The war in Ukraine and the related intensified competition between the United States (US) and China loom over every international relations discussion. How might the war end, and how will these scenarios affect Africa? Projections for the next 20 years by African Futures and Innovation at the Institute for Security Studies show that Africa’s economic growth is unlikely to deliver commensurate standard-of-living improvements. The prospects become even worse when the impact of the Ukraine conflict is considered.