Prices for goods imported into Cape Verde increased 25.7% year-on-year in September 2026 and 5.9% from August, statistics agency INE said on October 20. Imported construction materials cost 18.9% more than in the previous month, while fuel import prices rose 6.1%. Export prices gained just 3.5% from a year earlier, weakening the country's terms of trade by 17.7%, INE said.
Analysis: Import prices have climbed about 22% since April, by our calculation, while export prices were only 3.5% higher year-on-year, reducing the purchasing power of Cape Verde's exports. Builders and construction-material importers face particularly sharp pressure after an increase of nearly one-fifth in material costs in a month, potentially slowing private projects. Higher import costs can reach retail prices with a delay, raising the risk of further consumer inflation. INE's October import price index, expected around November 20, should indicate whether the surge is easing.
Source: INE Cabo Verde, INE, Nota de imprensa ICE - Setembro 2026 (Índice de Preços do Comércio Externo), September 2026; INE Cabo Verde, INE, Índice de Preços do Comércio Externo - Setembro de 2026, September 2026; Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE Cabo Verde), INE, Nota de imprensa Estatísticas do Comércio Externo - 2º trimestre 2026, Q2 2026