Characterisation, definition, and measurement issues of the middle class in sub-Saharan Africa

Haroon Bhorat, Mumbi E. Kimani, James Lappeman and Paul Egan

Development Southern Africa, 2023, vol. 40, issue 1, 39-56

Abstract: In this study, we evaluate how both the definition of middle class and the dataset considered affect the estimated size of the middle class in sub-Saharan Africa. By considering the feasibility of a single definition of a middle class for all African countries based on the World Bank’s PovcalNet database, we estimate the size of this segment for a selection of countries. As part of the regional analysis, we follow with a country and city case study for Kenya and Nairobi. In the case study, to show the complexity and dynamics involved in the measurement at a more disaggregated level, we add the dynamic of currency unit conversion. This statistical assessment, as an investigation into the accuracy of past and current estimates of the middle class in sub-Saharan Africa, is helpful for both assessing the growth of the middle class on the continent and its potential to attract foreign investment.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1080/0376835X.2021.1945912

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