CPI DATA GAPS! UBOS Warns Regulators as Businesses Demand Price Clarity

By Evans Najuna

KAMPALA — The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has raised concern over gaps in official economic data caused by some regulators and institutions failing to provide information, warning that the shortfalls could affect the completeness of national statistics.

The bureau also defended its approach to compiling the Consumer Price Index (CPI), explaining how household spending patterns determine the goods and services included in the basket used to measure price changes.

The issues emerged on Thursday, October 15, 2026, during UBOS’s Statistical Literacy and Advocacy Workshop for Business Stakeholders, held under the theme “Using Price Statistics for Evidence-Based Decision Making and Economic Planning.”

Aliziki Kaudha, UBOS Director of Economic Statistics, said the CPI basket is designed to reflect household consumption, with expenditure weights assigned according to the relative importance of different items in people’s budgets.

She explained that the bureau follows internationally recognised statistical classifications when deciding which economic activities, products and services to capture.

Where existing findings do not adequately cover an activity, UBOS examines international standards and how other countries classify similar items.

Kaudha cited tourism as an example, explaining that spending by foreign visitors within Uganda contributes to domestic economic activity and is therefore relevant to statistical measurement.

However, she noted that some activities, such as sports betting, may not carry sufficient consumption weight to feature prominently in the CPI basket.

Her biggest concern was the availability of information from regulators and other institutions. Without the necessary data, she warned, UBOS may struggle to produce a complete picture of economic activity.

SUPERMARKET PRICES POSE CHALLENGE

Juliet Nakayenga, UBOS Head of the Consumer Price Index, said the bureau periodically reviews the basket to ensure it reflects changing household spending patterns.

The review is normally conducted every five years, and preparations for the next cycle are expected to begin as the current one approaches its end.

Nakayenga also highlighted difficulties in tracking supermarket prices, particularly where products retain the same displayed price but their quantity or quality changes.

She said UBOS trains its price collectors to identify market changes and capture information that accurately reflects what consumers are paying for goods and services.

Restaurants present a different challenge because prices can vary depending on the items ordered and the services provided. UBOS therefore collects information from multiple establishments rather than relying on a single outlet.

The bureau’s approach is intended to ensure that the index reflects broader market conditions rather than isolated prices.

FINANCE MINISTRY: INFLATION MATTERS

Musa Nsamba, representing the Ministry of Finance, said inflation statistics are essential for government budgeting and economic planning.

He noted that rising prices erode purchasing power, particularly when salaries and other household incomes fail to keep pace with the cost of goods and services.

Nsamba stressed that budget planners need to account for inflation trends when allocating resources and preparing national spending plans.

Reliable price statistics, he said, help policymakers understand changing economic conditions and make better-informed decisions.

BOU EXPLAINS CPI POLICY ROLE

Patrick Kimera, representing the Bank of Uganda (BoU), described the CPI as an important indicator used to assess price movements and inform economic policy.

He explained that historical data helps policymakers understand past economic outcomes and shape decisions intended to influence future conditions.

Kimera said the central bank works with UBOS, the Ministry of Finance and international institutions when developing economic models and assessing the outlook.

He also pointed to international comparisons, including Uganda’s interest rates relative to those in the United States, as part of the wider assessment of economic conditions.

Monetary policy decisions, including changes to the Central Bank Rate, are informed by broader economic analysis and engagement with relevant stakeholders.

UBOS MOVES TO EASE QUESTIONNAIRE FATIGUE

Kaudha also called for better coordination among government agencies collecting information from businesses, warning that repeated questionnaires can place an unnecessary burden on companies.

Some businesses engage in several activities, including importing, exporting and domestic production, requiring different information to measure their economic contribution accurately.

She explained that requests may also differ in frequency: price statistics may require monthly data, while other exercises examine production, construction costs or business expenditure.

UBOS is working to reduce the burden by delivering multiple questionnaires to the same entity together wherever possible.

Kaudha urged government agencies to make greater use of relevant statistics already published by UBOS instead of repeatedly seeking similar information from businesses.

She clarified that while individual institutions may collect administrative data for their own operations, UBOS analyses information to produce statistics intended to represent the wider economy.

The bureau called on businesses and other respondents to cooperate with its data collection exercises, saying their participation is important to producing reliable national statistics.

The workshop brought together UBOS, Ministry of Finance and Bank of Uganda officials alongside business stakeholders to examine how price statistics can support economic planning, policy decisions and commercial strategies.