Morocco Overtakes South Africa as Africa’s Top Industrial Economy

The African Development Bank released the 2025 Africa Industrialisation Index at its annual meetings in Brazzaville, Congo. The index ranks Morocco as the continent’s leading industrial economy, moving ahead of South Africa, which remains a major industrial power but shows signs of declining competitiveness.

The report credits Morocco’s rise to sustained industrial upgrading, export diversification and strong policy support, while noting that intra‑African trade remains low at about 14.4 % of total trade. It also highlights regional disparities, with North and Southern Africa leading in production and export sophistication, and stresses the need for better infrastructure, skills development and stronger integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area.