Nigeria has been ranked eighth among 10 most industrialised countries in Africa.

Nigeria is one of the only two West African countries on the top 10.

A report from the African Development Bank, the African Union and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) indicated 52 African countries have become more industrialized over the past eleven years.

The Africa Industrialization Index (AII) report provides a country-level assessment of 52 African countries’ progress across 19 key indicators.

The report is intended to enable African governments to identify comparator countries to benchmark their own industrial performance and identify best practices more effectively.

The countries that showed the greatest progress over the past decade are Senegal, Ethiopia, Benin, Tanzania and Uganda.

Senegal ranks an impressive 7th in the continent, up from 14th in 2011 while Ethiopia moved up to the top half of the standings, from 31st to 25th. Benin jumped a whopping 14 places to 18th while Uganda rose 5 to 20th and Tanzania rose 6 to 21st.

Below are 10 most industrialised countries in Africa

South Africa

South Africa tops Africa’s industrialization rankings by being the only sub-Saharan country to perform better than the North African countries.

With an index score of 0.8404, it is the closest African economy to the global standard.

Morocco

Morocco scores 0.8387 on the industrialization index, ranking it second in Africa.

Since 2010, Morocco’s manufacturing economy has steadily improved across all the Index’s categories, making it one of the strongest in Africa.

Egypt

Egypt is one of the only two countries whose overall industrialization index didn’t decline since 2010.

The industrial sector contributes 11.7% to Africa’s second-largest economy and employs nearly one-third of its labour force. In the last seven years, Egypt has built 10,000 new factories, and it is Africa’s second-largest apparel manufacturer.

Tunisia

Tunisia has dropped from the number two spot to fourth. But its industrial growth has been relatively strong compared to its African peers.

Tunisia’s industrial sector is more than two times the size of agriculture. Over 1000 companies operate in the sector, 435 of which are fully exporting, with an average annual growth above 13%.

Mauritius

Mauritius is one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies. One of the highlights of the country’s growth is how it collaborates with the private sector to identify and support infant industries, based on ‘educated guesses’ about their growth potential.

Mauritius helped to promote the uptake of new technology and improve quality standards in its textile industry.

Eswatini

Ranking sixth on the Index, Eswatini has the highest share of manufacturing value-added to GDP, at 33% in 2021. Manufacturing plays a crucial role in Eswatini’s economy, accounting for 65% of the country’s exports by value. Eswatini ranks second when it comes to manufacturing value added per capita. Between 2010 and 2021, the country’s exports increased at a consistent 1% annual rate, led by intermediate food products and processed sugar.

Senegal

Senegal and Nigeria are the only West African countries among the top ten. Senegal’s industrial sector is larger than its agricultural sector, employing 13.6% of the country’s labour force. It’s also one of the few countries showing significant industrial improvement, as it now employs more people than ever before.

Nigeria

Nigeria is one of the only two West African countries among the top ten. According to the report, it’s also one of the few countries to have shown overall industrial improvements.

Food and beverages dominate Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. Another one of Nigeria’s highlights is how the government uses tariff policy to encourage the revival of the country’s automotive industry.

Kenya

Kenya’s manufacturing output has been on a steady rise for over two decades. In 2021, it reached an all-time high of $7.99 billion.

The country is one of Africa’s leading exporters of horticulture and tea and is at the front seat of the continent’s digital revolution.

Namibia

Namibia had the tenth-highest country score on the Africa Industrialization Index. In 2021, its industry sector contributed 25 per cent to its GDP, nearly three times as much as agriculture (9.4%).

It’s also the country’s third-highest employer of labour. According to the report, Namibia is one of the few African countries with advanced manufacturing sectors. (The Nation)

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