- Country among Africa’s best-run economies
BIVAN SALUSEKI
Lusaka
ZAMBIA is among four African countries whose economies are better managed, says World Bank.
According to World Bank, improved economic management and reforms are beginning to yield results in Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Angola.
Reuters reports that Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Angola all received upgrades to their 2026 economic growth forecasts, with World Bank attributing the gains to years of economic reforms and improved economic management.
World Bank yesterday raised Africa’s 2026 economic growth forecast to 4.3 per cent, citing stronger performance across the region, and urged governments to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to boost productivity and create jobs.
The region has weathered a tough global environment, the lender said in its Africa Economic Update report, amid higher energy prices linked to the impact of the Iran war on global supply chains.
The new growth forecast is up from the 4.1 per cent projected in April. In 2025, the region’s economy grew by 4.1 per cent.
According to the report, the upgrade reflects growing confidence that reforms in some of Africa’s biggest economies are beginning to pay off, even as the Iran war continues to roil global energy markets.
“Economic activity in Sub Saharan Africa continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience, with growth forecasts upgraded for nearly three-quarters of countries in the region,” World Bank chief economist for Africa Andrew Dabalen said.
The bank said Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Angola had all seen upgrades to their growth forecasts, attributing the improvements to years of economic reforms and better economic management.
Risks remain, however, including a prolonged conflict in the Middle East, the El-Niño weather phenomenon, high interest rates in advanced economies and elevated debt-servicing costs, Mr Dabalen said.
World Bank warned that faster economic growth has yet to make a significant dent in poverty, with per capita income growth continuing to lag behind overall economic growth across much of the continent. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
