Our mission statement

Our mission is to contribute to economic transformation in Africa by providing manufacturing companies and investors with transaction facilitation support to attract £1.2 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) and create 90,000 jobs in new production facilities and across supply chains.

We enhance the ability of countries to attract and retain FDI by providing technical assistance and capacity-building support to governments and investment promotion agencies.

Manufacturing Africa

By 2050, Africa’s population is set to double. Its urban population will triple and 40% of its total population will be under 15 years old. To absorb the growing labour force in sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 18 million new jobs will be needed each year until 2035.

The continent suffers from low productivity and many countries have struggled to develop their manufacturing base or move into high-value services. A competitive manufacturing sector is vital for Africa to take up its strategic role in the global economy.

Manufacturing Africa is a programme of the UK government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO). Its aim is to help Africa address two of its most pressing challenges: a growing labour force and an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. It will do this by catalysing sustainable and inclusive economic transformation, supporting the movement of labour and other resources from lower- to higher-productivity sectors and growing productivity sustainably in and between sectors.

Our
team

Manufacturing Africa has a diverse team of seasoned professionals that are passionate about Africa and uplifting livelihoods by creating quality jobs in the manufacturing sector.

Our team members have experience in the private, public and development sectors and are employed by the organisations that make up the Manufacturing Africa implementing consortium.

Central MA Team

Christoph Zipfel

Team Leader

David Meredith

Programme Director

Sohasini Sudtharalingam

Project Director

Kartik Jayaram

Technical Assistance Lead

Chowdhury Faheem

Portfolio Lead

Kannan Lakmeeharan

Transaction Facilitation Lead

Sandeep Khapre

Regional TF Advisor

Ed Burbidge

Transaction Facilitation Technical Lead

Harald Poeltner

Transaction Facilitation Advisor

Olivia Byanyima

Regional TF Advisor

Linda Onzere

Programme Manager

Laura Whitaker

Programme Manager

Kevin Maina

Monitoring & Evaluation Lead

Linda Okondo

Communications Lead

Adrian Mill

Climate and Environment Lead

Emma Sauvanet

Environment, Social Governance Manager

Country Teams

Adrian Mertens

Country Lead Ethiopia

Amdework Berhanu

Country Manager

Kaleb Tibebu

Transaction Facilitation Advisor

Gillian Pais

Country Lead

Eliud Njoroge

Country Manager

Sajan Shah

Transaction Facilitation Advisor

Viraj Raju Shah

Transaction Facilitation Advisor

Kemi Onabanjo

Co-Country Lead Nigeria

Yasmin Osaghae

Country Manager

Kunle Iludiran

Transaction Facilitation Advisor

Angelique Kantengwa

Country Team Lead Rwanda

Rufagari Benjamin

Country Manager

Lina Rutaba

Transaction Facilitation Advisor

Emma Sauvanet

Country Team Lead Senegal

Idrissa Wone

Country Manager