Prospects for African economies to end-2018

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ivory Coast ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Political Transitions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Policy Shifts

Subject Prospects for African Economies. Significance Sub-Saharan African economies are expected to expand by 3.4% this year, up from 2.8% in 2017, reflecting continued recovery in the two largest economies (Nigeria and South Africa). However, medium-term growth is forecast to remain below 4%, as the consequences of delayed and insufficient policy responses to the commodities crisis take time to resolve. Some rapidly growing non-resource exporters (Ivory Coast, Senegal) could also slow under the weight of rising debt distress, particularly if private sources of growth fail to emerge. Political transitions in other countries (Angola, Zimbabwe) could be auspicious for the region's investment attractiveness -- if positive policy shifts develop further.

Prospects for African economies in 2019

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sub Saharan

Subject Prospects for African economies in 2019. Significance Sub-Saharan Africa’s gradual recovery is set to strengthen in 2019 with regional GDP growth seen accelerating to 3.1% from 2.7% in 2018, led by recoveries in the three largest economies -- Angola, Nigeria and South Africa. Looking ahead, economic growth is expected to average around 4% over the medium term, reflecting continuing convergence between high- and low-performing countries, although wide disparities will persist.

Differences in bank profit persistence in Sub-Saharan Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Sarpong-Kumankoma ◽  
Joshua Abor ◽  
Anthony Q.Q. Aboagye ◽  
Mohammed Amidu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Market Competition ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Banking Market ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Development Result ◽  
Ssa Countries

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine differences in determinants of bank profit persistence among Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Design/methodology/approach Using system generalized method of moments and data from four SSA countries during the period 2006–2012, this study considers differences in determinants of bank profit persistence across countries. Findings Efficiency in cost management is a major determinant of profit persistence in all the countries. However, concentration is found to be insignificant in all the estimations, suggesting that efficiency may be a more important determinant of profit persistence than concentration. Economic freedom associates negatively with profit persistence in Ghana, but its effect is insignificant in Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa. Lending specialization translates into less profit persistence in South Africa, but greater persistence in Tanzania. Higher levels of financial development result in lower profit persistence in Kenya and Ghana, but does not matter in Tanzania and South Africa. Practical implications The level of profit persistence gives an indication of the effectiveness of competition policies, and the differences observed in their determinants in this study suggest the need for tailor-made policy responses in the different countries. Originality/value This study improves the understanding of why some banking market competition policies have not achieved the desired outcomes in some countries. It is evident that blanket rules or wholesale importation of policies from other countries may not work in different contexts.

Assessment of alternative building technologies (ABT) for pre-tertiary school infrastructure delivery in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 1152-1170
Author(s):  
Ngxito Bonisile ◽  
Kahilu Kajimo-Shakantu ◽  
Akintayo Opawole
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Conventional Method ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Educational Infrastructure ◽  
Policy Responses

Purpose Anecdotal evidence indicates that there is a backlog in the pre-tertiary school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The purpose of this paper is to assess the adoption of alternative building technologies (ABT) for pre-tertiary educational infrastructure delivery with a view to providing empirical evidence that could guide policy responses towards its wider adoption. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a mixed methodology approach. This comprises a triangulation of a questionnaire survey and interviews. In total, 100 participants were randomly selected from 182 built environment professionals namely quantity surveyors, architects and engineers (electrical, mechanical, civil and structural) from the Department of Roads and Public Works (DRPW), who are currently involved in the Eastern Cape School Building Program (ECSBP). The questionnaire survey was supplemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with four top government officials (three from the Department of Education (DoE) and one from DRPW) who were also part of the questionnaire survey. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and phenomenological interpretation respectively. Findings The key findings showed that the level of adoption of ABT for pre-tertiary school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape province is primarily influenced and explained by perceptions that ABT offers inferior quality products compared to the conventional method, and limited awareness of its benefits. Research limitations/implications The study provides useful insights into the implications of the limited awareness of ABT as a an alternative technology for educational infrastructure delivery and policy responses towards its wider adoption and environmental sustainability. Originality/value Empirical evidence from this study indicates that the main motivation for the adoption of ABT is the limited government’s budget to cope with school infrastructural backlog, while environmental sustainability benefit is only secondary. Nonetheless, the realization that the backlogs in the provision of school infrastructure has resulted from sole reliance on the use of the conventional method is an indication of the potential that the adoption of ABT holds for minimizing of the backlog.

Africa's 'oil price winners' face mixed prospects

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Oil Prices ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Political Space ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Economic Diversification ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Civil Unrest ◽  
Sub Saharan

Subject Africa's oil price winners. Significance Despite traditionally being winners during periods of oil price decline, the medium-term outlook is mixed for sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) oil importing countries -- reflected in the IMF's recent downgrade of its SSA outlook from 5.75% to 4.9%. Short-term gains reduce the fuel import bill, but uncertainty looms over energy investments in eastern African, while idiosyncratic risks cloud the outlook for southern Africa. While oil exporters may also reap some benefits, much will depend on the degree of oil dependency, political space to make the necessary policy retrenchments, and the extent of government financial buffers. Impacts If sustained, low oil prices could provoke civil unrest, rather than reforms, in oil exporting countries. Most oil exporters will struggle to maintain macroeconomic stability if oil remains low for more than a year. However, economic diversification to some degree helps to shield the region from sharp global slowdowns.

