World Bank Urges African Leaders to Boost Public Services Amid Declining Governance and Youth Discontent
By Okafor Joseph Afam | Published July 11, 2025 | SpringNewsNG
The World Bank has called on African governments to urgently improve public service delivery to drive inclusive and sustainable development, as revealed in its newly released 2024 Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) for Sub-Saharan Africa report.
Released Wednesday, the CPIA report shows that while the region’s average policy score remained steady at 3.1 out of 6—unchanged from 2023—this stability masks growing disparities and weak governance in several nations. The report, which evaluates institutional quality and policy frameworks in IDA-eligible countries, emphasizes that meaningful reforms must be expanded beyond traditionally strong performers.
Despite a few countries recording policy gains, the report identifies poor governance and uneven reforms as key challenges stalling broad-based progress. It warns that without urgent action to strengthen infrastructure, security, human capital, and public administration, Africa risks falling further behind other regions in service delivery.
The World Bank also flagged a troubling rise in public dissatisfaction across the continent in 2024, fueled by worsening service quality and high-profile youth-led protests. The report links growing discontent to eroding political support for many incumbents, highlighting the need for responsive, transparent governance.
In a strong message to African leaders, the World Bank urged governments to mobilize domestic resources and prioritize effective public service delivery, especially in the face of constrained external financing and mounting socioeconomic pressure.
The CPIA report serves as a critical roadmap for policymakers, investors, and development partners seeking to build a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Sub-Saharan Africa.
