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Cape Town - South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria are ranked as
the most attractive economies to invest in, according to Rand Merchant Bank’s
second edition of Where to Invest in Africa.
The report, which ranks investment destinations across the region, now also analyses North African countries.
Data for selected emerging
and developed nations has been included against which Africa’s performance can
be compared, while an assessment is made on how the investment environment has
been changing over time - mostly for the better, but sometimes for the worse.
The countries are rated from most to least attractive investment destinations.
Scores are based on: market size, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP)
at purchasing power parity: the market growth rate, as reflected in the
International Monetary Fund’s forecasts of real GDP growth; and an operating
environment index, which looks at economic freedom, corruption, efficiency and
business friendliness.
The report finds Rwanda, Ghana and Zambia to be stand-out
countries based on continued improvements via reforms and accelerated growth.
Of the three giants of the continent (South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria), South
Africa has by far the best operating environment but the slowest growth, as is
the general trend in most countries in southern Africa.
The East African Community offers four countries that
collectively are large and attractive - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda -
while the most notable North African economies are Tunisia and Morocco.
Libya
stands out from a growth perspective, representing the recovery from the civil
war. Francophone West and Central Africa rate poorly although Cote d’Ivoire
recently entered the growth race after political tensions eased.
Angola has a decent size economy (the third-largest in
sub-Saharan Africa) and is growing rapidly, but remains a tough place to do
business.
Key sectors of opportunity are also analysed in the report
including finance, resources, infrastructure and consumption.
Detailed tables are provided with an extensive range of
data, both for Africa and other key countries, together with snapshots of all
54 African countries.
A summary of the ranking results shows that:
- South
Africa tops the rankings, as was the case last year, although the gap continues
to close rapidly. It is followed by the
next two largest economies on the continent, Egypt and Nigeria.
- The North
African economies, which entered the rankings this year, take many of the top
positions. Even with the political problems surrounding the Arab Spring and the
resulting decline in their operating index, they remain relatively attractive
markets.
Rwanda and Ethiopia’s rankings may come as a surprise: Rwanda is a tiny country, but its reform
efforts have been so outstanding that it is reaping rapid rates of economic
growth and associated improvements in the business environment.
Ethiopia’s
position comes about because of rapid growth and its large population.
A few countries have worsened in the rankings: Zimbabwe
stands out in this regard while Namibia, Swaziland, Benin, South Africa,
Guinea, and Gabon stand out as countries where the World Bank and Transparency
International report increasing bureaucracy and corruption.
Though Africa is still a desirable investment destination, the sustainability of the recent rebound in its economic growth is questionable as the growth may have more to do with the commodities super cycle than underlying structural adjustments.
Africa will need to fast-track its progress if it is going to compete with other rapidly growing emerging markets, the report said.
