IMF projection of the ten fastest growing economies in Africa in 2025  

However, a costly interplay of political instability, environmental disasters exacerbated by climate change and structural problems, especially across major economies on the continent have clipped economic growth and led to a growing number of poor and vulnerable people across the continent.  

In recent times, the ripple effects of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas conflict and its escalation into the wider Middle-East region have worsened the economic situation with inflation rising to record levels and pushing economies on the brink of fiscal crisis.  

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest report projects that Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will grow by 3.6% in 2024 unchanged from the figure in 2023.

However, in the forecast for 2025, the fund stated that the SSA region will grow by 4.2% in 2025.  

Africa’s biggest economies (Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt) continue to experience slow growth   

The ten fastest-growing economies in the region according to the IMF are;  

10. Ethiopia– the IMF projects that this East African country’s economy will grow by 6.5% in 2025 from 6.1% in 2024.

9. Rwanda– despite being projected to grow at the same 6.5% as Ethiopia, GDP growth in Rwanda has fallen in the past few years.

8. Benin Republic– growth in this West African country is projected at 6.5% in 2025- unchanged from the 2024 figures and a marginal increase from the figure in 2023 where the economy expanded by 6.4%.

7. Zambia– the IMF projects Zambia’s economy to grow by 6.6%- a massive rebound of 4.3 percentage points considering growth projections in 2024 stood at 2.3%.

6. Niger– despite experiencing a coup in 2023, the country will see strong growth in the coming year expected at 7.3% in 2025.

5. Uganda– the IMF projects Uganda’s economy to expand by 7.5% in 2025 representing a steady increase since 2021 when GDP grew by 5.5%.

4. Sudan–  this wartorn country’s economy is expected to rebound from a contraction of (20.3%) in 2024 to a growth of 8.3% in 2025.

The country’s GDP growth in 2025 will largely be fueled by increased reconstruction spending, particularly in social services and infrastructure, along with the revival of economic activity across various sectors.

3. Senegal– the third fastest growing economy in Africa in 2025 according to the IMF is Senegal with GDP growth projected at 9.3% marking an increase from 6.0% in 2024.

3. Senegal– the third fastest growing economy in Africa in 2025 according to the IMF is Senegal with GDP growth projected at 9.3% marking an increase from 6.0% in 2024.

2. Libya– Africa’s second biggest oil producer is projected to become the second fastest-growing economy in the continent with GDP growth expected at 13.7% by the IMF.

1. South Sudan– another wartorn country projected to benefit from a restart in economic activities is the IMF’s fastest-growing economy in Africa.