Economic Brief - Infrastructure Deficit and Opportunities in Africa

There are huge investment opportunities in Africa, especially in infrastructure, where the benefits are expected to be high. In particular, Africa’s absolute and relative lack of infrastructure points to the existence of untapped productive potential, which could be unlocked through scaling up investments in the sector. Notably, infrastructure plays a central role in improving competitiveness, facilitating domestic and international trade, and enhancing the continent’s integration into the global economy. Coupled with better human development outcomes that improved infrastructure promises, the spillover effects and the dynamism that would be generated could support the continent’s economic growth and poverty reduction efforts. Similarly, improved infrastructure could help eliminate some of the binding constraints to the realization of the benefits of globalization.