The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) report, Libya Market Price Monitoring – February 2026, published last Monday 30 March, says food prices increased in Libya following the devaluation of the Libyan dinar last January.
The report stated that the national Full Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) increased by +5.0 percent in February 2026 to LD 1,128.35, reversing the modest easing observed in January, with sharp increases observed in the East (+9.1 percent) and South (+9.5 percent).
The increase reflects emerging exchange-rate pass-through following the Central Bank of Libya’s 14.7 percent devaluation announced on 18 January, alongside continued import dependence and liquidity constraints, it added.
The report says that given Libya’s reliance on imported commodities, the 14.7 percent devaluation of the Libyan dinar in January began to exert upward pressure on prices of key items in February, including rice, vegetable oil, sugar, and processed foods, alongside higher transport costs.
It adds that the West recorded a marginal decrease (−1.3 percent to LYD 1,129.59) but remained at an elevated level. The persistently high prices in western markets continue to reflect strong consumer demand, greater reliance on imported goods, and faster price adjustments to exchange-rate changes, particularly in major urban centres such as Tripoli.
However, the report states that the sharpest increases were recorded in the East (+9.1 percent to LYD 1,132.21) and South (+9.5 percent to LYD 1,123.62). In the East, increases reflect a catch-up effect following relatively lower price levels in previous months, alongside exchange-rate pass-through. In the South, higher transport costs, supply constraints, reliance on long supply chains, and exchange-rate pass-through continue to drive sharper price adjustments.
The report also noted that on 15 February, in response to emerging price pressures, the eastern-based Libya Development & Reconstruction Fund announced subsidized sale mechanisms for selected basic commodities (including cooking oil, rice, sugar, flour, and tomato paste). While these measures may provide short-term relief, their impact on overall market prices remains uncertain, the report concluded.
