US Dollar Share of Global Foreign Exchange Reserves Drops to 25-Year Low
The share of US dollar reserves held by central banks fell to 59 percent—its lowest level in 25 years—during the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the IMF’s Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange…
The Great Divergence: A Fork in the Road for the Global Economy
As our note to the G20 meeting points out, there is a major risk that as advanced economies and a few emerging markets recover faster, most developing countries will languish for years to…
How Poverty Makes Workers Less Productive
Obviously, giving more money to people without much money helps them with money problems. But this study adds to a growing body of research that says that money really does help workers earn…
A Race Between Vaccines and the Virus as Recoveries Diverge
In just three months since we released our last forecast in October, recorded COVID-19 deaths have doubled to over 2 million, as new waves have lifted infections past previous peaks in many countries.…
What the Continued Global Uncertainty Means for You,
Global uncertainty reached unprecedented levels at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak and remains elevated. The World Uncertainty Index—a quarterly measure of global economic and policy uncertainty covering 143 countries—shows that although uncertainty…
How To Make A New Year’s Resolution
2020 has been a disaster for meeting new people, which is why Per Carlbring's New Year's resolution is to spend next year trying to connect with someone new every day. Carlbring, a professor…
Time is Ripe for Innovation in the World of Sovereign Debt Restructuring
When corporations have too much debt and need to restructure it, creditors often end up exchanging bonds or loans for stocks. They trade the guaranteed payout of a fixed-income investment for an equity…
Data Disruption: The Impact of COVID-19 on Inflation Measurement
Lockdowns, working from home, and physical distancing caused people to spend larger shares of their household budgets on food and housing, while fewer people bought nonessentials, like airline tickets and clothing. And with…
Bridging the Digital Divide to Scale Up the COVID-19 Recovery
Digitalization has in the past few years enabled developing countries, in particular, to leapfrog on financial inclusion. Countries like Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania have made great advances in connecting their citizens to…
Public Investment for the Recovery
Governments around the world are taking extraordinary measures to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. While maintaining the focus on addressing the health emergency and providing lifelines for households and businesses, governments need to…
[INFOGRAPHICS] Banks’ Proportion Of Low-Cost Deposit(% CASA Mix, H1:2020)
High CASA mix enables banks to record lower Interest expenses, hence, a higher net interest margin.
[INFOGRAPHICS] Regional Unemployment Rate (August 2020)
The regional paradox - The Richer the oil, the higher the unemployment.
[INFOGRAPHICS] E-Business % Of Revenue of Nigerian Banks (H1’2020)
Nigerian Banks Electronic Transaction Revenue a question on efficiency of cashless policy.
[INFOGRAPHICS] South African Vs Nigeria Banks (H1’2020)
South African banks are bigger than Nigerian banks in terms of Total Assets. However, Nigerian banks are more profitable, looking at return on Assets. Return on Assets talks about how they are able to utilize their balance…
[INFOGRAPHICS] Poverty Rate By Sectors In Nigeria
Nigeria’s Poverty Rate by Sectors Will able-bodied young people be better off or worse off with Nigeria’s agricultural practices?
[INFOGRAPHICS] Loan Book and Non-Performing Loan of Nigerian Banks as at H1’2020
Loan Book and Non-Performing Loan of Nigerian Banks as at H1’2020
[INFOGRAPHICS] FDI Inflows Into Selected African Countries In 2019
FDI Inflows into selected African countries in 2019
Trade as a Tool for an Efficient Recovery
As economies now look for paths to recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, new evidence reaffirms that policies for more open and trade-integrated economies could significantly benefit domestic competition and ultimately may help lower…
IMF Lending During the Pandemic and Beyond
In the face of unprecedented uncertainty and the severe economic impact triggered by COVID-19, the Fund continues to adapt its lending. At the same time, it aims to ensure realistic targets, uphold the…
Charting a Path for a Resilient Recovery in Sub Saharan Africa
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…
Air pollution: A silent killer in Lagos
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.
COVID-19: Without Help, Low-Income Developing Countries Risk a Lost Decade
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…
Unemployment in Today’s Recession Compared to the Global Financial Crisis
There has been much discussion in recent months about how workers who transitioned to working from home—and those who were deemed “essential”—are less affected by the layoffs and job losses brought on by…
Drawing Further Apart: Widening Gaps in the Global Recovery
The global economic recovery continues, but with a widening gap between advanced economies and many emerging market and developing economies. Our latest global growth forecast of 6 percent for 2021 is unchanged from…
The Behavioral Economics Manifesto Gets Revised
“The basics of behavioral economics are really sound because they’re kind of obvious,” Thaler says. It’s obvious, he says, that people aren’t perfectly rational. It’s obvious that they suffer from self-control problems and…
Cryptoassets as National Currency? A Step Too Far
New digital forms of money have the potential to provide cheaper and faster payments, enhance financial inclusion, improve resilience and competition among payment providers, and facilitate cross-border transfers. But doing so is not…
Taming Market Power Could (also) help Monetary Policy
Some central banks are currently debating whether to tighten monetary policy to fight inflationary pressures, after having eased decisively in response to the COVID-19 shock. In making such decisions, central bankers have to…
Sub-Saharan Africa: We need to act now
The growth of infections in sub-Saharan Africa is now the fastest in the world, with an explosive trajectory that is outpacing the record set in the second wave. At this pace, this new…
Four Facts about Soaring Consumer Food Prices
Rising world food prices for producers are making headlines and causing concerns among the public. The most recent data show a moderation in consumer food price inflation globally, but as we explain below,…
How “Chaos” In the Shipping Industry Is Choking The Economy
On both land and at sea, the entire supply chain is struggling to keep up. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s become such a clusterfest that the U.S. Coast Guard has been redirecting boats…
How to Attract Private Finance to Africa’s Development
High public debt levels and the uncertain outlook for international aid limit the scope for growth through large public investment programs. The private sector will have to play more of a role in…
A Proposal to End the COVID-19 Pandemic
Many countries have stepped up in the global fight against the pandemic, as have institutions such as the World Health Organization, the World Bank, Gavi (the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization), the…
