New projections made about Africa’s economic story in 2026 are based on nominal GDP estimates that place a familiar group of countries at the top, but the deeper story lies in why these economies are leading and what it signals about Africa’s future growth path.

A notable infographic produced by World Visualized for June 2025 shows how widely inflation rates vary among the Group of 20 economies. At one end, Argentina and Turkey continue to experience runaway price growth of around 39.4% and 35% respectively, while China’s inflation rate barely registers at 0.1%.

Over the past decade, the U.S. dollar has experienced a steady yet noticeable erosion in purchasing power, with cumulative inflation pushing the nominal value of $500,000 in 2015 to a staggering $678,147.56 by 2025.

As of December 2024, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released its latest Economic Outlook, projecting global GDP growth to remain resilient despite significant challenges. The global economy is expected to grow by 3.3% in 2025, slightly up from 3.2% in 2024. Inflation within OECD countries is anticipated to ease from 5.4% in 2024 to 3.8% in 2025, supported by a still restrictive monetary policy stance in most countries.

Central banks have long served as the foundation for the seamless production and distribution of money across countries around the globe.