African economies are increasingly judged not only by growth rates, but by how easy it is to start, operate, and scale a business. The 2025 World Bank business environment rankings evaluate countries across 10 domains covering a firm’s life cycle—from entry to exit.

Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to grow faster than Asia for the first time in modern history, positioning the region as the world’s fastest-growing major economic bloc. The International Monetary Fund projects African economies will expand by about 4.4% in 2026, up from 4.1% in 2025, while Asia’s growth slows to roughly 4.1% as China’s structural deceleration weighs on the region.

Africa’s currencies were among the world’s strongest performers in 2025, gaining sharply against the U.S. dollar as macroeconomic conditions stabilised and commodity markets surged.