The notion of “Africa rising” is understandably alluring. The vision of hundreds of millions of Africans striding into the middle class, mobile phones in hand, is certainly a refreshing antidote to endless images of death and deprivation. But while there is no denying that economies are growing rapidly across the continent, this feel-good narrative risks distorting reality, making it even more difficult to develop and adopt effective policies to truly improve African lives.



Just because some African economies are recording annual growth rates of more than 6 % does not mean that the lives of average citizens are necessarily improving apace; wealth disparity is rising even faster. In Kenya, for example, the mortgage market has only increased from 7,600 homes in 2006 to 20,000 homes in 2012.

Much of the overhyped economic growth is fueled by the exploitation of oil and gas reserves, investment in the telecommunications industry, and infrastructure development. Most of the profits and benefits from this growth go into the pockets of investors, shareholders, and government officials.

The African Development Bank defines a middle class African as someone who spends between $2 and $20 a day. A recent survey of Kenya by the polling firm Ipsos found that 93 per cent of households in the country of 42 million have monthly incomes of under Sh40,000 ($450). A Standard Bank survey of 11 sub-Saharan African countries, which together account for about half of Africa’s gross domestic product, found that 86% of their households remain in the low-income band.

The classic definition of middle class in the US implies the ability to fully enjoy the benefits of “modern life” - decent housing, good health care, affordable food and education, a car, public security and leisure. Few of those Africans who fit the African Development Bank’s description of middle class would argue that they enjoy such lifestyles because middle class does not mean the same thing in Lagos as it does in New York. So-called middle-class people like teachers in Nigeria earn 10 times less than their US counterparts. Comparable cars and decent housing are out of the reach of most teachers in Nigeria, since the cost of living in Lagos is only about 40% less than in New York City.

My parents, whose household fits into the middle class, according to the African Development Bank and World Bank, have been teachers in Kenya for over three decades. They earn less than $400 a month now, after numerous raises, but cannot afford medical insurance, a new car, education for my siblings and I in private schools, or even a decent vacation.

At the very least, middle class people should be able to afford decent and stable housing. However, according to UN-Habitat, sub-Saharan Africa currently has a slum population of 199.5 million people, 61.7% of its urban population. This means millions still live in temporary structures without electricity, running water, drainage or other basic amenities, like my parents did for many years in Kenya.

Data from the latest Human Development Index, a composite statistic that ranks life expectancy, education and income indices, puts the global HDI at 0.702. Thirty-three African countries rank at 0.535 or below, the lowest is Niger at 0.337.

So why all the fuss over “Africa rising”? The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote 2,300 years ago that “there is always something new coming out of Africa.” The latest news is that Africa is on the move, and this can’t be a bad thing. Institutional investors and pension funds are looking for new markets for their clients, and African governments are definitely open for business. In the past two years, the world’s major alcoholic beverages firms have opened offices in Nairobi in hopes of wooing east Africa’s emerging middle class.

Much of the investment in this “rising Africa” is headed to oil and gas and long-term infrastructure projects to facilitate the transport of these commodities. Such projects inevitably give rise to kickbacks, patronage and influence-peddling, none of which are intended to improve a country’s overall Human Development Index. In fact, numerous reports chronicle the links between corruption and endemic poverty.

Whether “Africa rising” is a construct that will benefit only a few or a reality for everyone depends on the diligence of African citizens to hold their leaders more accountable. African people should remain optimistic that the continent is growing. However, instead of becoming complacent that the “Africa rising” narrative will ultimately lift them up, we should be Afro-realistic about the problems we still face and encourage practical solutions.

Ultimately, it is the people, not the elite, who must ensure that a rising Africa, like the proverbial incoming tide, will raise all their boats, create jobs for the extremely high unemployed youth, and lift millions of out poverty into real middle class.

Evans Wadongo is a 2014 Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow. Follow @evanswadongo on Twitter.

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