The inflation rate fell from 4.9% in November to 6% in December 2021 in the countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, according to data published this week by the Central Bank of African States. West (BCEAO). This is its highest level since the start of the year.
The data indicate that in November, the pace of inflation accelerated in connection in particular with the rise in the prices of the “Food” and “Housing” components, whose contributions to total inflation increased respectively by 0.8 and 0.3 percentage points from the previous month.
“The acceleration noted at the level of the “Food” component is linked to the increase in the price of cereals in Burkina (+15%), in Mali (+8.4%) and in Niger (+13.8%), particularly due to the drop in cereal production in these countries. It is also explained by the increase in the prices of fresh vegetables (+26.3%), fish (+13.2%), meat (+12.1%), as well as tubers and plantains (+18 5%) in Ivory Coast. As for the increase in the “Housing” component, it is linked to the increase in the cost of firewood and charcoal, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina, Mali and Guinea-Bissau”, comments the central bank.
By country, inflation varies between 3.8 and 8.9% respectively for Senegal and Mali in December. It stood at 5.6% in Côte d’Ivoire, against 5.8% for Guinea Bissau and 6.1% for Togo.