Africa Economy

The manufacturing industry, which was an important component of Kaduna’s economy in the 1970s, has seen a steady decline in the decades since. The local authorities have been keen to kick-start light manufacturing, particularly in the agro-allied industries, and expand activity in the solid minerals sector, which are expected to become a key driver of growth. However, industry...

Nigeria is home to Africa’s largest economy and population, and is an engine for growth in the continent. While the government is largely reliant on oil and gas revenue, the economy itself is more diversified. Indeed, the non-oil sector accounted for 90.8% of real GDP in the first quarter of 2021. Services were the largest contributor to...

The Covid-19 pandemic and the corresponding drop in global oil prices caused both a recession and lower inbound investment in the early months of the health crisis in Nigeria. However, GDP and investment figures improved as the economy reopened. Foreign investors shied away from many emerging markets in the early months of 2020 as the pandemic...

In September 2020 Wamkele Mene, the secretary-general of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, told a conference in South Africa that AfCFTA negotiations on e-commerce and digital trade would be fast-tracked, with the Covid-19 pandemic heightening the need for an adequate legal and governance framework. These talks were...