Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. While the economic growth renaissance in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognized, much less is known about progress in living conditions. This book comprehensively evaluates trends in living conditions in 16 major sub-Saharan African countries, corresponding to nearly 75% of the total population. A striking diversity of experience emerges. While monetary indicators improved in many countries, others are yet to succeed in channeling the benefits of economic growth into the pockets of the poor. Some countries experienced little economic growth, and saw little material progress for the poor. At the same time, the large majority of countries have made impressive progress in key non-monetary indicators of wellbeing. Overall, the African growth renaissance earns two cheers, but not three. While gains in macroeconomic and political stability are real, they are also fragile. Growth on a per capita basis is much better than in the 1980s and 1990s, yet not rapid compared with other developing regions. Importantly from a pan-African perspective, key economies-particularly Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa-are not among the better performers. Looking forward, realistic expectations are required. The development process is, almost always, a long hard slog. Nevertheless, real and durable factors appear to be at play on the sub-continent with positive implications for growth and poverty reduction in future. Contributors to this volume - Dede Houeto Aduayom, independent consultant Olu Ajakaiye, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research Olufunke A. Alaba, University of Cape Town Channing Arndt, UNU-WIDER Ulrik Beck, University of Copenhagen Arne Bigsten, University of Gothenburg Denis Cogneau, Paris School of Economics Lionel Demery, independent consultant Anaclet Desire Dzossa, National Institute of Statistics Samuel Fambon, University of Yaounde II Arden Finn, University of Cape Town Michael Grimm, Universities of Passau and Erasmus Rotterdam Kenneth Houngbedji Afeikhena T. Jerome, Nigerian Governors' Forum E. Samuel Jones, University of Copenhagen Olive Stephanie Kouakep, University of Dschang Murray Leibbrandt, University of Cape Town Kristi Mahrt, UNU-WIDER Damiano Kulundu Manda, University of Nairobi Gibson Masumbu, Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research Andy McKay, University of Sussex Sandrine Mesple-Somps, French Research Institute for Development Richard Mussa, University of Malawi Germano Mwabu, University of Nairobi Malokele Nanivazo, University of Kansas Aude Nikiema, Institut des Sciences des Societes Olanrewaju Olaniyan, University of Ibadan Morne Oosthuizen, University of Cape Town Karl Pauw, IFPRI Jukka Pirttila, UNU-WIDER Faly Rakotomanana, INSTAT Tiaray Razafimanantena, CREAM and University of Antananarivo Haruna Sekabira, Makerere University David Stifel, Lafayette College Finn Tarp, University of Copenhagen and UNU-WIDER Romain Tchakoute Ngoho, University of Yaounde 1 Joseph-Pierre Timnou, University of Yaounde II Bjorn Van Campenhout, IFPRI Marijke Verpoorten, University of Antwerp Anthony Wambugu, University of Nairobi Claude Wetta, University of Ouagadougou Tassew Woldehanna, Addis Ababa University