Morocco Becomes the Most Industrialized Country in Africa
In 2025, Morocco surpassed South Africa to become the most industrialized country in Africa, according to the "African Industrialization Index 2025" published by the African Development Bank (AfDB), in partnership with the African Union and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Tunisia maintained its prominent position, ranking 4th at the continental level.
Methodology
The study covers 54 African countries and evaluates their industrial development over the period 2010-2024 using a multidimensional methodology based on 19 indicators. The index does not only measure the size of the industry but takes into account three main dimensions:
- Industrial performance, including manufacturing exports, value added of the manufacturing sector, industrial employment, and the weight of medium and high-tech industries
- Direct factors of industrial development, such as private investment, infrastructure, and foreign direct investment (FDI)
- Indirect factors, such as market size, business environment, legal security, and quality of governance Each country receives a score between 0 and 1, with a higher score indicating a higher level of industrialization.
Top 10 Most Industrialized African Countries in 2025
According to the AfDB data, the top 10 most industrialized countries in Africa are:
- Morocco: 0.8415
- South Africa: 0.8396
- Egypt: 0.7827
- Tunisia: 0.7760
- Mauritius: 0.6731
- Algeria: 0.6661
- Eswatini: 0.6509
- Senegal: 0.6368
- Namibia: 0.6295
- Côte d'Ivoire: 0.6173
Industrialization in Progress, but Still Incomplete
The report reveals that 41 out of 54 African countries have improved their industrialization score since 2010. The continent's median score has increased by 6.4% over the period, indicating real progress in several African economies. However, the AfDB estimates that the industrial transformation of the continent remains incomplete. Despite an increase in manufacturing value added, from $285 billion in 2020 to $351 billion in 2025, Africa still accounts for less than 2% of global manufacturing production and only 1.4% of global manufactured exports. According to the report's authors, accelerating African industrialization will require the development of regional value chains, improved infrastructure, investment in skills, and better economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
