Export-led Manufacturing Growth and GVC’s across Africa: An Overview

Abstract

This paper documents African manufacturing exports along several dimensions. Manufacturing exports triply concentrated at 3 levels: countries that produce and export [half of exported manufactures come from 3 countries: South Africa (27%), Egypt (10%), and Morocco (10%)]; sectoral affiliation as 4 sectors account for 65% of exports [basic metals (33%), chemicals (13%), food sector (11%), motor vehicle sector (8%)] destination markets [37% to European markets and 29% to African markets]. Supply chain trade increased in all regions over the period 1995-2015. Africa’s average Global Value Chain (GVC) share rose by 13% to reach 44% in 2022. Currently, the import content of gross exports is relatively low, around 15% while the share of exports undergoing further processing at destination before reaching the final consumer is higher throughout, in the 20-25% range.