The World Bank Group published in April 2026 "Africa Economic Update: Making Industrial Policy Work in Africa."
The World Bank projects that growth in Sub-Saharan Africa for 2026 will average 4.1 percent, the same as in 2025. Downside risks, however, are emerging due in large part to disruptions caused by the war in Iran. They include rising fuel, food, and fertilizer prices together with tighter financial conditions that are likely to push inflation higher, disrupt economic activity, and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable households which spend a larger share of their income on food and energy.
