IMF predicts 2.5% economic growth for Nigeria

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected growth of 2.5 per cent for Nigeria in 2021, which is one per cent higher than it predicted in January this year.

The IMF announced the new projection in its World Economic Outlook update released on Tuesday.

January’s forecast was a downward review from the forecast it shared in October 2020.

The Nigerian economy exited recession in the fourth quarter of 2020 with a modest 0.11 per cent growth.

The IMF also projected that in sub-Saharan Africa, growth will strengthen to 3.4 per cent in 2021, 0.2 per cent higher than the previous forecast.

The IMF expects the world economy to grow by six per cent in 2021, up from its 5.5 per cent forecast in January, a stronger economic recovery in 2021.

It, however, warns of “daunting challenges” given the different rates of administering shots across the globe.

“Global prospects remain highly uncertain one year into the pandemic. New virus mutations and the accumulating human toll raise concerns, even as growing vaccine coverage lifts sentiment.

“Economic recoveries are diverging across countries and sectors, reflecting variation in pandemic-induced disruptions and the extent of policy support.

“The outlook depends not just on the outcome of the battle between the virus and vaccines—it also hinges on how effectively economic policies deployed under high uncertainty can limit lasting damage from this unprecedented crisis,” the IMF said in a statement,” it stated.

The multilateral institution also said global growth is projected at 6 per cent in 2021, moderating to 4.4 per cent in 2022. The projections for 2021 and 2022 are stronger than in the October 2020 WEO.

“The upward revision reflects additional fiscal support in a few large economies, the anticipated vaccine-powered recovery in the second half of 2021, and continued adaptation of economic activity to subdued mobility. High uncertainty surrounds this outlook, related to the path of the pandemic, the effectiveness of policy support to provide a bridge to vaccine-powered normalization, and the evolution of financial conditions,” it stated.

In its new report, the IMF said about 95 million people are likely to fall below the extreme poverty threshold during 2020–21.

It also stated, “Higher debt service costs are also expected to constrain their ability to address social needs, including rising poverty and growing inequality, or to correct the setback in human capital accumulation during the crisis.”