(a) Describe any five characteristics of manufacturing industries in Tropical Africa. (b) Highlight five problems facing manufacturing industries in Tropica...

(a) Five characteristics of manufacturing industries in Tropical Africa

• They are mostly light, consumer-goods and processing industries (food, drinks, textiles, soap) rather than heavy industries.
• Many are agro-based / raw-material based, processing local farm and mineral products for local use or export.
• They are few, small-scale and unevenly distributed, concentrated in a few large towns and ports (e.g. Lagos, Nairobi).
• They rely heavily on imported machinery, spare parts, capital and technical expertise from developed countries.
• They employ relatively low levels of technology and are largely foreign-owned or dependent on foreign investment, producing mainly for the home market.

(b) Five problems facing manufacturing industries in Tropical Africa

• Shortage of capital for establishing and expanding industries.
• Inadequate infrastructure - unreliable electricity, poor roads and water supply raise costs and disrupt production.
• Shortage of skilled manpower and technology, forcing dependence on expensive foreign experts and imported equipment.
• Small home market and low purchasing power of the largely poor population, limiting sales.
• Competition from cheap imported goods, together with shortage of quality raw materials and political instability, which discourage investment.