Ghana rebounds, Nigeria steadies as West Africa braces for new global shocks
West Africa ended 2025 with stronger growth and lower inflation, but the war in the Middle East has disrupted supply chains and raised commodity prices, according to the 2026 West African Development Outlook. Ghana recorded growth of 6.0% in 2025, with inflation falling to 14.2% and public debt declining to 48.8% of GDP. Nigeria's growth reached 4.0%, inflation eased to 23.0%, and public debt fell to 35.5% of GDP.
Why it matters: The report reinforces the briefing's theme of global shocks, arguing that West Africa's structural exposure to distant conflicts demands domestic capacity-building to absorb future disruptions.