At present Africa is a negligible exporter of manufactures and to reverse this situation, it is essential to understand the obstacles that stand in the way. This book represents a valuable contribution to such an understanding and it is based on a substantial survey of manufacturing enterprise.

The authors point out that even after more than a decade of adjustment policies, only a limited revival of industrial exports has occurred despite large continuing reported under-utilisation of industrial capacity.

They firmly reject the view that greater expansion is held back by external forces, pointing instead to domestic constrains.