Framing Manufacturing Development in Africa and the Influence of Industrial Sustainability

The aim is to examine the academic literature on manufacturing development in Africa with a view to determining the extent to which concepts relating to industrial sustainability have been covered. Using Nigeria as a case study, and taking a sample of relevant academic publications, this study has found that literature on manufacturing in Nigeria does not cover important concepts of industrial sustainability such as industrial symbiosis, circular economy, sustainable business models, cleaner production, and a range of other related concepts. A plausible explanation for this is that there has been a weak link between industry and research communities in Nigeria. The paper contributes evidence towards mustering more action for the advancement of industrial sustainability in Africa. It also shows a clear practice, policy and literature gap.