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Transfroming Africa’s Poor Infrastructure

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Posted by: CareTaker on November 13, 2009 Under: Africa, Politics & Policy

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For Africa to catch up on infrastructure with other developing regions over the next 10 years, an annual investment of $93 billion would be required. - World Bank.

For Africa to catch up on infrastructure with other developing regions over the next 10 years, an annual investment of $93 billion would be required.

The World Bank just announced in its study, Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation, that the poor state of infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa—its electricity, water, roads and information and communications technology (ICT)—cuts national economic growth by two percentage points every year and reduces productivity by as much as 40 percent. The study team conducted an in-depth assessment of the state of infrastructure in 24 countries across the continent.

Synopsis of the report

  • Infrastructure has been a major driver of strong economic growth in Africa in recent years; better infrastructure could make an even greater contribution.
  • On several basic infrastructure indicators, low- and middle-income African countries trail their peers elsewhere in the developing world.
  • The prices paid by African consumers for infrastructure services are exceptionally high by global standards.
  • For Africa to catch up on infrastructure with other developing regions over the next 10 years, an annual investment of $93 billion would be required—15 percent of the region’s GDP and more than twice the amount estimated by the Commission for Africa in 2005.
  • Africa is already spending $45 billion a year on its infrastructure needs—about half of the amount needed to achieve its goals and to close the gap with other regions
  • More efficient use of existing resources could release an additional $17.4 billion in finance for infrastructure each year.
  • Even if the full potential for efficiency gains were realized, a substantial infrastructure funding gap of $31 billion a year would remain.
  • Raising more funds will be challenging in the context of the current global financial crisis.
  • To make ends meet, many countries may have to consider other ways of aligning infrastructure targets with the available resource envelope.

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3 comment(s)

  1. job vacancies | Nov 16, 2009 | Reply

    its because of the bad leaders, instead of them to use their countrys money to develop it, they prefer to spend it on themselves

  2. Switz | Nov 16, 2009 | Reply

    This is a damning report — there only way out is for the private sector to step in. Respective governments better start creating an enabling environment to make this happen.

  3. Christopher Ifejika | Nov 21, 2009 | Reply

    It is common knowledge that capital projects have provided various administration in Nigeria the opprotunity to line private pockets. In fact without capital projects there will be no plundering of our collective patrimonies. This now presents a dire questions – should capitals projects be stopped? The obvious answer is NO. Once again, the constructive approach to changing this trend of damning report lies at the heart of cleansing the augean stable. Evil thrives only when good men stand by and watch. Let us be more involved in gorvernance. Let the voices of Gani et al not be like that of the prophet John who cried his voice hoarse in the wilderness. The 2011 elections are nigh and the evil doers are advanced in their nefarious plans to hold on to power and further institutionalise sorrow tears and blood. Let the good men arise to challenge these men for goodness sake. Me and you are those good men. Not Wolw Soyinka, Enahoro etc who have more than contributed their fair share. Let us register, vote and defend our votes for the first time. This is the missing link and the only alternative to chaos.

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