The History and Performance of Industrialisation and Industrial Policy in Africa

Arkebe Oqubay
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Arkebe Oqubay: SOAS University of London

Chapter Chapter 3 in Productive Transformation in Africa, 2026, pp 47-77 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter analyses the historical development of Africa’s industrialisation, focusing on the stages of progress since the post-independence period (1960 onwards for most African nations). It provides the historical and theoretical foundation. It examines the evolution of African industrial policy, challenges the ideas of Afro-pessimism and African misrepresentation, and explores the persistent and complex challenges of structural transformation from a long-term perspective. It investigates productive transformation with a particular emphasis on structural comparison, manufacturing value-added, export growth and composition, and the development of productive capability. It also considers demographic dynamics as a key aspect of productive transformation. The chapter highlights low productive capacities and weak institutional frameworks, contextualising these issues within the broader landscape of global economic integration and technological progress. Demographic shifts and urbanisation are regarded as opportunities for African productive transformation. Furthermore, heterogeneity, diversity, and variation define the continent’s performance.

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-23941-9_3

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-23941-9_3

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