The World Bank released its 2026 country income classifications on July 8, revealing Togo as the only African nation to shift categories this year, moving from low-income to lower-middle-income status. The update, based on gross national income per capita estimates from 2025, places Togo alongside Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, and more than a dozen other African economies in the lower-middle-income bracket. Seychelles retains its position as the continent’s sole high-income Economy.
No African country was downgraded in this cycle. The lower-middle-income group now includes Morocco, Tunisia, Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and others. Meanwhile, twenty African economies remain classified as low-income, among them Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
At the upper end, eight countries hold upper-middle-income status: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Mauritius, and South Africa. The World Bank emphasized that the classifications determine eligibility for concessional loans and development assistance, guiding lending decisions and the allocation of international resources.
In related economic news, Kenya’s economy is projected to grow by 5.3 percent in 2026, driven by stronger revenue collection and strategic infrastructure investments. The government anticipates that these projects will generate employment and stimulate growth across key sectors.
The annual reclassification reflects income levels relative to World Bank thresholds rather than overall economic size or development progress. As African economies continue to evolve, future updates will signal shifts in access to development finance and policy support, shaping the continent’s economic trajectory.
