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Author:
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
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Language:
English
Keywords:
REO; IMF staff calculation; economic activity; Sub-Saharan Africa; price
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Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa is facing an unprecedented health and economic crisis that threatens to throw the region off its stride, reversing the encouraging development progress of recent years. Furthermore, by exacting a heavy human toll, upending livelihoods, and damaging business and government balance sheets, the crisis threatens to retard the region’s growth prospects in the years to come. Previous crises tended to impact affect countries in the region differentially, but no country will be spared this time.

Statistical Appendix

Unless noted otherwise, data and projections presented in this Regional Economic Outlook are IMF staff estimates as of 7 April 2020, consistent with the projections underlying the April 2020 World Economic Outlook.

The data and projections cover 45 sub-Saharan African countries in the IMF’s African Department. Data definitions follow established international statistical methodologies to the extent possible. However, in some cases, data limitations limit comparability across countries.

Country Groupings

Countries are aggregated into three (non-overlapping) groups: oil exporters, other resource-intensive countries, and non-resource-intensive countries (see table on page 16 for the country groupings).

  • The oil exporters are countries where net oil exports make up 30 percent or more of total exports.

  • The other resource-intensive countries are those where nonrenewable natural resources represent 25 percent or more of total exports.

  • The non-resource-intensive countries refer to those that are not classified as either oil exporters or other resource-intensive countries.

Countries are also aggregated into four (overlapping) groups: oil exporters, middle-income, low-income, and countries in fragile situations (see table on page 16 for the country groupings).

The membership of these groups reflects the most recent data on per capita gross national income (averaged over three years) and the World Bank, Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) score (averaged over three years).

  • The middle-income countries had per capita gross national income in the years 2016–18 of more than $1025.00 (World Bank, using the Atlas method).

  • The low-income countries had average per capita gross national income in the years 2016–18 equal to or lower than $1025.00 (World Bank, Atlas method).

  • The countries in fragile situations had average CPIA scores of 3.2 or less in the years 2016–18 and/or had the presence of a peace-keeping or peace-building mission within the last three years.

  • The membership of sub-Saharan African countries in the major regional cooperation bodies is shown on page 16: CFA franc zone, comprising the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and CEMAC; the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); the East Africa Community (EAC-5); the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); the Southern African Development Community (SADC); and the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU). EAC-5 aggregates include data for Rwanda and Burundi, which joined the group only in 2007.

Methods of Aggregation

In Tables SA1 and SA3, country group composites for real GDP growth and broad money are calculated as the arithmetic average of data for individual countries, weighted by GDP valued at purchasing power parity as a share of total group GDP. The source of purchasing power parity weights is the World Economic Outlook (WEO) database.

In Table SA1, country group composites for consumer prices are calculated as the geometric average of data for individual countries, weighted by GDP valued at purchasing power parity as a share of total group GDP. The source of purchasing power parity weights is the WEO database.

In Tables SA2–SA4, country group composites except for broad money, are calculated as the arithmetic average of data for individual countries, weighted by GDP in U.S. dollars at market exchange rates as a share of total group GDP.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Member Countries of Groupings

Sub-Saharan Africa: Member Countries of Regional Groupings

List of Appendix Tables SA1—SA4:

Table SA1.

Real GDP Growth and Consumer Prices

Sources: IMF, Common Surveillance database and IMF, World Economic Outlook database, April 2020.

Fiscal year data.

In 2019 Zimbabwe authorities introduced the RTGS dollar, later renamed the Zimbabwe dollar, and are in the process of redenominating their national accounts statistics. Current data are subject to revision. The Zimbabwe dollar previously ceased circulating in 2009 and, between 2009–19, Zimbabwe operated under a multi-currency regime with the US dollar as the unit of account.

Note: “…” denotes data not available.
Table SA2.

Overall Fiscal Balance, Including Grants and Government Debt

Sources: IMF, Common Surveillance database and IMF, World Economic Outlook database, April 2020.

Fiscal year data.

In 2019 Zimbabwe authorities introduced the RTGS dollar, later renamed the Zimbabwe dollar, and are in the process of redenominating their national accounts statistics. Current data are subject to revision. The Zimbabwe dollar previously ceased circulating in 2009 and, between 2009–19, Zimbabwe operated under a multi-currency regime with the US dollar as the unit of account.

Note: “…” denotes data not available.
Table SA3.

Broad Money and External Current Account, Including Grants

Sources: IMF, Common Surveillance database and IMF, World Economic Outlook database, April 2020.

Fiscal year data.

In 2019 Zimbabwe authorities introduced the RTGS dollar, later renamed the Zimbabwe dollar, and are in the process of redenominating their national accounts statistics. Current data are subject to revision. The Zimbabwe dollar previously ceased circulating in 2009 and, between 2009–19, Zimbabwe operated under a multi-currency regime with the US dollar as the unit of account.

Note: “…” denotes data not available.
Table SA4.

External Debt, Official Debt, Debtor Based and Reserves

Sources: IMF, Common Surveillance database, and IMF, World Economic Outlook database, April 2020

As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), see WAEMU aggregate for reserves data.

As a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), see CEMAC aggregate for reserves data.

Fiscal year data.

In 2019 Zimbabwe authorities introduced the RTGS dollar, later renamed the Zimbabwe dollar, and are in the process of redenominating their national accounts statistics. Current data are subject to revision. The Zimbabwe dollar previously ceased circulating in 2009 and, between 2009–19, Zimbabwe operated under a multi-currency regime with the US dollar as the unit of account.

Note: “…” denotes data not available.
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Cover Regional Economic Outlook, April 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa
COVID-19: An Unprecedented Threat to Development
ISBN:
9781513536835
ISSN:
2707-8086
Publication Date:
15 Apr 2020
Publisher:
International Monetary Fund
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513536835.086
Pages:
29