This presentation covers the first Afrobarometer Round 5 Global Release in #Johanesburg on Lived Poverty and the Economy where Citizens Give Governments Failing Grades on Economic Management despite decades of Growth.

1. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
Citizens Give Governments Failing
Grades on Economic Management
Despite a Decade of Growth

2. People’s perceptions of national and
personal economic and living conditions
• New findings from the Afrobarometer, based on surveys conducted in 34
African countries between October 2011 and June 2013, reveal
widespread dissatisfaction with current economic conditions despite a
decade of strong growth
• A majority (53%) in the 34 countries rate the current condition of their
national economy as “fairly” or “very bad”, while just 29% offer a positive
assessment.
• Just one in three Africans (31%) think the condition of their national
economies has improved in the past year, compared to 38% who say
things have gotten worse.
• 32% say their own personal living conditions have improved in the past
year, compared to 33% who say they have gotten worse (34% saw no
change).

3. People’s perceptions of national and
personal economic and living conditions
• Africans give their governments failing marks for economic management
(56% say they are doing “fairly” or “very badly”), improving the living
standards of the poor (69% fairly/very badly), creating jobs (71%
fairly/very badly), and narrowing income gaps (76% fairly/very badly)
• Many Africans nonetheless express optimism about the future: 57%
expect the economy to be better in a year.
• At the regional level, West Africa tends to be the most positive and
optimistic region, while East Africans are consistently the most negative,
and the least optimistic about the future.

4. Fig. 1: Current condition of the national economy
Very/Fairly Bad
Algeria
Namibia
Niger
Mauritius
Morocco
Botswana
Liberia
South Africa
Burundi
Senegal
Guinea
Madagascar
Ghana
Nigeria
Togo
Tanzania
Tunisia
Kenya
14
0%
20
24
10%
Neither Good nor Bad
29
31
33
36
37
39
39
42
43
45
45
46
47
20%
13
Don't Know
53
32
9
40%
20
13
43
62
55
20
53
54
54
54
55
59
59
63
63
63
66
67
67
70
72
73
75
79
83
83
30%
Very/Fairly Good
54
44
23
24
31
20
12
13
17
12
44
43
37
31
42
41
34
16
16
17
25
21
9
11
21
12
6
7
8
14
8
5
60%
70%
29
29
28
31
29
21
20
10
20
30
27
25
18
21
22
6
50%
34
22
18
9
80%
18
9
6
8
10
8
10
90%
Question: In general, how would you describe the present economic condition of this country?
100%

5. Figure 2: Current condition of national economy
compared with one year ago
Worse/Much Worse
Algeria
Namibia
Burkina
Mozambique
Botswana
Cape Verde
Liberia
Cote d'Ivoire
South Africa
Lesotho
AVERAGE
Mali
Swaziland
Togo
Burundi
Kenya
Tunisia
Egypt
8
51
19
19
22
22
23
23
25
25
25
25
26
26
28
32
33
33
33
36
37
38
40
41
45
47
49
49
51
53
56
57
68
69
71
77
0%
10%
20%
Same
30%
40%
50%
3
55
1
42
1
40
1
32
5
42
1
24
4
28
1
43
5
30
0
35
3
40
6
34
1
29
3
38
1
36
1
36
2
24
1
35
7
27
1
29
2
25
1
13
0
37
6
26
2
23
1
27
2
23
0
21
1
11
1
8
1
12
2
13
2
7 1
11
1
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Question: Looking back, how do you rate economic conditions in this country compared to one
year ago?

6. Fig. 3: Highest and lowest levels of optimism about the
economic future
82 80 79
78 78 75
54
Question: Looking ahead, do you expect the economic conditions in this country in twelve
months time to be better or worse? (percent who say better/much better)
Tanzania
Uganda
26 24
22
Mauritius
Egypt
33 32
Kenya
Sudan
AVERAGE
Cote d'Ivoire
Nigeria
Benin
Niger
Mali
37
Algeria
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

7. Fig. 4: Highest and lowest ratings of personal living
conditions
Very/Fairly Good
Zambia
Liberia
Mauritius
Namibia
Niger
Sierra Leone
Neither
56
50
47
46
44
44
AVERAGE
30
28
10
19
16
16
14
8
0%
10%
34
36
32
38
27
40
12
22
16
28
16
31
Malawi
Uganda
Togo
Egypt
Lesotho
Kenya
Tanzania
Very/Fairly Bad
21
48
6
10
64
62
70
67
71
71
65
11
16
11
14
27
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Question: In general, how would you describe your own present living conditions?

8. Fig. 5: Countries with highest and lowest expectations
about improved living conditions
87
85
82
80
79
77
27
23
Tanzania
30
Mauritius
33
Egypt
36
Kenya
Burundi
AVERAGE
Cote d'Ivoire
Cape Verde
Niger
Mali
Nigeria
41
Uganda
60
Benin
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Question: Looking ahead, do you expect your living conditions to be better or worse in
twelve months? (percent who say better/much better)

9. Fig. 6: Ratings of government management of the
economy
80%
69
70%
60%
76
71
56
50%
40%
38
27
30%
24
20%
8
10%
0%
Managing the
Economy
Improving Living
Standards of Poor
Very/Fairly Badly
Creating Jobs
Narrowing gaps
between rich and
poor
Fairly/Very Well
Question: How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the
following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say?

10. Fig. 7: Highest & lowest government ratings for
creating jobs
87
87
87
84
81
79
71
59
57
54
54
51
Malawi
Sierra Leone
Cameroon
Mauritius
Lesotho
Botswana
AVERAGE
Tunisia
Kenya
Nigeria
Egypt
Madagascar
44
Zimbabwe
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Question: How well or badly would you say the government is handling creating jobs, or
haven’t you heard enough to say? (percent who say fairly/very badly)

11. What lessons to draw from AB survey findings
• Economic growth appears to be benefiting only a few, according
to the ordinary people who participated in Afrobarometer’s
surveys
• Growing economies are not creating enough jobs, or making life
significantly better for Africa’s poor.
• Glowing GDP growth figures might therefore offer little solace to
people without jobs or those mired in poverty.
• Popular opinion is thus increasingly out of sync with the “Africa
Rising” narrative that has been gaining traction among
government officials and international investors

12. For more information , data and publications, see the
Afrobarometer website at:
www.afrobarometer.org
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