New market sectors and critical minerals to drive growth in African manufacturing
The African manufacturing sector is entering a new era of growth, driven by emerging market opportunities and the continent’s rich reserves of critical minerals. The 2025 Manufacturing Indaba will spotlight these evolving sectors, showcasing how African manufacturers are diversifying and embracing new frontiers.
As global markets adapt to changing demands, African manufacturers are making bold moves into sectors such as:
- Renewable Energy Technologies: Driving the production of solar panels, wind turbine components, and battery storage solutions to support Africa’s energy transition.
- Agro-Processing and Food Production: Expanding capacity in food processing, packaging, and distribution to strengthen food security and tap into global markets.
- Digital Manufacturing and Industry 4.0: Embracing automation, AI, and smart technologies to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
- Pharmaceutical and Medical Supplies: Building local production capabilities to reduce dependency on imports and improve healthcare resilience.
- Sustainable Materials and Circular Economy: Innovating in the development of eco-friendly products and adopting circular economy practices to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
- Critical Minerals Processing: Unlocking the potential of Africa’s abundant critical mineral reserves — such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements — to support the global demand for clean energy technologies, electronics, and electric vehicles.
The global shift towards clean energy and technological advancement has placed Africa’s critical minerals at the center of international attention. Local manufacturers are seizing the opportunity to move beyond extraction, investing in value-added processing and manufacturing to strengthen regional supply chains and boost economic growth.
“Africa’s critical minerals present a game-changing opportunity for the continent to move up the value chain and become a major player in global manufacturing,” says Liz Hart, Managing Director at Manufacturing Indaba. “By tapping into these resources responsibly and creating local processing capacity, Africa can drive sustainable industrialisation and position itself as a leader in the global green economy.”
The 2025 Manufacturing Indaba will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, and investors to explore these sectors, exchange insights, and forge partnerships that will shape Africa’s manufacturing future.
