Privatization in sub-Saharan Africa: Progress and prospects during the 1990s

The analysis of the privatization of state-owned enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been based on very incomplete and out of date data. This paper presents and discusses the preliminary results of a comprehensive survey of privatization transactions in SSA up until the end of 1995. While previous research has concluded that the privatization process has made only very limited process since the early-mid 1980s, the survey reveals (a) a generally much higher level of privatization activity than that indicated by existing data sources; (b) a very considerable range of country experiences with privatization; and (c) a marked increase in the number and overall value of privatization transactions since the early 1990s. While serious economic and political constraints continue tb hamper the implementation of privatization programs in SSA, there is a strong likelihood that the intensity of the privatization effort will continue to accelerate during the next 5-10 years. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.