African Economic Outlook 2020

This year’s Outlook offers numerous ways for African countries to develop the workforce of the future. Addressing Africa’s education and skill gaps requires collective action involving governments, households, international donors, and the private sector. To address inequality in education, the Outlook appeals for progressive universalism in education spending — setting high priorities for the poor and disadvantaged and for basic education, where social returns are highest. The Outlook shows that public expenditures on education and infrastructure are highly complementary, as investing in both has a much greater payoff than investing exclusively in just one. The efficiency of education spending is much lower in Africa than in developing and emerging Asia.