NAIROBI, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Wednesday revised its 2026 economic growth projection for sub-Saharan Africa downward by 0.3 percentage points from the October 2025 forecast, citing geopolitical risks.

According to the latest edition of the Africa Economic Update, sub-Saharan Africa's economic recovery from a decade of global shocks is showing signs of stalling.

While growth is holding at 4.1 percent, the same pace as in 2025, rising costs for food, fuel, and fertilizer, coupled with tighter financial conditions, threaten to spike inflation and disproportionately impact the region's most vulnerable households, which spend a larger share of their income on food and energy, said the report.

According to the World Bank, inflation is projected to rise to 4.8 percent in 2026, driven largely by the effects of the conflict in the Middle East.

It noted that declining external financing, particularly reduced development assistance, is adding pressure for low-income countries. ■