Agencies

Charting a Path for a Resilient Recovery in Sub Saharan Africa

By Joshua OlorunsaiyePosted on September 18, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged Boosting resilience, COVID-19, Empowering people, Enhancing infrastructure, sub‑Saharan AfricaNo Comments

As we all continue to grapple with the COVID‑19 crisis, policymakers also need to look ahead. Countries need to ensure that the vast global fiscal support deployed to fight the pandemic also works to build a smarter, greener and more equitable future.
Nowhere is that more important than in sub‑Saharan Africa. It is where the needs are greatest and also home to the world’s youngest population, creating added urgency to act now to build forward better. Together, we need to chart a path to a more resilient recovery.

Supporting Migrants and Remittances as COVID-19 Rages On

By Joshua OlorunsaiyePosted on September 16, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged Migrant, Remittances, World BankNo Comments

Just as COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted some communities more than others, globally, the virus has had an over-sized negative impact on migrant workers.

Air pollution: A silent killer in Lagos

By Joshua OlorunsaiyePosted on September 8, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged Abidjan, Accra, Air pollution, Beijing, Cairo, Johannesburg, Lagos, Mumbai, Nairobi, Nigeria, Public transportNo Comments

As Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos is one of the world’s fastest-growing megacities, but this rapid growth has had a downside with high rates of illness and premature death caused by unhealthy air.

How Strong Infrastructure Governance Can End Waste in Public Investment

By Joshua OlorunsaiyePosted on September 5, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged Advanced Economies, COVID-19, emerging market economies, LIDCs, Low Income Developing Countries, Pandemic, Public infrastructure, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)3 Comments

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on people, firms, and economies all over the world. While countries have ramped public lifelines;to individuals and firms they will face enormous challenges to recover from the pandemic, amidst low economic activity and unprecedented levels of debts.Public infrastructure investment will play a key role in the recovery But with resources tight, governments need to spend taxpayer money wisely on the right projects. For this, countries need good infrastructure governance—strong institutions and frameworks to plan, allocate, and implement quality public infrastructure.

COVID-19: Without Help, Low-Income Developing Countries Risk a Lost Decade

By Joshua OlorunsaiyePosted on August 27, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged Africa, COVID-19, emerging market economies, LIDCs, Low-Income Developing Countries, Poverty, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)No Comments

While the COVID-19 crisis is sending shockwaves around the globe, low-income developing countries (LIDCs) are in a particularly difficult position to respond. LIDCs have both been hit hard by external shocks and are suffering severe domestic contractions from the spread of the virus and the lockdown measures to contain it. At the same time, limited resources and weak institutions constrain the capacity of many LIDC governments to support their economies.

Launching a New Academic Year under the Cloud of COVID-19

By Sheriffdeen AdeotiPosted on August 22, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged Academic, COVID-19, Pandemic, School, World BankNo Comments

The next few weeks mark the beginning of the school year across the northern hemisphere. Per the World Bank School Closure data, (School Closures and Affected Students by country; a World Bank tracking tool) sixty-seven countries, almost half of them located in Europe and Central Asia, have reopened or are expecting to reopen schools by September. This year, the safety of students and teachers vis-a-vis the coronavirus (COVID-19) spread is top priority.

Tourism Trauma and COVID-19

By Aminu MusaPosted on August 20, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged COVID-19, IMF, Lockdown, Pandemic, TourismNo Comments

Pandemic-related lockdowns, flight cancellations, and border closures may be putting a crimp on summer vacation plans. However, the precipitous drop in tourism will have an outsized impact on countries that rely on foreign travelers—with potentially large-scale effects on their economies’ national accounts.

How The Pandemic Is Making The Gender Pay Gap Worse

By Aminu MusaPosted on August 18, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged COVID-19, Gender, GENDER GAPS, Pandemic, Pay gap, RecessionNo Comments

A new study finds that this recession is hitting women harder. Between February and April 2020, male unemployment increased 9.9 percent; female unemployment increased 12.8 percent. The pandemic has ravaged in-person service jobs — at restaurants, hotels, pilates studios, retail outlets, and so on — which are disproportionately done by women.

Aging Economies may Benefit Less from Fiscal Stimulus

By Joshua OlorunsaiyePosted on August 8, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged Aging Economies, COVID-19, Fiscal Policy, Fiscal Stimulus, IMF, Pandemic, populationNo Comments

A new IMF research finds that age matters when considering fiscal stimulus. Specifically, the study found that fiscal policy isn’t as effective in boosting growth in economies with older populations, compared to economies with younger populations.

Are Conspiracy Theories Good for Facebook?

By Akinyemi AfolabiPosted on August 4, 2020Posted in AgenciesTagged COVID-19, Facebook, Instagram, Social Media, Theory, Whatsaap, ZuckerbergNo Comments

Both Democrats and Republicans directed much of their wrath at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Congressional trustbusters blasted him for buying up Instagram and WhatsApp. Acquiring competitors to neutralize them is a classic move in the monopoly playbook. But the lawmakers’ gripes with the company went far beyond typical antitrust concerns.