African Governance Report V - 2018

Exploitation of natural resources has dominated economic activity in Africa but the benefits have accrued only to a privileged few. The continent’s most common strategy of exporting commodities in their raw (non-valued added) form has led to disappointing results, reflected in unsustainable and non-inclusive economic growth, marginal improvements in the well-being of the population, and low levels of economic diversification and transformation. This edition examines efforts to improve the governance of Africa’s abundant natural resources, emphasising the need to strengthen natural resource governance institutions and frameworks to enhance domestic revenue, the promotion of economic diversification, and structural transformation.