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Issue Brief September 7, 2017

Capturing the African consumer market

By Aleksandra W. Gadzala

For America’s consumer goods companies, the latest shifts in African consumer trends hold much promise. Africa’s population is growing at an outstanding rate and spending by consumers and businesses on the continent is forecast to grow significantly over the next decade. However, US investors often oversimplify and misunderstand African markets, which remain highly segmented, fluid, and absent of a discernible “middle.”

“Capturing the African Consumer Market: Truths, Trends, and Strategies for the Road Ahead,” by Aleksandra W. Gadzala, unpacks this complexity, and in doing so offers effective strategies for American companies to capture the opportunities afforded by Africa’s growth.

This issue brief is part of a partnership between the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center and the OCP Policy Center and is made possible by generous support through the OCP Foundation.

 

Related Experts: Aleksandra Gadzala Tirziu