UBOS CPI Report: Uganda’s inflation for March eases to 2.8%

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has released the current report for the Consumer Price Index Indicating a slow down in the inflation rates for the year ending in the month of March 2026 compared to the one recorded for February 2026. 

While presenting the findings, at UBOS offices on 31st March 2026, the Principal Statistician Price Statistics Ms. Juliet Nakayenga revealed that the headline Inflation recorded in the month of March slowed down to 2.8% from 2.9% for February 2026.

She said that that slow inflation rates was driven by annual core inflation that reduced from 3.0% in February 2026 to 2.9% in March 2026 by services and restaurants and accommodations as the highest cause of the slow down followed by others such as maize floor, live chicken among others.

“The annual headline Inflation for March was recorded at 2.8% compared to 2.9% for February 2026. The core inflation measured minus the food crops and energy, fuels and utilities Inflation, was recorded 2.9% for March 2026 compared to 3.0% for February 2026. Annual services was recorded at 4.0% compared to 4.1%=for February 2026”she said

Nakayenga said that the annual foods and related goods inflation recorded a slow down at 1.0% compared to 1.8% recorded in February 2026 while the Energy, Utilities and Fuel registered an increase for the month of March at 4.1% compared to 2.7% for February 2025.

On the monthly rates, she said the energy, utilities and fuel rates recorded an increase drives by firewood, charcoal, diesel, and petrol while the geographical rates indicated Masaka as having the highest inflation rates recorded at 3.6% in March compared to 3.8 for February 2026 followed with Kampala driven by recreation, culture, inflation reduction and the least was Arua central

Meanwhile, UBOS also released the Construction input price indices and construction sector inflation measuring changes prices of construction material for residential and non residential building which recorded 0.1% for February 2026 while stability was recorded for January 2026 at 0.0% driven by specialized construction materials increase in the rates compared to the stable rates for civil engineering works.

While presenting the report, Ms. Musitwa Irene, the Senior Statistician CIPI at UBOS said that “Construction sector inflation is measured by the construction input index for Uganda for 12 months. For February 2026 it was recorded at 1.0% compared to to stable rate of 0.0% registered for the month of January 2026” she said.

She said that the main drivers of the specialized construction activities inflation was demolition and site preparation whose inflation was registered at 0.5% for the year ended February 2026 the same rate registered for the year ended January 2026 followed by electrical, plumbing and others.