Global Growth Steady at 3% – So Why Is Britain Lagging Behind?
12 February 2026 The global economy is maintaining a resilient 3% growth trajectory in 2026, according to the ACCA Global Economic Outlook. Yet Britain’s economy tells a starkly different story. The EY ITEM Club’s Winter Forecast projects UK GDP growth of just 0.9% this year – one of the weakest performances in the G7. More concerning for those of us in physical commodities: business investment is forecast to contract by 0.2% in 2026, a sharp downgrade from November’s 0.8% growth prediction. The contrast is striking. Whilst the US leads G7 growth and emerging markets demonstrate surprising resilience despite unprecedented tariff disruptions, Britain splutters. GDP per capita grew by merely 1% in 2025 after zero growth in 2024 – hardly the transformation promised eighteen months ago. What’s holding the UK back? Persistent policy uncertainty, weak business confidence, and a construction sector in the doldrums despite ambitious housing targets. For commodity traders, the implications are clear: whilst global trade adapts to new realities and maintains momentum, UK domestic demand remains anaemic. The government’s fiscal tightening, frozen income tax thresholds, and employer National Insurance increases are weighing heavily on growth. Meanwhile, our global competitors press ahead. As EY notes, the Bank of England may deliver one final rate cut in April, but monetary policy alone cannot overcome these structural headwinds. For Gapuma Group and the wider commodities sector, the message is unambiguous: opportunity lies in global markets showing genuine dynamism, not in a UK economy stuck in low gear. The world economy is proving adaptable and resilient. Britain needs to match that energy – urgently.
Gapuma Joins Conversation on Investment & Innovation in West Africa
LAGOS FREE ZONE: Gateway to a New Frontier 11 April 2025 This week in London, Gapuma’s Business Development Manager, Yanish Bhageerutty, took part in the West Africa Investment Gateway summit, hosted by Invest Africa, bringing together key players in African trade, development, and infrastructure. Among the distinguished speakers were Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, and Adesuwa Ladoja, Managing Director and CEO of Lagos Free Zone (LFZ). The event showcased the LFZ as a transformative economic hub offering world-class infrastructure, deep policy incentives, and access to over 400 million consumers across the region. Under the theme “Your Gateway to a New Frontier,” the summit explored the strategic vision behind LFZ’s integrated ecosystem—complete with the operational Lekki Deep Sea Port, dedicated piped gas infrastructure, and extensive export incentives. With sectors ranging from industrial production to fintech and consumer goods, and partnerships with global brands such as Kellogg’s, Colgate-Palmolive, and Hero MotoCorp, the Zone is positioned as a major engine of growth. Yanish Bhageerutty’s presence underscored Gapuma’s ongoing commitment to engaging with forward-thinking initiatives and key stakeholders driving regional transformation. “Lagos Free Zone is more than just a location—it’s a bold statement about Africa’s future in global trade,” he noted. “We’re here to support and be part of that story.” As Gapuma deepens its footprint in West Africa, events such as this affirm its mission to build meaningful, strategic partnerships in the region’s most promising markets.