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  • Argentina, Egypt, and Ukraine were the IMF’s top three debtors as of June 26, 2024, accounting for $51 billion (46%) of the total debt. Egypt, Angola, and Kenya occupy the top three spots in Africa on the IMF’s debtors’ list.

    As of December 2023, Kenya's public debt stood at Ksh11.14 trillion (approximately $76.8 billion). By June 2024, its debt to the IMF had increased by 245% from $744 million in August 2020.

    This increase has coincided with protests in Kenya, where citizens opposed a proposed finance bill aiming to raise additional taxes to reduce the budget deficit and state borrowing.

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    africas-imports-by-country-2022-65bcdbd921bcd

    African countries imported products worth $694 billion in 2022, with South Africa, the continent's leading importer, bringing in products worth $111.9 billion, representing 16.1% of the total. Egypt followed with $79.7 billion, constituting 11.5%.

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  • A Trend of Adult literacy rates of African countries

    Between 2018 and 2021, adult literacy rates across African nations exhibited significant disparities. Seychelles and South Africa led with literacy rates of 96% and 95%, respectively, indicating a high proportion of literate adults. Conversely, Chad had the lowest literacy rate during this period.

    These statistics underscore the uneven progress in educational attainment across Africa, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve literacy in lower-performing nations.

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    Inflation rate in Nigeria increased to 31.7% in February 2024. Nigeria has the 13th highest inflation rate out of 186 countries and territories as of February 2024.

    The data showcases Argentina leading with 276%, followed by Lebanon and Syria. Seven of the top fifteen are African.

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  • Nigeria was the seventh most populous nation in the world in 2020, with 206.1 million people. Projected to reach a population of 401.3 million by 2050, Nigeria will rank third after India (1st) and China (2nd). According to Institut national d'études démographiques' projections, Nigeria, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Egypt, Tanzania, and Kenya will be among the world’s top 20 most populous countries by 2050.

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    Top ten African countries by estimated number of films produced annually

    The Nigerian movie industry, mainly financed via public or private funding and international grants, produces the most films in Africa, yearly. Nigeria produced more than double the number of films that the Ghanaian and Kenyan movie industries produce annually.

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  • Per projections made by Goldman Sachs, China should lead the global economy in terms of GDP by the year 2075, closely followed by India and the US. Nigeria and Egypt are the only African countries expected to be in the top 15 by that time.

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  • Only 10% of Nigerians earn above ₦100,000, according to the Nigerian Financial Services Market Report. This aligns with most reports about Nigeria, and it's in sharp contrast to the narratives online.
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  • A Trend of Adult literacy rates of African countries

    Between 2018 and 2021, adult literacy rates across African nations exhibited significant disparities. Seychelles and South Africa led with literacy rates of 96% and 95%, respectively, indicating a high proportion of literate adults. Conversely, Chad had the lowest literacy rate during this period.

    These statistics underscore the uneven progress in educational attainment across Africa, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve literacy in lower-performing nations.

