17/08/2026
2026 | THE NEW MAP OF AFRICAN MANUFACTURING
Africa's manufacturing story is changing.
For decades, the continent has largely been viewed as a supplier of raw materials. But investment is increasingly moving toward manufacturing, processing and regional supply chains.
So where is the factory money going?
🇲🇦 MOROCCO — THE INDUSTRIAL LEADER
Morocco has built a strong manufacturing ecosystem around automotive, components, textiles, chemicals and EV technologies.
The country attracted 152 greenfield industrial projects, while a US$1.3 billion EV battery gigafactory is being developed.
Morocco isn't simply attracting factories.
It is building an ecosystem around them.
🇪🇬 EGYPT — SCALE + MARKET + LOCATION
Egypt combines a huge domestic market with industrial infrastructure and access to the Suez Canal.
Its strengths include agrifood, textiles, chemicals, cement and automotive.
Nissan's US$45 million manufacturing expansion in 2026 is another signal that investment continues to follow this combination of market, infrastructure and location.
🇿🇦 SOUTH AFRICA — REPOSITIONING INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY
South Africa remains one of Africa's deepest manufacturing economies.
The next opportunity is increasingly about retooling existing industrial capacity for new markets.
Chery's acquisition of Nissan's former Rosslyn plant and plans for EV and hybrid production is one example.
The shift is becoming clear:
“Sell into Africa”
to
“Manufacture in Africa.”
🇳🇬 NIGERIA — THE SCALE PLAY
Nigeria brings something manufacturers cannot manufacture:
A huge domestic market of 240 Million People.
Import substitution, domestic feedstock and opportunities across petrochemicals, plastics, fertilisers, packaging, food and consumer products.
The opportunity is no longer simply:
“Make for Nigeria.”
It is:
“Make in Nigeria. Sell across Africa.”
🇰🇪 KENYA — EAST AFRICA'S MANUFACTURING PLATFORM
Kenya's opportunity is increasingly regional.
E-mobility, pharmaceuticals, textiles, food processing, packaging, building materials and industrial components are attracting attention.
Its location and access to East African markets make Kenya an increasingly interesting manufacturing base.
The lesson?
You don't need to manufacture everywhere.
You need to manufacture strategically.
THE BIGGER STORY
Africa's manufacturing value-added rose from about US$285 billion in 2020 to US$351 billion in 2025.
Yet Africa still accounts for less than 2% of global manufacturing output.
That gap is the opportunity.
The next manufacturing wave will require more than factories.
It will require:
Industrial parks.
Reliable power.
Raw-material supply chains.
Processing.
Logistics.
Skills.
Local suppliers.
Regional markets.
Project finance.
In other words:
AN ECOSYSTEM.
Thede opportunities goes beyond individual factories.
It is about structuring enterprises, developing industrial projects and connecting production to the markets and supply chains that make those projects commercially viable.
Africa is moving from a market that consumes...
to a continent that manufactures.
The question is:
WHO WILL BUILD THE NEXT FACTORY ?
