“With average tax revenues below 15%, governments still have room to fund nutrition” — Driss Zine Eddine (World Bank Group)

During a visit to Togo, Driss Zinedine, the World Bank Group’s regional health, nutrition and population director for West and Central Africa, discussed stunting and nutrition funding. He said malnutrition undermines productivity, employment and wealth creation, and that stunting could still affect 16% of the region’s population in 2050 if current trends continue. To increase national funding, he called for more efficient spending, stronger domestic revenue mobilization—the region’s tax-to-GDP ratio is below 15%, compared with a recommended 20%—and partnerships with the private sector, development partners and civil society. An additional $81 million in financing for Togo was approved in December 2025.