Industrial Policy and Economic Transformation in Africa

Explores the vital role that industrial policies can play in bringing about a transformation of African economies

The revival of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is all the more welcome for having followed one of the worst economic disasters since the industrial revolution. Six of the world’s fastest growing economies in the 2000s were African. But with the exception of Ethiopia and Rwanda, the growth of these African nations was largely fueled by discoveries and the rising price of oil. Deindustrialization has yet to be reversed and structural transformation remains limited. This book explores the vital role that industrial policies can play in bringing about a transformation of African economies. Such policies pertain not just to industry. They traverse all economic sectors, including finance, information technology, and agriculture. More accurately understood as a package of learning, industrial, and technology (LIT) policies, they aim to bring vigorous and lasting growth to the region. This collection features case studies of LIT policies in action in many parts of the world, examining their risks and rewards and what they mean for Sub-Saharan Africa.

The revival of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is all the more welcome for having followed one of the worst economic disasters--a quarter century of economic malaise for most of the region--since the industrial revolution. Six of the world's fastest-growing economies in the first decade of this century were African. Yet only in Ethiopia and Rwanda was growth not based on resources and the rising price of oil. Deindustrialization has yet to be reversed, and progress toward creating a modern economy remains limited.

This book explores the vital role that active government policies can play in transforming African economies. Such policies pertain not just to industry. They traverse all economic sectors, including finance, information technology, and agriculture. These packages of learning, industrial, and technology (LIT) policies aim to bring vigorous and lasting growth to the region. This collection features case studies of LIT policies in action in many parts of the world, examining their risks and rewards and what they mean for Sub-Saharan Africa.--Justin Yifu Lin, Peking University and former chief economist of the World Bank