Morocco leads Africa in industrialization rankings for the first time

African Industrialisation Index Reveals Morocco’s Rise to Top Spot

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has released its 2025 Africa Industrialisation Index, ranking Morocco first for the first time, surpassing South Africa, which had held the top position since 2010. The index measures industrialisation across three main dimensions: industrial performance, direct drivers such as investment and infrastructure, and indirect factors including the business environment.

According to the report, Morocco scored 0.8415 points, narrowly ahead of South Africa’s 0.8396 points. Egypt ranked third with a score of 0.7827, followed by Tunisia at 0.7760. Algeria placed sixth with 0.6661, and four Arab countries featured among the continent’s top six industrial economies.

The report describes Morocco, South Africa, Egypt, and Tunisia as Africa’s leading industrial quartet, maintaining a significant lead over most other economies on the continent. North Africa remained the continent’s most industrialised region in 2024 with a score of 0.6891.

Forty-one countries improved their scores between 2010 and 2024, but only 24 improved their rankings. The continental average industrialisation score rose from 0.5134 in 2010 to 0.5445 in 2024, an increase of 6 percent.

The report highlights the need for regional integration and infrastructure development to drive industrial growth in Africa. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is seen as a major driver of regional industrialisation if implemented effectively. The AfDB estimates that effective implementation of the AfCFTA could increase African incomes by about 7 percent by 2035 and generate up to $450bn in additional value.

The report also notes that Africa’s manufacturing value added increased from $285bn in 2020 to $351bn in 2025, but the continent still accounts for less than 2 percent of global manufacturing output.

Source: Al Jazeera