From pandemic aftershocks to rising debt distress and tightening global liquidity, African economies have undergone significant strain over the past few years. Yet even amidst these challenges, the continent is also outperforming the rest of the world in key areas and is facing promising future trends that will drive profound change.1 Africa was the fastest growing region in 2025 and home to 11 of the 15 fastest growing economies in the world.2 By 2050, one-quarter of the world will be African, and the number of Africans in urban areas will double from 700 million today to 1.4 billion.3 Consumer and business spending on the continent is also expected to reach $16.1 trillion.4
As featured in Figure 21, there are 13 key trends that are reshaping Africa’s opportunities to drive sustainable development. However, the continent’s ability to harness these transformative opportunities increasingly depends on how it navigates a complex web of shifting international dynamics: traditional development models are being fundamentally restructured, new partners are offering alternative cooperation models, and official development assistance (ODA) is on the retreat.