On-the-ground delivery for Manufacturing Africa in East Africa
On-the-ground delivery for Manufacturing Africa in East Africa
Unlocking Industrial Growth Across Africa
Africa stands at a critical economic inflection point. With a rapidly growing workforce and increasing urbanisation, the continent must create millions of jobs annually while accelerating industrialisation.Through its role in the Manufacturing Africa Programme, BDO East Africa is helping bridge this gap by supporting businesses, governments, and investors to unlock high-impact manufacturing opportunities.
Operating on the ground in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and supporting initiatives across Senegal and Nigeria, BDO plays a key role in transforming investment opportunities into bankable, scalable projects.
Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the programme aims to mobilise £1.9 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) and support the creation of 99,000 jobs across Africa.
The Challenge: Scaling Africa’s Manufacturing Sector
Despite strong growth potential, Africa’s manufacturing sector continues to face structural constraints that limit its ability to scale. Productivity remains relatively low, while access to investment-ready capital is still constrained for many businesses. At the same time, gaps in policy frameworks, infrastructure, and supply chain integration continue to slow industrial expansion.These challenges are further compounded by the urgency of job creation. With an estimated 18 million jobs needed annually by 2035, there is increasing pressure to accelerate industrial development and enable higher-value economic participation across the continent. Africa’s working population is projected to double by 2050, with an additional one billion people expected to live in its urban areas, underscoring the scale of the jobs challenge.
BDO East Africa’s Role in the Manufacturing Africa Programme
As part of a global consortium led by McKinsey & Company, BDO East Africa delivers comprehensive advisory support designed to accelerate investment into manufacturing and its enabling sectors.In investment facilitation and investor readiness, BDO works closely with companies to strengthen their ability to attract capital. This includes developing robust financial models and feasibility analyses, preparing businesses for investor engagement, conducting commercial due diligence and market assessments, and crafting compelling investor materials. In addition, BDO integrates environmental, social, and governance considerations into each engagement, ensuring alignment with global investor priorities.
Beyond individual transactions, BDO plays a critical role in sector transformation and policy support. The team conducts in-depth sector studies to identify high-potential opportunities, supports governments in shaping policies that attract investment, and advises on frameworks that promote sustainable and inclusive industrialisation. This combined approach ensures that both immediate investment opportunities and long-term structural improvements are addressed.
Impact Delivered Across Africa
The Manufacturing Africa Programme has already delivered measurable impact across the continent, with over 260 companies supported and approximately £2 billion in foreign direct investment facilitated to date.In Kenya, which serves as a core delivery hub for BDO East Africa, the programme has enabled 21 deals to successfully raise capital, mobilising more than US$800 million in investment into manufacturing and industrial projects.
Beyond Kenya, the programme has facilitated significant investment across its other focus markets. In Nigeria, 13 deals have raised more than US$430 million, while Ethiopia has seen 9 deals close, attracting over US$400 million. In Senegal, 3 deals have mobilised approximately US$240 million, and in Rwanda, 5 deals have raised more than US$180 million. In Tanzania, the programme’s newest market, an initial deal has secured US$2.9 million, with a growing pipeline of further opportunities.
BDO has supported a diverse portfolio of investments spanning multiple sectors and geographies. These include the expansion of pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in East Africa, the scaling of solar-powered irrigation and clean energy solutions, and the development of sustainable packaging and recycling platforms. Additional support has been provided to agro-processing ventures and emerging industries such as e-mobility and battery value chains. Flagship transactions include SunCulture, which raised US$60.5 million to expand its solar-powered water pump and irrigation business into new markets; Regal Pharmaceuticals, a leading regional manufacturer constructing a new facility to produce penicillin-based medicines; and BURN, a clean cookstove manufacturer that raised US$18 million to scale the distribution of electric cookstoves across the continent.
Collectively, these investments are contributing to job creation, strengthening local supply chains, increasing domestic production capacity, and advancing sustainable industrial growth across Africa.
Sector Focus Areas Driving Growth
Across Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal, and Nigeria, BDO East Africa focuses on sectors that have the potential to deliver both economic impact and scalability.These include pharmaceutical and healthcare manufacturing, where local production can significantly improve access to essential medicines, as well as agro-processing, which enhances value addition within agricultural supply chains. The firm also supports renewable energy solutions such as industrial solar, alongside sustainable packaging and waste management initiatives that address environmental challenges while creating new industries.
Emerging sectors such as automotive manufacturing and electric mobility are also a key focus, alongside industrial inputs and materials that underpin broader manufacturing ecosystems. These areas are critical to enabling Africa’s transition into higher-value manufacturing and strengthening its position in global supply chains.
Why BDO East Africa? Local Expertise, Global Impact
BDO East Africa combines deep local market knowledge with global advisory expertise, creating a unique value proposition for investors and businesses. With an established presence across 11 countries in Africa, the firm brings a strong understanding of regulatory environments, commercial dynamics, and cultural contexts.Its longstanding relationships with governments, development finance institutions, and private investors enable effective collaboration and trust-building, while its proven transaction advisory capabilities ensure that projects move efficiently from concept to financial close. This hands-on, execution-focused approach positions BDO as a reliable partner in de-risking investments and accelerating delivery.
Driving Africa’s Manufacturing Future
The Manufacturing Africa Programme highlights the transformative potential of targeted advisory support in unlocking investment and accelerating industrialisation.Through its leadership and on-the-ground delivery, BDO East Africa is playing a central role in converting opportunities into investable projects, attracting global capital into African markets, and building resilient, inclusive manufacturing ecosystems.