Top 10 African countries with the highest leap in GDP growth rate in 2025
Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 African countries with the highest GDP growth in 2025 compared to last year.
This list is courtesy of the Africa Pulse report by the World Bank.
Sudan ranks number 1 on the list.
Despite these hurdles, some African countries are expected to experience stronger real GDP growth in 2025 compared to the previous year, indicating resilience and potential benefits.
Despite these hurdles, some African countries are expected to experience stronger real GDP growth in 2025 compared to the previous year, indicating resilience and potential benefits.
These countries' better development paths provide several benefits.
First, faster economic growth indicates resilience, particularly in a global climate characterized by inflation, monetary tightening, and trade disruptions. Such success boosts investor trust and has the potential to enhance foreign direct investment.
A country that continues to thrive while others stagnate attracts global investment, which can be reinvested in essential areas such as energy, education, healthcare, and transportation.
Higher GDP growth may boost foreign direct investment, create more job opportunities, and provide governments with more budgetary room to invest in social services and infrastructure.
Furthermore, strong economic growth can boost investor confidence and promote regional stability.
For example, Uganda's anticipated 7.5% growth rate in 2025, up from 5.9% in 2024, is likely to be driven by advances in agriculture, infrastructure development, and oil exploration investments.
Additionally, as economic activity increases, governments have more funds to implement social programs, pay down debt, and enhance their resilience to future economic shocks.
These nations can serve as anchors of stability and economic power in their respective areas, affecting trade patterns and regional integration.
In a year when many economies are stalling, African countries with strong growth are distinguishing themselves by establishing the basis for long-term benefits, increased global importance, and higher quality of life for their people.
With that said, here are the African countries with the largest leap of real GDP growth this year, from last year, as per the Africa Pulse Report by the World Bank.
Top 10 African countries with the highest leap in GDP growth rate in 2025
Rank Country Real GDP growth rate 2025 Real GDP growth rate 2024
1. Sudan 5.0% -13.5%
2. Zimbabwe 6.0% 2.0%
3. Zambia 6.2% 4.0%
4. São Tomé and Príncipe 3.1% 0.9%
5. Senegal 7.9% 5.8%
6. Mozambique 3.0% 1.8%
7. Guinea 6.7% 5.7%
8. Mali 4.8% 4.0%
9. Seychelles 3.1% 2.4%
10. Central Africa Republic 2.1% 1.5%
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
€17.2m solar project aims to lift Burkina Faso from among Africa's least electrified
Burkina Faso has secured €17.2 million in financing to advance a major solar project aimed at improving electricity access in one of Africa's least electrified nations. Burkina Faso has received €17.2 million financing for a significant solar energy project in Dédougou. Funding sources include FMO's Building Prospects Fund and the African Development Bank's SEFA. This solar development is expected to boost domestic power generation and enhance grid stability. The funding will go toward building and operating an 18 MWp solar power plant in Dédougou, marking a key step in the government's drive to expand renewable energy in Africa and cut dependence on costly, carbon-intensive power sources. The project is backed by €11.2 million in debt from the Dutch development bank FMO through its Building Prospects Fund and a €6 million concessional package from the African Development Bank's Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), comprising a €2.5 million senior concessional loan and a €3.5 million reimbursable grant. According to a 2023 World Bank report, Burkina Faso ranked as the seventh African nation with the lowest electricity access rate, with only 21.7% of its population connected to power. Countries with even lower access include South Sudan (5.4%), Burundi (11.6%), Chad (12.0%), Malawi (15.6%), the Central African Republic (17.6%), and Niger (20.1%). Operational status The new solar facility is poised to play a pivotal role in transforming Burkina Faso's energy landscape, delivering a meaningful increase in domestic power generation while reinforcing the stability of the national grid. By providing a cleaner and more affordable alternative, it will ease the country's heavy reliance on thermal plants and electricity imports. As recently as a few years ago, imports which came primarily from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, accounted for close to 40% of Burkina Faso's total supply. This dependence has long undermined the nation's development prospects, constraining industrial capacity and leaving its growing population vulnerable to external supply disruptions. The facility will operate under a 25-year power purchase agreement with the state utility SONABEL and forms part of the Desert-to-Power initiative, which aims to deliver 10 GW of solar capacity across the Sahel by 2030. FMO emphasises that its participation is critical, as local commercial banks in Burkina Faso are unable to offer long-term financing on suitable terms. Classified as an environmental and social Category B+ project, the investment triggers most IFC Performance Standards except PS7, and includes measures to manage economic displacement, maintain community relations, address security risks, and protect biodiversity, particularly important given the region's fragile security environment.
