Higher energy costs, disrupted trade routes, mounting fiscal pressures and climate risks are tempering Sub-Saharan Africa’s growth prospects, exposing the difference between economic resilience and sustainable prosperity.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy continues to demonstrate resilience in the face of global uncertainty, but sustaining that performance is becoming more difficult. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has revised its growth outlook for the region, projecting economic expansion of 4.8 per cent in 2026 and 4.7 per cent in 2027, as higher energy prices, trade disruptions and climate-related risks weigh on economic activity.
The adjustment comes despite growth reaching 5.1 per cent in the first half of 2026, supported by services, agriculture and commodity exports. It also follows progress on economic reforms and improvements in sovereign credit ratings across several countries, developments that have helped strengthen investor confidence.
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