Guyana's Oil Surge Lifts the Caribbean's 2026 Growth Outlook
World Bank figures show Guyana's double-digit expansion pulling up the regional average, even as growth elsewhere stays moderate.
Guyana’s oil-driven expansion continues to reshape the Caribbean’s aggregate growth picture. The economy is projected to grow about 16 percent in 2026, slowing from 19 percent in 2025 but still far ahead of regional peers — enough that it lifts the Caribbean’s overall growth average well above what it would be without Guyana in the mix. Oil output is set to keep rising as a fifth offshore project comes online later in the year.
For the diaspora, the regional story has two sides. Guyana’s boom is generating jobs and pulling skilled workers from across the region, including the diaspora — but the gains remain concentrated, and skilled-labour shortages and rising living costs are real strains. The practical watch points are whether the windfall broadens into wages and services, and how neighbouring economies share in the growth.
Source: World Bank; Reuters; One News SVG.