Industry

A recent wave of investment in manufacturing in Indonesia could herald the country’s rise as an international industrial player. A rapidly growing domestic market of more than 230m people, as well as the potential for exports both regional and across the globe, are major draws for companies from around the world.

In a bid to increase the sector’s contribution to economic growth, Ghana’s national mining policy is set to undergo a major reworking over the next few months.

In an effort to develop local businesses and provide more job opportunities, the Omani government is actively supporting new initiatives to promote domestically manufactured products.

While manufacturers in Nigeria have long had to grapple with constraining operating conditions, such as an intermittent power supply, cement producers have managed to establish an enviable track record. In eight years, the country has built up a domestic production industry capable of meeting two-thirds of local demand for cement. With further capacity expansion slated for this year, Nigeria is on track to achieve self-sufficiency in cement production and could even become a regional exporter.

Kuwait’s ambition to become a leading trading centre for the region took a step forward earlier this month, when the foundation stone for the new Mubarak Al Kabir port was laid, at a ceremony attended by Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah.

While Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry currently faces a range of challenges, including high import levels and a counterfeit drug trade, efforts by the government and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to improve regulation should help local manufacturers.