Proper targeting of expanding public expenditures required to alleviate rising poverty
A large expansion in government expenditure and increased agriculture production lifted economic growth to an estimated 10% in 2008. Public spending, funded by revenue from offshore petroleum production, will continue to rise this year and keep economic growth high. Inflation is expected to ease. However, a rise in poverty points to the need for better targeted government spending to address a lack of basic services and rural underdevelopment. Read the full report.