Special report: invigorating Africa’s industrialisation

The ‘Africa Rising’ narrative is one that has captivated both the West and the East – and their multinationals – for a number of years. It is also one that, arguably, has distracted from the reality experienced across much of the continent since July 2014: a significant and far-reaching downturn in the so-called commodity super-cycle; persistent uncertainty in growth prospects in many developed and developing countries; and stronger global economic headwinds.¹ This has had major developmental implications for several of the continent’s economies, as well as the companies investing in them.²