Consumer prices in Liberia rose 4.6% in the year to August 2026, up from 4.1% in July and the first acceleration since April, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) said in its August economic review. Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation reached 6.1%, compared with 2.4% a year earlier. Core inflation, which excludes food and transport, rose to 3.5% from 2.9%.
Analysis: Prices accelerated even as the Liberian dollar strengthened 3.3% against the US currency during August, suggesting the exchange rate was not the principal driver. Annual food inflation rose to 6.1% from 2.4% a year earlier, increasing pressure on household budgets. The central bank also cited higher restaurant, hotel and education prices in underlying inflation. August's headline figure already matched the bank's fourth-quarter forecast of 4.6%. September's report should clarify whether inflation has eased toward the 4.3% level cited by the finance minister ahead of the next policy meeting in January.
Source: Central Bank of Liberia, Research, Policy & Planning Dept, CBL Monthly Economic Review, August 2026 (cover dated 8 August 2026; posted November 2, 2026), August 2026 and August 2025 and End-August 2026; Central Bank of Liberia, Research, Policy & Planning Dept, CBL Monthly Economic Review, July 2026, July 2026; Central Bank of Liberia, Research, Policy & Planning Dept, CBL Monthly Economic Review, September 2025 (Vol. 11 No. 9), August 2025; Central Bank of Liberia, Research, Policy & Planning Dept, CBL Monthly Economic Review, July 2026 (Vol. 12 No. 7), June 2026; Central Bank of Liberia, Research, Policy & Planning Dept, CBL Monthly Economic Review, April 2026 (Vol. 12 No. 4), April 2026; Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), CBL Monetary Policy Committee Communique No. 28 (meeting of October 6, 2026), Q4 2026 and January 2027; AfDB (via Liberian Observer), Liberian Observer via AllAfrica, 'AfDB President Pledges Continued Support for Liberia' (citing Minister Ngafuan), September 2026