Manufacturing Archives - African Financial & Economic Data

Africa: Overcoming the challenges for manufacturing

During the period of relative stability since the start of this century, Africa has experienced rapid growth and has indeed outperformed global growth trends. As a result, its gross domestic product (GDP) has significantly increased and has brought wealth to many countries. However, most African countries that have enjoyed high growth recently, are mainly mono economies. Blessed with many natural resources, their economies have greatly improved, but they still remain at a subsistence level and have not moved beyond.

Despite the high growth rate, industrialisation in Africa has barely taken root. Besides South Africa, the most industrialised African country, and barely a few others, large-scale industrial manufacturing is practically nonexistent. Thus, for Africa to grow to the next level, it is critical to examine the reasons why the continent does not seem able to gather momentum for high value-added manufacturing activities.

Political stability and relevant economic strategy

The main reason cited by foreign and domestic investors for putting off or even avoiding major investments in the manufacturing sector, is the perceived lack of political stability in Africa. While the development of the capital-intensive manufacturing sector requires a long investment cycle, the political lifecycle may be very short-term. As a result, it is very difficult for the government of the day to implement a coherent long-term economic strategy with all the relevant economic frameworks and policies that will only bear fruit long after their term in office has expired.

Although Africa has great potential to develop its manufacturing sector, the political leaders need to have a clear economic vision to develop sectors in which their respective countries have sources of competitive advantage. Without a conducive environment supported by the relevant economic framework, there are no significant incentives for potential investors to commit themselves.

Most of the time, political factors trump economic factors. African political leaders conduct their own type of populism, where they need to satisfy their majority supporters to win elections and remain in power.

African consumer products industry rides out uncertainty

According to Deloitte’s inaugural African Powers of Consumer Products report, despite a much-discussed slowdown in the African economic growth story, the continent’s consumer products industry is demonstrating a resilient and positive growth path when viewed in local reporting currencies.

The analysis by Deloitte shows that the top 50 African listed consumer product companies are concentrated in 15 countries, with South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco accounting for 64% of the companies with just above 80% of their total revenues. This concentration reflects the size of their respective economies, their level of development and economic diversification, but also the low degree of capital market development in other African countries.

While the overall African growth story might have ‘stuttered’ recently (mostly due to the commodities decline), the prospects and opportunities for consumer goods companies still reflect a generally positive growth opportunity. For instance, sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP per capita in purchasing power doubled to US$3,831 between 2000 and 2016. While several oil-producing countries have seen faltering investment, East African economies that are less exposed to commodity markets, are growing at rates of 6% per annum or more.

On average, the year-on-year revenues of the top 50 declined by 7.5% in USD and grew by 4.7% in local reporting currencies. When measured over a five-year period from 2011 to 2015, the average of the top 50 compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in USD was 3.5% and 12.5% in local currencies.

“Although African economies have seen their currencies depreciate sharply against the USD, making imported goods more expensive, companies which produce goods locally and are able to ramp up facilities have an opportunity to grow their market share,” said Andre Dennis, Deloitte Africa consumer products leader.

The report considers the performance of Africa’s Top 50 listed consumer product companies in FY15 (year ending up to and including May 2016), as calculated according to revenue in US dollar terms. It focuses on African domiciled companies which are listed on African stock exchanges, with manufacturing as a core business.