Household spending is a key factor in personal and family financial planning, as well as policymaking to improve people's livelihoods. While the government's Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a mainstream indicator, it often fails to accurately reflect the daily living costs of the public. CPI has limitations, such as over-emphasising non-essential goods and services (e.g. Rental expenses and furniture), and people's subjective inflation perceptions tend to be higher than the actual data.
While Africa is gaining a voice globally, with the African Union joining the G20, its economic progress lags behind. Africa's per capita income declined from 30% of the global average in 1990 to only 21% in 2023, with low participation in international trade beyond exporting raw materials.