Morocco tops Africa’s industrialisation index for first time
Summary
Morocco has become the top industrialized country in Africa, surpassing South Africa for the first time since 2010, according to the African Development Bank’s 2025 Africa Industrialisation Index. The report highlights Morocco’s steady industrial growth, export variety, and strategic policies, while noting that overall industrial progress in Africa remains slow and uneven.Key Facts
- Morocco leads Africa’s industrialisation index with a score of 0.8415, just ahead of South Africa’s 0.8396.
- South Africa’s industrial competitiveness score declined from 0.8819 in 2010 to 0.8396 in 2024.
- The index measures industrialisation based on performance, direct drivers (like investment and infrastructure), and indirect factors (such as business environment and inflation).
- Four Arab countries (Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria) rank among the top six industrial economies in Africa.
- North Africa is the most industrialised region, followed by Southern Africa, Central, West, and East Africa.
- Africa’s manufacturing value added grew from $285 billion in 2020 to $351 billion in 2025, but the continent still makes less than 2% of the world’s manufacturing output.
- Intra-African trade is low at 14.4% of total trade, much less than Asia (60%) and Europe (57%), partly due to trade barriers and weak infrastructure.
- The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could boost incomes by 7% and add up to $450 billion in value if it shifts focus from trade alone to also supporting production and regional supply chains.
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