Researchers have long examined the factors that contribute to economic growth. The new challenge that this briefing addresses is to examine how state–business relations (SBR) affect economic performance in sub Saharan Africa. Critics would contend that this is an impossible task because such relations are intangible and immeasurable and it would be difficult to assess the effects. While we do acknowledge that some informal aspects of SBRs will be difficult to measure, new research suggests that it is possible to identify and measure key factors behind effective SBRs conducive to growth in Africa, but more needs to be done.