Reviving Local Economies in Africa through Strategic Industrial Development & SME Empowerment:- SECTION 1: Identifying Strategic Sectors for Growth Objective: To select and develop priority industries that align with a country’s natural resources, market demand, workforce potential, and ability to reduce import dependence. Why This Matters- Africa’s industrial base is narrow and often focused on raw exports (like cocoa, oil, or minerals) with little local value addition. Identifying strategic sectors allows countries to: Increase domestic production capacity Reduce import dependence Generate mass employment Encourage innovation and entrepreneurship Criteria for Sector Selection Criteria- Description Raw Material Availability Is the resource locally available and underutilized? Job Creation Potential- Can it employ large numbers, especially youth and women? Market Demand Is there strong local or regional demand for the product/service? Export Potential- Can it feed into regional/global markets like AfCFTA or EU? Technology Compatibility- Can it adopt scalable, affordable technologies? Recommended Strategic Sectors 1. Agro-processing Turn crops into consumer products: cassava into flour, mangoes into juice, etc. Benefits: Adds value locally, creates rural jobs, supports food security. Needs: Basic machinery, training, access to packaging materials. 2. Textiles & Apparel Build on cotton-growing regions to create garments, uniforms, local fabrics. Benefits: High labor absorption, especially for women. Needs: Stitching machines, dyeing facilities, design training. 3. Construction Materials Use local stone, clay, sand, and recycling to produce bricks, tiles, roofing sheets. Benefits: Urbanization demands housing; job-rich industry. Needs: Local fabrication plants, partnerships with builders. 4. Green Energy Manufacturing Assemble/install solar panels, batteries, cookstoves, microgrids. Benefits: Energy access + sustainable jobs. Needs: Investment in clean tech skills and basic R&D. 5. Pharmaceuticals & Medical Supplies Focus on production of generics, basic drugs, PPEs, hand sanitizers. Benefits: National health resilience + cost savings. Needs: Quality labs, regulatory support, training for pharmacists. 6. Digital Economy (Tech & Services) Software development, e-commerce, digital financial services, AI/local apps. Benefits: Exportable skills, youth-driven, scalable. Needs: Coding academies, fast internet, local funding. SECTION 2: Support for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Objective: To make SMEs the engine of economic growth, job creation, and industrial transformation. Why SMEs Matter SMEs contribute up to 80% of employment in many African countries. They operate in informal to semi-formal sectors but struggle due to: Lack of financing Limited access to tools, raw materials Weak infrastructure Low market visibility Key Areas of SME Support- 1. Finance Access Strategy- Description Micro-loans & Cooperatives- Seed funding through credit unions, SACCOs, or faith-based funds SME Banks or Funds- Government/NGO-backed loan windows with flexible terms Equipment Leasing- Allow SMEs to rent industrial machines instead of buying Avoid high-interest commercial loans with strict collateral requirements. 2. Infrastructure & Tools- Build shared industrial workspaces or parks for: Textile production- Metalwork- Agro-processing Provide mobile tool trucks for rural businesses. Ensure stable electricity, roads, and internet access. 3. Training & Capacity Building- Partner with TVETs to offer: Technical skills (e.g., tailoring, baking, solar tech) Business management (pricing, inventory, marketing) Financial literacy (bookkeeping, savings) Create entrepreneurship bootcamps with mentorship. 4. Market Access Support- Organize Buy Local fairs and online platforms for SME products. Help SMEs comply with export standards (packaging, hygiene, labeling). Link SMEs to school feeding programs, hospitals, and state procurement. 5. Policy & Regulation Reform- Simplify business registration processes. Exempt small producers from high taxes for first 3–5 years. Create local content laws that mandate use of local products in public projects. 6. Digital Enablement- Train SMEs to: Sell via afriprime.net, sappertask.com, corkroo.com because these sites are made for Africa by African. Accept mobile payments (M-Pesa, Flutterwave, etc.). Use digital bookkeeping apps. Going digital helps small businesses compete and scale. Case Study Snapshot: Nigeria’s MSME Clinics Mobile clinics hosted in states to connect SMEs with banks, regulators, and tools. Results: More registrations, loan disbursement, and skills training uptake. Conclusion Reviving African economies requires a clear sector focus matched with ground-up SME empowerment. By: Investing in strategic, job-rich industries, and Creating an ecosystem for SMEs to thrive, countries can reduce poverty, grow local wealth, and reclaim economic independence from global overdependence. By Jo Ikeji-Uju. sappertekinc@gmail.com https://afriprime.net/Ikeji *Share your comments positive or negative........

