What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to redefine development priorities for African economies by emphasizing useful power rather than GDP growth.

July 29, 2026Sustainable FuturesOpen Access

Priorities and indicators of sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries: the case of Africa

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Redefines development priorities in Africa by shifting focus from GDP to useful power metrics, suggesting vital implications for sustainability.

The aim is to redefine development priorities for African economies by emphasizing useful power rather than GDP growth.
Utilized a natural-scientific approach to analyze socio-economic systems power-change
Conceptualized national economies as open thermodynamic systems
Developed and applied metrics including useful power per capita and Useful Power Carbon Intensity (UPCI).
In South Africa, useful power stagnated since 2008 despite GDP resilience, indicating deindustrialization.
Nigeria and Ethiopia show service-sector growth without an industrial foundation, reducing systemic efficiency.
Egypt exhibits simultaneous growth in both GDP and useful power.

Trušiņa et al. (2026) studied this question.

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Redefines development priorities in Africa by shifting focus from GDP to useful power metrics, suggesting vital implications for sustainability.