World Bank Says Many Developing Nations Remain Poorer Than Before Pandemic
Around one quarter of developing countries are poorer today than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new findings from the World Bank, highlighting a slow and uneven global recovery. The Washington-based institution said income levels in many low-income nations have failed to rebound since 2019.
The bank noted that several countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, experienced a prolonged economic shock over the six years to the end of last year. Nations such as Botswana, Namibia, Chad, Mozambique and the Central African Republic were cited, while South Africa and Nigeria also failed to raise average incomes despite modest growth in 2025.
According to the report, global economic growth has weakened since the pandemic and remains too slow to significantly reduce extreme poverty or generate sufficient jobs. Growth in emerging and developing economies is expected to ease from 4.2% last year to about 4% next year, underscoring ongoing structural challenges.
While the World Bank said the global economy has shown more resilience than expected, it warned that progress will likely remain limited in 2026. The US economy outperformed forecasts, growing above 2%, while the eurozone lagged behind, with growth remaining close to 1%, reflecting persistent weakness in advanced economies.
The report attributed slow recoveries in poorer countries partly to conflict, food shortages and earlier economic downturns that recent growth has not offset. The bank’s chief economist, Indermit Gill, argued that policy failures have also played a role, calling for stricter fiscal discipline and reforms to boost private investment, trade, education and technology.
Looking ahead, the bank warned that global growth will stay subdued while public and private debt remains high. China is expected to grow modestly below past levels, constrained by demographic pressures, property sector weakness and trade tensions, even as government spending and diversified exports provide some support to its economy.
