Regional Report: Sub-Saharan Africa

As is the case in every round, the 2021 survey represents the collective work of our global network of researchers in each country. This round, however, we did something different. We leaned into partnership and worked hand-in-hand with a select group of partners to co-author our global report and eight regional reports. This new approach has allowed us to benefit from the rich insights of our global partners and present key recommendations to spur action at the global, regional and country level. 

Sub-Saharan Africa has achieved notable gains in budget transparency over the past decade despite a dip in scores in 2017. Between 2008 and 2021, the regional average transparency score improved by 16 points among the countries with available data, from 23 to 39. This amounts to a nearly 70% increase, making it one of the better performing regions in the Open Budget Survey.