Supporting Africa’s growth through Manufacturing Africa Programme
Supporting Africa’s growth through Manufacturing Africa Programme
Client: McKinsey Development Partners, funded by FCDO
In a rapidly evolving development landscape, marked by tighter donor budgets, increased scrutiny on value for money, and growing demand for sustainable, investment-led growth, the ability to deliver programmes with precision, transparency and measurable impact has never been more essential.
Through BDO’s dedicated International Institutions & Donor Assurance (IIDA) team expertise and service solutions, BDO helps global donors and delivery partners navigate complexity, strengthen accountability and convert development objectives into tangible results.
Against a backdrop of macroeconomic uncertainty and shifting geopolitical priorities, the Manufacturing Africa programme demonstrates the power of this approach. By combining exceptional on the ground market insight with rigorous programme controls, our team has ensured that investment decisions are not only accelerated, but grounded in robust financial, operational and impact assurance.
The result is a programme that continues to outperform expectations: unlocking high value manufacturing investment, stimulating job creation across East and West Africa, and delivering a resilient model for sustainable economic development. This case study highlights how IIDA’s capabilities enable partners to drive meaningful change, even in challenging market conditions, while capturing new opportunities that support long term prosperity across the continent.
Case Study
For every £1 of UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) invested in Manufacturing Africa, the programme has unlocked £42 of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the continent – catalysing new investment and trade opportunities between the UK and Africa.
‘Manufacturing Africa’, is a seven-year programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Its mission is to reduce poverty by strengthening job creation across East and West Africa. Our BDO team has supported the delivery of the programme.
Partnering with McKinsey Development Partners, the programme tackles the challenge of employment by focusing on the manufacturing sector, one of the most job-intensive areas of economic growth. We facilitate inward investments helping global manufacturing firms and investors bring high-value projects to Africa that boost both domestic production and international market access.
Through this strategic collaboration, BDO lead the transaction facilitation service component, providing manufacturers and investors with advisory support that not only accelerates investment decisions, but ensure investment decisions are both financially and impact driven. We also deliver robust monitoring, evaluation, and ESG oversight to ensure investments are sustainable, commercial and high-quality.
A key differentiator of our approach is our established presence on the ground in all the delivery countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Senegal, with local staff who understand the macro and micro conditions, the culture and have the relevant networks in each country. Our unique capability in the global donors industry allows us to deliver deep local market insights, manage complex requirements and unlock investment and trade opportunities that directly support the programme's aims to create jobs and reduce poverty.
The programme has consistently exceeded expectations. We achieved £2 billion in investment, surpassing the programme’s initial £1.2 billion target despite a challenging macroeconomic environment. Our success on the programme has strengthened investor confidence, expanded regional supply chains and supported the development of the manufacturing sector. This strong performance has led to continued commitment from FCDO, underscoring our contribution in long-term economic development in these emerging economies.
For a discussion on how BDO can support you with the design and delivery of sustainable investment attraction initiatives, please feel free to get in touch with Iain Nettleton and Sohasini Sudtharalingam.