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Indicators · Industries and economic structure

Manufacturing, value added

Value added by manufacturing, as a share of GDP.

Why it matters

Manufacturing creates formal jobs and export diversification. A rising share is one of the clearest signs of structural transformation.

Read with care

Classified on ISIC revision 3 by the World Bank; agro-processing is counted here, not in agriculture.

Source

World Bank

% of GDP. 54 African countries, 1990 to 2025.

Manufacturing (% GDP): highest in Eswatini, lowest in Seychelles

Manufacturing, value added, % of GDP. Latest year available, mostly 2025. 16 of 16 countries have data.

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Source: World Bank· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: manufacturing (% GDP)iWhy it mattersManufacturing creates formal jobs and export diversification. A rising share is one of the clearest signs of structural transformation.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%10%20%30%Eswatini28.1%Zimbabwe14.9%Madagascar13.1% (2024)South Africa12.3%Lesotho12.1% (2024)Mauritius11.2%Malawi11.0% (2024)Namibia10.0%Zambia8.7%Tanzania8.4% (2023)DRC7.9%Comoros7.2%Angola6.8%Mozambique6.2%Botswana5.7%Seychelles5.4%median 9.4%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 9.4%Lowest: Seychelles 5.4%Highest: Eswatini 28.1%

Over time

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Manufacturing, value added against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Manufacturing (% GDP)DRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMozambiqueMadagascarZimbabweNamibia
Source: World Bank, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1Eswatini28.1%2025up 1.6 point since 2020A
2Zimbabwe14.9%2025up 1.1 point since 2020A
3Madagascar13.1%2024up 3.0 points since 2019A
4South Africa12.3%2025up 0.5 points since 2020A
5Lesotho12.1%2024down 5.2 points since 2019A
6Mauritius11.2%2025up 0.6 points since 2020A
7Malawi11.0%2024down 0.6 points since 2019A
8Namibia10.0%2025down 1.0 point since 2020A
9Zambia8.7%2025up 1.0 point since 2020A
10Tanzania8.4%2023up 0.3 points since 2018B
11DRC7.9%2025down 4.2 points since 2020A
12Comoros7.2%2025up 0.8 points since 2020A
13Angola6.8%2025up 0.7 points since 2020A
14Mozambique6.2%2025down 2.1 points since 2020A
15Botswana5.7%2025little changed since 2020A
16Seychelles5.4%2025down 1.3 point since 2020A