Download or read book Inflation in African Countries written by International Monetary Fund and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 1989-10-19 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the mid-1970s the annual inflation rate in Africa has averaged more than 15 percent, with many countries experiencing rates of 20 percent or more. Inflation rates of this magnitude have significant adverse effects on the financial sectors of African countries, particularly in the context of fixed nominal interest rates. Econometric analysis points strongly to monetary expansion as a major cause of inflation in African countries generally. Exchange rate depreciation is also associated with higher inflation, although in some countries the domestic currency was depreciated to offset the effects of recent inflation, rather than being a cause of inflation.