World Bank forecasts 4.3% growth for Sub-Saharan Africa in 2026

The World Bank projects that Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy will grow by 4.3% in 2026, compared with 4.1% in 2025, according to its Africa Economic Update released on October 6, 2026.

Ethiopia is among the countries whose growth forecasts were upgraded, alongside Angola, Nigeria and Zambia. The bank said nearly three-quarters of countries in the region received upward revisions, reflecting reforms and improved economic management. Its release did not specify Ethiopia’s revised growth rate.

The stronger outlook still leaves a jobs and poverty challenge. The bank said the projected expansion is insufficient to substantially reduce extreme poverty or provide enough employment for the region’s growing workforce. Conflict, climate shocks, tighter financing conditions and high debt-service costs remain risks.

The report also examines how affordable, locally adapted artificial intelligence tools could improve productivity and services. It identifies electricity, connectivity, skills, data and governance as foundations for wider adoption.

The forecast concerns Sub-Saharan Africa, rather than the whole continent. It is an outlook for economic activity, not a confirmed full-year result.