The Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI) has initiated the 2025 Survey on Budget Practices and Procedures (BPP) in Africa. Building on the foundations of previous iterations, including those from 2008, and 2015, the survey aims to provide an updated, comparative analysis of budgeting processes and practices across African countries, and to identify functional challenges and opportunities for countries' public financial management (PFM) systems.

PFM remains a critical governance pillar for governments to deliver on public policies and ensure the efficient allocation and utilisation of public resources. As such, the Budget Practices and Procedures survey is a key tool to assess trends, reforms, and emerging challenges in budgeting processes.

The results of this survey will allow CABRI, its member countries, and interested parties to take stock of budgeting practices in African countries and how they have evolved over the past 10-15 years. It will provide insights into countries’ progress in strengthening budget systems and benchmarking budget practices. For CABRI, the survey also serves as an instrument to identify where further member country support might be needed and strategic areas of work over the medium term. Final reports will be published, providing highlights and capturing a clear picture of the country's budget practices and procedures.

African governments, public finance professionals, and relevant stakeholders are invited to contribute to this important initiative. The survey will provide comprehensive insights into the strengths and weaknesses of current budgeting practices and inform policy recommendations for improving fiscal governance across the continent. It will be instrumental in providing an updated overview of budget practices and procedures in African countries.

Through the BPP, CABRI aims to :

• Provide an updated overview of budgeting processes across Africa: the survey will enable countries to benchmark their practices, and generate comprehensive, evidence-based insights into countries PFM strengths and weaknesses across Africa. The enhanced understanding will be supported by recent empirical data and comparative analyses, drawing on updated literature and case studies.

• Identify Functional Gaps: the survey will allow countries to evaluate the functionality of key budgeting processes, such as audit capacity, fiscal transparency, budget credibility, and public expenditure efficiency, beyond their mere existence of laws or practices, identifying areas where targeted support and capacity building are most needed.

• Evidence-Based Policy Recommendations: The survey will produce actionable policy recommendations aimed at addressing the identified PFM gaps, which can influence strategic interventions in PFM reforms in different contexts. These recommendations will focus on enhancing institutional capacities, improving transparency mechanisms, realigning budget execution with planned allocations, and leveraging digital innovations to modernize fiscal management. The recommendations will be designed to guide governments and stakeholders in implementing reforms that promote accountability and efficiency in managing public resources.

CABRI is working to ensure that the insights from the 2025 Survey on Budget Practices and Procedures translate into meaningful action which will serve as a basis for developing a cooperative work plan that brings together key stakeholders including African Ministries of Budget and Finance, Civil Society Organisations, and other critical actors.

To maximize the impact of the survey, CABRI will make the resulting database, and the comprehensive survey reports freely available and accessible through its PFM Knowledge Hub. By doing so, CABRI ensures that the insights are widely disseminated, empowering government, policymakers, and stakeholders with the knowledge needed for the improvement of budget practices and strengthening public financial management in Africa.

Watch this space for more updates on the survey process. For more information about the survey process feel free to reach out to Olaniyi Olaleye (olaniyi.olaleye@cabri-sbo.org).