Sub-Saharan African CEOs Express Growing Optimism and Focus on Reinvention

The PwC 2025 Global CEO Survey has revealed a surge in optimism among business leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 63% of CEOs expressing confidence in the future of the global economy. This marks a notable increase from the previous year, when only 51% shared this outlook. In comparison, 58% of CEOs worldwide anticipate improved economic growth over the next 12 months.

Strategic Diversification and Business Reinvention

As part of their efforts to adapt to changing market dynamics, half of the CEOs surveyed indicated that they had expanded into new sectors over the past five years, demonstrating a strong commitment to reinvention and strategic diversification.

In assessing the factors most crucial to their businesses’ future success, 64% of Sub-Saharan African CEOs emphasized the importance of making the right strategic decisions and improving organizational efficiency—significantly higher than the global averages of 55% and 48%, respectively.

However, regulatory uncertainty remains a major concern, with 57% of CEOs in the region highlighting potential changes in the regulatory environment as a key challenge. This figure surpasses the global average of 42%, reflecting heightened anxieties about policy shifts.

Economic Pressures and Risk Exposure

Inflation continues to weigh heavily on 42% of Sub-Saharan African CEOs, considerably higher than the 27% global average. In addition to inflationary pressures, business leaders in the region also reported heightened vulnerability to cyber threats, workforce skill gaps, and geopolitical conflicts, with one in four CEOs citing each of these as areas of concern—exceeding global averages.

Despite these obstacles, confidence in long-term business sustainability remains strong. 61% of Sub-Saharan African CEOs believe their companies will remain viable beyond the next decade, a significant increase from 40% the previous year and surpassing the global average of 55%.

AI Adoption and Productivity Gains

The survey indicated that businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) at slightly lower rates than their global counterparts (75% vs. 83% globally). However, the data suggests that the implementation of AI within the region is yielding positive results, with 56% of CEOs reporting improvements in employee productivity and 53% citing better executive time management—both figures aligning closely with global benchmarks.

Looking ahead, 72% of regional business leaders plan to either adopt or expand their AI initiatives over the next 12 months, compared to 80% globally. Meanwhile, 45% of CEOs expect AI-driven efficiencies to boost profitability in the coming year.

Sustainability and Climate Investments

When it comes to sustainability initiatives, the survey highlighted distinct differences between Sub-Saharan African CEOs and their global counterparts, particularly in compensation structures and investment strategies.

While 32% of global CEOs reported having no sustainability-related metrics tied to their compensation, this figure dropped to 23% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, 9% of regional CEOs stated that more than 50% of their compensation was linked to sustainability goals—more than double the global figure of 4%.

However, the survey also found that climate-friendly investments in the region lag slightly behind global trends, with 78% of businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa making such investments over the past five years, compared to 85% globally.

PwC analysts suggested that this cautious investment approach could be linked to limited financial returns, as only 32% of regional CEOs reported seeing increased revenue from sustainability-focused initiatives. Additionally, government incentives for climate investments have had minimal impact, with 69% of companies stating that policy measures have remained largely unchanged.

As business leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to navigate economic volatility, regulatory shifts, and technological transformation, the survey underscores a growing commitment to reinvention—a strategy that could position them for long-term success in an evolving global landscape.

Have you read?
Impact of Titles on Your Executive Career – Negotiating Job Titles and more!
5 Reasons being dog friendly is very good for business.
Do you want to change things in your organization? Perhaps it begins with changing how you think.
Mastering Leadership- How Clear Expectations Drive Success.
Countries that Reads The Most Books.