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The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) reports that the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) for a family of five in Lusaka increased from K10,834.80 in October to K11,079.13 in November 2025.
The rise was mainly driven by higher costs for essential non-food items, which went up from K6,432.90 to K6,581.60, according to JCTR.
In a statement, Lukwesa Musonda, Social and Economic Development Programme Officer at JCTR, said the price of charcoal rose from K553.33 to K633.33 for a 90kg bag due to the rainy season.
Musonda explained that challenges in charcoal production, including transportation and drying, have reduced supply and pushed up market prices.
She noted that this comes amid Zambia’s longest stage 11 load-shedding period this year, providing just three hours of electricity daily.
“For many households, particularly those lacking a consistent electricity supply, charcoal is still an essential energy source for cooking and heating, making such price hikes especially challenging to manage and raising concerns about the dignity of the human person for families struggling to meet basic needs,” she said.
The cost of essential food items also increased, from K4,401.90 to K4,497.53, driven by rising prices of beans, cassava flour, kapenta, and milk.
“As most of these items are essential sources of protein for many households, the escalating prices threaten to further compromise the nutritional value of meals, particularly for those already adjusting their consumption patterns due to economic constraints,” Musonda said.
She emphasized that access to nutritious food is central to upholding human dignity and responding to the preferential option for the poor, calling for prioritization of vulnerable households’ needs.
Musonda noted that energy poverty in Zambia extended beyond electricity access.
“While many rural homes remain unconnected, those with grid access, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, experience unreliable services characterised by outages, low voltage, and frequent disruptions,” she said.
She added that water scarcity, exacerbated by unreliable electricity for pumps, affects sanitation and contributes to the ongoing cholera outbreak, which began on August 5, 2025. As of November 24, 2025, there were 578 cumulative cases and nine deaths across 13 districts.
“These challenges illustrate how energy access intersects with health, sanitation, and well-being. They also highlight the principles of the common good and solidarity, affirming that essential services must function to safeguard community welfare,” Musonda said.
Charcoal remains the primary cooking fuel due to the unaffordability and inaccessibility of cleaner alternatives.
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Musonda said unstable energy supply forced households to rely on charcoal, increasing living costs and negatively affecting nutrition, health, and general well-being.
The November BNNB report shows that rising charcoal prices deepen financial difficulties for vulnerable households, underscoring the need for solidarity.
Musonda called on the government to expand access to affordable clean cooking solutions through targeted financing for low-income households.
“Reducing dependence on charcoal would lower household costs, improve health outcomes, and decrease pressure on forests,” she said.
Musonda also urged improvements in electricity service quality and reliability, particularly in low-income and high-density areas.
“Households connected to electricity must receive a service that is reliable enough to meaningfully substitute charcoal for cooking and lighting. Poor quality supply perpetuates high charcoal dependence,” she added.
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