Turning Africa’s Vulnerabilities into Resilience

UNCTAD’s Economic Development in Africa Report 2024 makes one point clear: Africa’s economic promise is immense, but structural vulnerabilities from high debt and weak infrastructure to climate risks continue to constrain growth. Nearly half of African countries carry debt-to-GDP ratios above 60%, while more than 600 million Africans still lack reliable electricity access.

Yet the report also points to opportunity: a $3.4 trillion market through the AfCFTA, a dynamic young workforce and vast potential in renewable energy.

“As long as SMEs cannot access affordable finance or hedge against risk, the AfCFTA will remain a paper opportunity rather than a lived reality,” says Dr Abinusawa, Executive Director of the African Business Trade Association. “Empowering SMEs must be at the centre of any resilience strategy.”

At ABTA, we believe resilience will not come from policy alone, but from execution, partnerships and enterprise growth. That is why we continue to work with businesses, investors and policymakers to unlock the opportunities the AfCFTA provides, strengthen SMEs, and build the infrastructure Africa needs to thrive.