Prospects for Africa in the fourth quarter

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ivory Coast ◽  
Commodity Prices ◽  
Fourth Quarter ◽  
Growth Path ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aggregate Growth ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Post War ◽  
China’S Growth ◽  
Important Milestone

Subject Prospects for Africa in the fourth quarter. Significance External headwinds facing sub-Saharan African (SSA) economies are intensifying. Uncertainty over China's growth path adds to the existing strain from lower commodity prices. The aggregate growth average is down, as the two largest economies (Nigeria and South Africa) post disappointing outlooks. Elections are due in Ivory Coast, Guinea and Burkina Faso, where leaders wrestle with post-war or post-coup era settlements. Meanwhile, the delayed Nigerian cabinet will be an important milestone for gauging confidence in the new government.

Prospects for Africa's economies to end-2016

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Commodity Price ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Idiosyncratic Shocks ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Eastern And Southern Africa

Subject Prospects for Africa's economies to end-2016. Significance The IMF's most recent forecast of 3% GDP growth for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2016 represents a significant cut from the 4.25% it expected in October 2015. This is a consequence of sharp slowdowns in the region's two largest economies, Nigeria and South Africa, droughts in previously buoyant economies (notably in eastern and southern Africa), a variety of idiosyncratic shocks and a prolonged commodity price downturn.

Tensions to shape, but not derail, Ivory Coast poll

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Civil War ◽  
Ivory Coast ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
User Fees ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High User ◽  
Infrastructure Investments

Significance The most serious challenger to President Alassane Ouattara's re-election, N'Guessan's candidacy probably marks the end of election boycotts by FPI, but rifts linger from the 2010-11 civil war. Impacts Large-scale infrastructure investments will facilitate medium-term economic growth, despite possible volatility around the election. Foreign investors are likely to refrain from making major decisions before the poll but inflows will pick up in 2016. High user fees for the new Henri Konan Bedie toll bridge in Abidjan will probably reduce congestion by commuters. High global cocoa prices and robust output (Ivory Coast is the world's largest producer) will buoy government revenues.

Intra-African investment to push service sector growth

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Service Sector ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Marked Rise ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Mining Investment ◽  
Service Sectors ◽  
Sub Saharan

Subject Outlook for foreign direct investment in sub-Saharan Africa. Significance Nigerian firm Dangote Cement on August 4 announced plans to build a second cement plant in Zambia, nearly doubling its investments there to 900 million dollars. It follows a marked rise in intra-African investments during 2014, particularly in service sectors, according to the latest UN Commission on Trade and Development report. Such growth signals the advantages provided by regional networks and local market knowledge. Impacts In West Africa, French firms could increasingly partner with non-French ones in order to counter Chinese competition to win state contracts. Russian interest in supplying nuclear energy to South Africa and Nigeria will not result in actual plant construction in the medium term. Power supply woes and difficult labour relations will probably constrain mining investment in Southern Africa in the coming year. Fallout from the Petrobras scandal will probably constrain Brazilian MNCs' plans to pursue projects in Angola and Mozambique.

Chinese influence on African consumer trends will grow

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Consumer Goods ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Simultaneous Occurrence ◽  
Consumer Market ◽  
Cultural Products ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chinese Consumer ◽  
Sub Saharan

Significance By 2025, an estimated two-thirds of African households will have discretionary income, significantly expanding the consumer pool. Growth in sub-Saharan Africa’s consumer market coincides with a regional expansion in Chinese cultural products. The simultaneous occurrence of both trends will influence long-term consumer preferences in most sub-Saharan markets, especially Nigeria and South Africa, where Chinese platforms and products are becoming established. Impacts As China expands its electronics and media presence in Africa, Chinese consumer goods will become more mainstreamed. Chinese automakers such as GAC Motors will expand their share of the Nigerian market. Through WeWallet and other Chinese fintech applications, China could become a key player in Africa’s bourgeoning e-commerce sector.

Madagascar's apparel sector could be key to rebound

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Vocational Training ◽  
Trade Preference ◽  
Industry Association ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Export Industry ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Eu

Subject Madagascar apparel sector. Significance Madagascar has emerged as sub-Saharan Africa's top exporter of apparel to the EU, outpacing regional competitors such as Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa. The country's return to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference scheme in recent years has positioned the country to become the largest production hub in Africa for the global apparel market. Impacts Recent damage from cyclone Enawo could hamper infrastructural connectivity. The government will prioritise vocational training for the textile and garment sector in coordination with the export industry association. New FDI will be crucial to expanding the supply chain making inputs for garment assembly.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document