Building economic complexity in Africa

Abstract

The paper reports on and summarizes four country case studies (Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and South Africa) in terms of: the degree and extent of economic complexity; a detailed product space analysis; firm interviews to identify what prevents or enables firms to diversify; and the employment potential associated with frontier products. Economic complexity and product space analytics identify potential avenues for economic diversification or frontier products. Building economic complexity, or accumulating productive knowledge, is associated with the process of structural transformation – shifts from less complex low productivity activities toward high productivity and more complex activities and products.