Guyana is on track to outpace every other economy in the Americas, with the World Bank forecasting it will remain the only country in the region to post double-digit economic growth through 2027.
In its October 2025 Global Economic Prospects Report, the World Bank projected Guyana’s real GDP to expand by 11.8 percent in 2025, followed by an even stronger 22.4 percent in 2026 and 24 percent in 2027. The performance, according to the report, is being driven largely by the country’s fast-growing oil and gas industry, which continues to transform its economic landscape.
The surge in Guyana’s fortunes is anchored in its series of major offshore oil discoveries and rapidly expanding production levels. Current output has surpassed 600,000 barrels per day, and projections indicate that production could exceed one million barrels before the end of the decade.
This growth has allowed Guyana to emerge as one of the world’s fastest-expanding economies, powered by petroleum exports that continue to attract global investment. The government has established a Natural Resource Fund (NRF) to help channel oil revenues into priority sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, and renewable energy, aiming to prevent the pitfalls of overdependence on oil.
Massive infrastructure investments are also helping to sustain growth momentum. Projects such as the new Demerara River Bridge and a range of road and energy initiatives are expected to enhance connectivity and productivity across the country. Authorities have described these developments as part of a broader national modernization strategy aimed at laying the foundation for a diversified and resilient economy.
In contrast to Guyana’s meteoric rise, the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean are projected to grow at a much slower pace. The World Bank expects regional GDP growth to average around 2.3 percent in 2025 and 2.5 percent by 2027, highlighting the extent of Guyana’s economic divergence. However, the Bank cautioned that sustaining double-digit growth poses significant challenges. It warned that without prudent governance, transparency in revenue management, and investment in human capital, Guyana risks seeing the benefits of its oil wealth concentrated in a few sectors or groups.
The report urged Guyana to continue implementing reforms that promote sustainable, inclusive growth. Among its recommendations are strengthening education and workforce development, improving the business and regulatory environment, and expanding access to financing for local entrepreneurs. The World Bank also emphasized the need to develop non-oil sectors such as agriculture, technology, and manufacturing to reduce vulnerability to commodity price shocks.
