LUSAKA, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's year-on year inflation as measured by the consumer price index slows down in February compared with the previous month, statistics agency said on Thursday.

The annual inflation rate slowed down by 0.1 percentage point to 7.8 percent in February from 7.9 percent in January, according to the Central Statistical Office.

"This means that on average price of gods and services increased by 7.8 percent between February 2018 and February 2019," Iven Sikanyiti, the statistics agency's acting director told reporters during a monthly press briefing.

He attributed the increase to an increase in both food and non-food items such as alcoholic beverages and tobacco, housing, water, and electricity.

On the other hand, month-on-month inflation decreased to 0.7 percent in February from 1.1 percent the previous month.