Business Insider
20 hours ago
- Business Insider
Beta Glass records impressive 63% revenue surge in half-year results, as PBT rises by 337%
#FeaturedPost Lagos, Nigeria – July 30, 2025 – Beta Glass Plc, the leading manufacturer of glass packaging solutions in West and Central Africa, has announced its unaudited interim financial results for the first half of the year ended June 30th, 2025, recording strong and resilient growth despite macroeconomic challenges. H1 2025 Performance Overview Half Year 2025 Half Year 20-24 Var (+/_%) ₦ millions ₦ millions % Net Sales 78,232 47,884 63% Operating Profit 26,846 7,095 278% Operating Margin % 34% 15% Profit Before Tax 27,604 6,312 337% Profit After Tax 18,705 4,309 334% EBITDA 30,075 9,576 214% EBITDA (Margin %) 38% 20% EPS (₦ per share) 31.18 7.18 334% The strong H1 2025 performance was driven by increased market demand for glass packaging in our key sectors, strategic operational efficiencies and effective pricing, amidst several challenges, persistent inflationary pressures, and rising energy costs. Speaking on the results, Mr. Alexander Gendis, CEO of Beta Glass, said: 'We are very proud of our half year results; delivering double-digit growth in revenue and triple-digit growth in profitability despite a challenging environment. This performance is an affirmation of our market strength across West and Central Africa.' Mr. Gendis further noted the Company's continued investment in long-term growth drivers, including the deployment of a solar power plant at its Agbara facility in Ogun State, aimed at mitigating energy costs and advancing the Company's sustainability agenda. 'Looking ahead, we remain optimistic about the rest of 2025. We are confident that our focus on operational excellence, sustainable energy investments and expanding our product portfolio will continue to drive value for all stakeholders,' he added. Beta Glass remains committed to leveraging innovation, sustainability and partnerships to maintain its growth trajectory in the coming quarters. The Company continues to monitor external factors such as exchange rates and energy costs while optimising its supply chain for greater efficiency. For further details, the full unaudited interim financial statements are available on the Company's website. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, the company operates across nine other African countries, including Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon, South Africa, and Burkina Faso.
Business Insider
21 hours ago
- Business Insider
This African country may have just gotten its first dollar billionaire
Across the large and resource-rich African continent, the number of dollar billionaires, people with net worths of more than $1 billion, remains remarkably low. Thom Mpinganjira from Malawi may have just added to this figure. Thom Mpinganjira from Malawi may now be classified as the country's first dollar billionaire, with his assets exceeding $1 billion. This positions him as the richest individual in Malawi, reflecting a significant elevation in his net worth through investments. His indirect control over 40.73% of FDH Bank Plc contributed to this achievement, with the bank's shares escalating by 365% in 2024. While Africa has a population of over 1.4 billion people, only a few nations have the distinction of producing billionaires. According to global wealth indexes, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe are the few countries in Africa that can boast of at least one billionaire. However, a recent assessment issued by Billionaires Africa revealed that Malawi may have just joined this elusive club. Estimates of Malawian native, Thom Mpinganjira, bank shares suggest that he may now have over a billion dollars in assets. This would mean that the Malawian banker is now the richest person in the country and the only dollar billionaire in the Southern African country. As of now, global rankings such as Forbes and the Bloomberg Billionaire Index have yet to categorize the Malawian banker as a billionaire. Thom Mpinganjira's net worth surge Mpinganjira's climb to the billionaire ranks is fueled by a stunning increase in the value of his indirect share in FDH Bank Plc, Malawi's largest and most valuable publicly listed corporation. Through his investment business, M Development, he controls 55% of FDH Financial Holdings, which owns 74.05% of FDH Bank, as per BillionairesAfrica's estimates. This arrangement provides him indirect control over more than 2.81 billion shares, or approximately 40.73 percent of the bank. According to the most recent appraisal, Mpinganjira's stock is now worth MWK 1.94 trillion ($1.12 billion), a significant increase from MWK 416.6 billion ($240.5 million) at the beginning of the year. The $878.9 million rise is directly related to FDH Bank's exceptional stock surge in 2024. Shares have risen by 365 percent, from MWK 148.23 ($0.085) in January to MWK 689.99 ($0.398) today, raising the bank's market value to MWK 4.76 trillion ($2 billion). This dramatic ascent has been driven by exceptional financial success and strategic expansion. In 2024, FDH Bank had tremendous growth in all important parameters. Customer deposits nearly quadrupled, reaching MWK 883 billion ($508.5 million), while total revenues increased by 90 percent to MWK 195 billion ($112.2 million). Profit after tax more than quadrupled, increasing 108 percent to MWK 74 billion ($42.6 million). Along with these results, the bank took a daring step to broaden its regional presence, agreeing to buy virtually all of Ecobank Mozambique S.A. from the pan-African banking giant Ecobank Transnational Incorporated. Ecobank Mozambique, which is regulated by the Central Bank of Mozambique, has been in operation since 2000, initially as Novo Banco SARL before rebranding in 2014, and has four locations in significant cities.
