What ECOWAS forecasts say about Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic outlook
Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, has projected that inflation in Sub-Saharan Africa will decline to 13.3% in 2025.
He made the statement on Saturday, May 31, 2025, while presenting the Interim Report on the State of the Community before the ECOWAS Parliament at its First Ordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria.
Dr. Touray stated that global economic growth is expected to slow to 2.8% in 2025 from 3.3% in 2024, before rising slightly to 3.0% in 2026. Global inflation is projected to ease from 5.7% in 2024 to 4.3% in 2025. In emerging and developing economies, inflation is expected to decline from 5.5% in 2024 to 4.6% in 2025.
“In sub-Saharan Africa, inflation is projected to decline significantly from 18.3% in 2024 to 13.3% in 2025,” he said. He also projected a further decline to 11.5% in 2026, attributing the trend to tighter monetary policies and falling food and energy prices.
“Equally, inflation is expected to decline to 12.8% in 2025, compared to 18.4% in 2024,” he added.
On the regional situation, Dr. Touray said, “The political and security context of the region is also marked by the effective withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS, though the initial tensions generated by their withdrawal is waning down, giving way to a more constructive engagement.”
“Activities of terrorists and armed groups have intensified, with repeated attacks against security forces in the northern part of Benin Republic; the resurgence of Boko Haram in the northeastern part of Nigeria, and the advent of the ‘Lakurawa’ armed groups, disrupting lives and livelihoods in the northwestern part of Nigeria,” he said, as he expressed concerns over ongoing violence.
Dr. Touray also referenced global tensions, including the war in Ukraine and U.S. policy shifts, which he said are affecting the region.
He reported that each ECOWAS member state received $100,000 under the ECOWAS Cross-Border Cooperation Support Programme. “The Gambia, Ghana and Senegal received the second tranche of the disbursement to finance various projects,” he said.
