Africa is a continent rich in natural resources and boasts a large young, ambitious, and entrepreneurial-minded population.

Harnessed properly, these endowments and advantages could usher in a period of sustained economic growth and increased well-being for all Africans.

However, a lack of modern infrastructure is a major challenge to Africa’s economic development and constitutes a significant impediment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. According to a recent report by the World Bank, there are varying trends in Africa’s infrastructure performance across key sectors and regions. In telecommunications, Sub-Saharan Africa has seen a dramatic improvement in the quantity and quality of infrastructure.

Access to safe water has also risen, with 77% of the population having access to water in 2015, from 51% in 1990. In the power sector, by contrast, the region’s electricity capacity has changed little in more than 20 years. — blog.wb.org/blogs