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Other Insights
 
  • Nearly half (48.9%) of Nigerian businesses identify inflation as their greatest economic challenge in 2025.
  • The foreign exchange rate (17.1%) is the second most pressing concern, reflecting ongoing naira volatility.
  • Insecurity (15.6%) and government policies (10.0%) remain significant worries for business operations.
  • Inadequate infrastructure (8.4%), while the least mentioned, continues to constrain growth.
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  • Just 25.1% of MSMEs report receiving any form of government support, while 74.9% remain untouched by initiatives.
  • Among those who benefitted, 41.1% accessed grants, making it the most common form of support.
  • 22.1% of MSMEs participated in government training programmes, showing recognition of capacity-building needs.
  • Only 16% received loans and 13.8% got tax breaks, underscoring limited financial and fiscal support penetration.
  • A mere 6.9% of businesses report accessing subsidies, reflecting minimal impact of such schemes.
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  • The South West (₦8.3m) far surpasses all regions in monthly revenue, reflecting Lagos’ dominance as Nigeria’s commercial hub.
  • The South South (₦831k) and South East (₦605k) trail far behind but still outperform the northern regions.
  • The North East (₦562k) and North West (₦479k) show significantly lower average revenues.
  • The North Central (₦241k) records the weakest average, underlining stark regional disparities.
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  • Only 12.1% of entrepreneurs are aged 18–25, showing limited entry among very young adults.
  • The largest groups are 26–35 (33.3%) and 36–45 (33.8%), together accounting for two-thirds of entrepreneurs.
  • Mid-life representation: 14.6% are aged 46–55.
  • Just 6.2% are 56 and above, indicating fewer older adults start or run MSMEs.
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  • 48.8% of MSMEs earn less than ₦100,000 monthly.
  • 19.5% report revenues between ₦100,000 and ₦199,900.
  • The share of businesses decreases steadily in the ₦200,000–₦999,900 bands, ranging from 9.3% to 6%.
  • Only 8.8% of MSMEs earn above ₦1 million monthly, with just 0.4% exceeding ₦100 million.
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  • Mauritius leads Africa with the highest GII score (32.5), ranking 53rd globally out of 139 countries.
  • North Africa dominates the top 5, with Morocco and Tunisia both strong performers.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa’s bright spots include South Africa, Seychelles, Botswana, and Senegal.
  • Nigeria is 105th globally (21.1), highlighting Africa’s uneven innovation capacity.
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  • At independence in 1960, Nigeria contributed about 10% of Africa’s GDP, establishing itself early as one of the continent’s largest economies.
  • Nigeria’s share peaked at 31% in 1981 during the oil boom, highlighting the dramatic impact of natural resources on the economy.
  • Between the mid-1980s and 2000s, Nigeria’s share fluctuated significantly, dropping to 9.2% in 1999 due to political instability, economic mismanagement, and external shocks.
  • By 2024, Nigeria’s share fell to 7.1%, despite a GDP of $187.8 billion, showing slower relative growth compared to other African economies and the ongoing need for economic diversification.
  • This share reflects Nigeria’s relative position in Africa’s economy over time, showing how it moved in relation to the growth of the rest of the continent.
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  • After yielding 61.9 million tonnes, yams were valued at $25.4 billion in 2023, the highest among reported commodities.
  • With 62.7 million tonnes produced, cassava generated $9.1 billion, making it the second most valuable crop.
  • Okra ($818/t), tomatoes ($808/t), and pineapples ($753/t) earned the highest returns per unit despite smaller volumes (1.6–3.8 million tonnes).
  • Maize ($3.7 b, 11.1 m t), rice ($3.1 b, 8.9 m t), sorghum ($2.3 b, 6.4 m t), cowpeas ($1.2 b, 4.3 m t), and groundnuts ($0.9 b, 4.3 m t) form the backbone of production.
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  • In 2023, the total number of African-born immigrants in the US was about 2.79 million.
  • Western Africa is the largest source region, contributing 1.08 million immigrants (39%), led by Nigeria (476k).
  • Eastern Africa is the second-largest source (28%), dominated by Ethiopia (278.2k).
  • Northern Africa accounts for 17%, mainly from Egypt (225.7k).
  • Central Africa contributes 8%, with Cameroon (90.7k) as the top country.
  • Southern Africa is smaller at 5%, almost entirely from South Africa (133.4k).
  • Five countries—Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Cameroon, and South Africa—together make up nearly half of all African-born immigrants in the US.
