Governments know how to treat malnutrition. The challenge is making sure public budgets actually fund and deliver them. Since 2022, Genesis has partnered with UNICEF to strengthen the financial systems that sit behind nutrition programmes.We support countries to plan better budgets, track nutrition spending, and ensure resources get to the front lines. The result? Over 25 countries took part in the programme, 500 officials trained, and practical reforms taking hold.

This matters to us because our Economic Growth and Impact practice works where business and development intersect. We see companies as engines of progress, and this agenda, fixing binding constraints, mobilising investment, rebuilding state capacity, is exactly the terrain we operate in. Here are the five key outtakes that will shape the year ahead.

The continent’s path in 2026 will be defined not by external aid, but by its urgent pursuit of economic sovereignty and accelerated growth.

The Genesis-led NRD Challenge Fund, backed by the Gates Foundation, is on a mission to revolutionise early maths education in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. By equipping teachers with clear, actionable tools, the initiative is closing the global numeracy divide and building a stronger foundation for children's futures

Genesis is working with clients to navigate these choices: from DPI implementation strategies and AI applied to system-level change, to regulatory frameworks that actually enable local innovation. 

Our work led to the co-development of a nutrition taxonomy, a system that identifies nutrition-specific, nutrition-sensitive, and indirect nutrition expenditures across multiple sectors. 

At Genesis, our health practice pivoted decisively to support countries, organisations and programmes to build resilience and foster more sustainable health systems.

Analysis of supplementation programmes in four African countries reveals opportunities to improve child health outcomes while optimising resources.

Through a major national dialogue convened by the Department of Social Development and its partners, a clearer vision is emerging for the future of South Africa’s social grants. At the heart of this plan is a smart digital backbone for the country's support system. This framework would use data to understand each person's circumstances and actively connect them to the right help - whether basic income support, finding work, starting a business, or gaining skills. The goal is to help transform basic cash transfers into a true springboard, creating a clear pathway for millions to move from reliance toward a more secure future.