Inflation in WAEMU rose from 0.8% in June to 1.2% in July 2026. The economic outlook note issued by the BCEAO on 8 October documents this rise, with a contrasting picture across countries. In Benin, the general price level remained stable over one year, after a 0.4% fall in June.
Fish and transport under pressure
Across the Union, fish prices rose 8.1% year on year. The transport division increased 3.7%, while food products as a whole showed a rise of 0.8%. Declines in cereals and tubers slowed the increase in the food basket.
These differences explain why moderate overall inflation can coexist with heavier spending on certain items. A household whose budget includes a large share of fish or transport may feel a different pressure from that described by the average consumption basket.
Different trends across countries
Annual inflation reached 2.8% in Mali, 2.3% in Burkina Faso, 1.9% in Côte d'Ivoire and 1.6% in Togo. It was limited to 0.3% in Senegal. Niger and Guinea-Bissau remained in negative territory, at minus 2.0% and minus 0.3% respectively.
The regional indicator should therefore be read alongside national data: the Union's average aggregates changes that can point in different directions. A stable index in Benin means that increases and decreases across the basket's items broadly offset each other.
An October publication covering the summer
The document uses information available as of 20 August. The BCEAO projected inflation of 1.7% in August and then 1.9% in September, driven by pressures on energy, freight and food distribution. These two figures are projections in this note; they should be distinguished from the July observation.