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  • Food prices rose roughly 13.9% from January to August 2025, according to the rebased Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the National Bureau of Statistics.
  • Month-on-month inflation for food fluctuated, with some months seeing sharper increases than others.
  • Using January as a baseline, the purchasing power of money for food declined steadily, meaning households need more naira to buy the same items.
  • Food carries a large weight in the CPI basket, making it a major driver of overall inflation and cost-of-living increases.
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  • Kenya’s microfinance assets grew by just 1.62% between 2014 and 2024.
  • The sector peaked in 2019 at KSh 76.4B, before entering a steady decline.
  • 2023 (-8.8%) and 2024 (-9.8%) posted the steepest year-on-year declines.
  • The sector recorded only two notable growth spikes: 2015 (+21.9%) and 2019 (+7.9%).
  • Overall, the trend from 2020 onward shows persistent contraction in asset value.
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  • Kenya’s insurance sector PAT grew by 143% between 2017 and 2024.
  • The lowest point came in 2020, with profits dropping 57.7% to KSh 6.4B.
  • A sharp rebound followed, with profits rising steadily each year from 2021 to 2024.
  • The strongest yearly growth was in 2019, with a 108% surge in profits.
  • By 2024, PAT stood at KSh 33.1B, the highest in the seven-year period.
  • Profits more than quadrupled from 2020 (KSh 6.4B) to 2024 (KSh 33.1B).
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  • A majority (67.2%) of Nigerian crypto users (17.7 million people) use digital assets mainly for investment and long-term financial growth.
  • Overall, 26.34 million Nigerians—over one in eight adults—actively use or hold cryptocurrency, giving the country the highest adoption rate globally.
  • About 18.4% (4.8 million) use crypto for everyday needs such as remittances, payments, and inflation protection.
  • 14.4% (3.8 million) identify as active traders, providing liquidity and earning income through market participation.
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  • Total public debt hits ₦152.4 trillion, marking another milestone in Nigeria’s expanding debt profile.
  • Domestic debt leads at ₦80.5 trillion, making up about 53% of total obligations.
  • External debt stands at ₦71.8 trillion, equivalent to roughly 47%, reflecting Nigeria’s ongoing exposure to foreign lenders.
  • The data signals growing fiscal dependence on local markets, as authorities seek to limit exchange rate risks while still financing deficits.
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  • Power supply remains the biggest challenge affecting Nigerian businesses, affecting 82.5% of firms nationwide.
  • Poor transport infrastructure limits operations for over a quarter of businesses.
  • Internet disruptions affect more than one in five firms, highlighting connectivity gaps.
  • Climate and water issues are emerging risks, with some firms reporting weather damage and supply shortages.
  • The survey covered 1,043 firms across Nigeria and reflects responses from business owners and top managers.
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  • The IMF’s new 2019 GDP base year added between $20 billion and $235 billion annually to Nigeria’s GDP from 1990–2025.
  • 2014 saw the biggest jump — an upward revision of $235.1 billion, raising GDP to $811.1 billion from $576.0 billion under the old base.
  • The rebased data consistently show 40–45% higher GDP values through the 2000s and 2010s, revealing a larger economy than earlier estimates.
  • The impact was strongest during Nigeria’s oil boom years (2007–2014), when rebasing captured fast-growing sectors like digital services, informal trade, and modular refining.
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  • Sudan ranks highest in Africa with 18 coup attempts, the most in the continent since 1950.
  • Burkina Faso, Burundi, and Sierra Leone follow closely with 11 attempts each.
  • Ghana and Guinea-Bissau have each experienced 10 coup attempts, ranking among the top six.
  • West Africa remains the most coup-prone subregion, accounting for 9 of the top 15 coups in the region.
  • Africa has witnessed 226 coup attempts between 1950 and 2025.
  • Most coup-prone countries share traits like weak institutions, governance failures, and economic hardship.
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  • Nigeria’s GDP has been rebased to a 2019 base year, raising its nominal value by about 40.8%, according to the IMF’s October 2025 update.
  • The revision includes new data on digital, informal, and service sectors, giving a fuller picture of the economy.
  • Nigeria ranked among the world’s top 20 economies in 1998, 2013, 2014, and 2015, peaking in 2014 at $811 billion.
  • Despite later declines from currency depreciation and slower growth, the revision reaffirms Nigeria’s position as Africa’s largest economy.
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