The global nanocellulose market size is anticipated to showcase potential growth owing to the increasing concerns regarding the sustainability of the packaging industry, observes Fortune Business Insights™ in its report, Nanocellulose has applications in various industries including cement and composites, textile, and paper and packaging. The market stood at USD 291.53 million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 1,053.09 million by 2027 at a CAGR of 19.9% in the forecast period. Information Source - https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/nanocellulose-market-104565 Highlights of the Report: While making the report, we segmented the market on the basis of product, type, consumption, distribution channel, and region. Based on the segmentation, we made a list of companies and conducted a detailed analysis of their financial positions, product portfolios, and growth strategies. Our next step included the study of core competencies of key players and their market share to anticipate the degree of competition. The bottom-up procedure was conducted to arrive at the overall size of the market. Drivers & Restraints- Increasing Applications in Packaging Industry to Drive Growth Rising concerns regarding the impact of material used by the packaging industry on the environment are estimated to drive nanocellulose market growth. For instance, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, packaging material accounts for around 28.1% of the total municipal solid waste in the U.S. and the material used in packaging includes plastic, which is non-degradable. In addition, the extensive utilization of nano cellulose in the textile industry is projected to further strengthen its demand. However, the high cost of production associated with the product is expected to limit the growth of nanocellulose. Segment- Paper and Packaging to Be the Fastest-growing Segment Based on the application, paper and packaging is estimated to be the fastest-growing segment with a market share of 23.0% in 2019. Increasing the utilization of cellulose nanocrystals in both paper and plastic-based packaging is driving the segment growth. Additionally, the segment held a share of 22.4% in Germany. Based on type, the microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) segment is anticipated to hold a considerable nanocellulose market share owing to its applications in the manufacturing of nanocomposites, bio-based medical products, wood adhesives, super-capacitors, batteries, continuous fibers for textiles, and other products. Regional Insights- High Availability of Wood in Eastern Europe to Help the Region Dominate Europe is projected to dominate the global market with a value of USD 108.77 million in 2019. Its dominance is attributed to the high concentration of manufacturers in the region owing to the rising availability of wood in the Eastern Europe. In addition, the region is a manufacturing hub of automobiles, textiles, and cosmetics, which is estimated to further drive the growth of nanocellulose. The market in Asia Pacific is not far behind as it is set to exhibit substantial growth in the forecast timeline with a value of USD 43.16 million in 2019. The presence of end-use industries, such as food, cement, textiles, and paper in China, South Korea, and India is anticipated to propel the demand for nanocellulose, driving its growth in the region. Competitive Landscape- Research & Development to Aid Key Players Develop Innovative Products Key players operating in the global market are investing extensively in research and development in order to develop innovative products based on nanocellulose and upgrade the existing ones. This will help them gain prominence over other companies. For instance, in December 2020, Norske Skog announced the development of a new variant of CEBINA by replacing the suspension liquid with polymer instead of water. This enabled the use of CEBINA in epoxy floor coverings and adhesives. Industry Developments- In April 2020, Celluforce announced that Celluforce NCC, a gelling agent produced by the company, is suitable for the manufacturing of hydro-alcoholic gels, thereby replacing the traditionally used acrylates and carbomers. This makes the agent suitable in making gel-based sanitizers while providing an invisible layer of cellulose on hands for protecting damaged skin. In February 2020: GranBio Technologies, a subsidiary of GranBio, signed a supply partnership with Birla Carbon, an Indian company. Under this agreement, Birla Carbon will supply biomass-based nanocellulose for the replacement of carbon black, an oil by-product used in the tire & rubber industry. A List of Key Manufacturers Operating in the Market: Fiberlean Technologies (UK) Kruger, Inc. (Canada) Borregard (Norway) Nippon Paper Group (Japan) Celluforce (Canada) Stora Enso (Finland) Norske Skog ASA (Norway) The University of Maine (U.S.) Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) (Sweden) GranBio (Brazil) CelluComp (UK) Other Key Players