 2.0% over the period, while imported products experienced a slight decline of 0.3%. This configuration indicates that the increase in the cost of living in March is mainly of domestic origin, contrasting with the relative decrease in prices of goods from the international market.
In terms of sustainability, the price increase is driven by services (+2.0%) and durable goods (+1.4%). Non-durable goods, including fast-moving consumer goods such as food and hygiene products, increased by 1.2%, while semi-durable goods, such as clothing, recorded the most moderate increase at 0.8%. This sectoral breakdown highlights the nature of expenses that had the most impact on the household budget during the first quarter of 2026.
