Research, intelligence, stories, and convenings for the people building, funding, and shaping Africa's next economic chapter.
LEAF reports examine debt, markets, investment, value chains, and the structural questions shaping the continent's future.
The U.S.-Iran peace framework matters for Africa not because it resolves the continent’s structural vulnerabilities, but because it temporarily repric…
Africa’s public debt expanded from $510 billion in 2008 to $1.83 trillion in 2024 , a 253% increase in 16 years.
Global public debt reached a record $102 trillion in 2024 , equal to 93% of global GDP . Africa accounts for only about 1.9% of that debt, yet many Af…
Every day, millions of Lagos residents and business owners make a quiet, expensive calculation: “how much fuel will the generator need today?” It is a…
Africa’s financial markets are entering a defining phase. Large corporations are no longer just seeking capital; they are testing where African corpor…
South Africa's 50 Billion Rand AI Economy: Bypassing Physical Constraints for Digital Growth
The market no longer believes in a ceasefire headline on its own. Africa is no longer dealing only with the first-round panic from the US-Iran war. It…
Africa’s economy is often discussed as a single story. The story in 2026 tells a very different narrative.
How African economies grow, industrialise, and shift toward higher productivity and globally competitive industries.
How Africans gain access to jobs, entrepreneurship, skills, and pathways to upward economic mobility.
How leadership, governance, and institutional capacity shape economic progress and development outcomes.
How technology, demographic shifts, and new ideas are redefining Africa's economic and social trajectory.
How Africa engages with global trade, capital flows, geopolitics, and international partnerships.
Intra-African trade is projected at $209.3 billion in 2026, showing stronger regional demand and a more important role for continental markets.
Africa's share of global merchandise exports is forecast at just 2.5% in 2026, showing how limited the continent's global trade weight still is.
Kenya is forecast to grow by 4.9% in 2026, making it the strongest and steadiest performer among the report's focus economies.
Bringing you curated African insight, research, media, and analysis on the forces shaping the continent's future.
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