ABIDJAN, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) on Monday released in Abidjan its 2026 report on Africa's macroeconomic performance and outlook, indicating that the continent's GDP growth is estimated at 4.2 percent in 2025, up from 3.5 percent in 2024.
Presenting the main findings of the report, AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah said that the improvement in growth is broadly shared across the continent.
"Africa today accounts for 12 of the world's 20 fastest-growing economies in 2025, which is a source of pride for us," he noted.
According to the projections, the continent's economic growth is expected to reach 4.3 percent in 2026 and 4.5 percent in 2027, supported notably by private consumption, easing monetary conditions, and stronger external demand.
However, these forecasts were made prior to the recent crisis in the Middle East, which could affect Africa's growth trajectory, Tah added, calling for bold policy measures to sustain economic activity and mitigate risks.
He notably advocated for more effective public debt management, stronger regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as well as reforms of the financial system and improved efficiency of public investment.
For his part, the AfDB Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management, Kevin Chika Urama, highlighted the broad-based nature of Africa's economic recovery in 2025, while underscoring the challenges posed by the Middle East crisis.
According to him, if the conflict were to last beyond three months, it could lead to a downward revision of growth forecasts by about 0.2 percentage points, notably due to the dependence of several African economies on oil exports.
He also warned that a closure of the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt the supply of strategic commodities such as oil, gas, fertilizers, and chemicals, and weigh on investment and financial flows to the continent in the event of a prolonged conflict.
Despite these risks, Urama said there was no reason for alarm, noting the resilience of African economies in the face of recent shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the global financial crisis, and the war in Ukraine.
"There is no reason to panic; what is needed is the implementation of appropriate policies and the use of the right policy levers," he said, citing in particular fiscal management, domestic resource mobilization, and the strengthening of social safety nets.
The report on Africa's macroeconomic performance and outlook provides policymakers, researchers, international investors, and development partners with updated data and projections on the continent's economies.
It precedes the African Economic Outlook 2026, the AfDB's flagship annual report, which will be presented at the 61st Annual Meetings scheduled to take place in the Republic of the Congo from May 25 to 29. ■
