Reclaiming Economic Sovereignty in Africa

A Natural Resource-based Industrialisation Perspective

Horman Chitonge author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Anthem Press

Publishing:8th Apr '25

£80.00

This title is due to be published on 8th April, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Reclaiming Economic Sovereignty in Africa cover

Discusses the critical question of why Africa, despite being the most endowed place on the planet, with a diverse range of natural and human resources, has remained the most impoverished region on the planet

This book has discussed the critical question of why the continent, despite being the most endowed place on the planet, with a diverse range of natural and human resources, has remained the most impoverished region on the planet. The book shows that this is largely due to lack of economic sovereignty.

This book has examined the way African countries utilise their natural wealth. It has illustrated that weak economic sovereignty accounts for the irony that the most endowed continent on the planet has ended being the most impoverished. It is argued in this book that weak economic sovereignty in Africa has several implications, including the situation where the continent is unable to make the most out of its abundant natural wealth. Weak economic sovereignty on the continent is manifested in the low levels of financial and monetary sovereignty among African countries, but most importantly in low productive capabilities. The conditions of low productive capabilities prevailing on the African continent have created a situation where most African countries are locked into economically debilitating dependencies, including dependence on commodity export, such that they only get a tiny proportion of the value generated from natural resources extracted from their territories. The book has also argued that the persisting weak economic sovereignty on the continent is a clear indication that while African countries attained political sovereignty six decades ago, attaining economic sovereignty has remained an incomplete liberation project that requires a new strategy to accomplish.

“The primary focus of the manuscript revolves around the pivotal concept of economic sovereignty, emphasizing the need for increased agency in controlling resources and advocating for value chain upgrading within countries pursuing resource-based development. By illustrating various examples, the text convincingly argues that a well-planned and implemented resource-based development strategy can be a liberating project, fostering economic diversification and capturing value through in-country processing.” —Maha Ben Gadha, Senior Researcher and Regional Economic Program Manager at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, North Africa Office.


“Despite Africa being rich in natural resources, often the benefits do not inure to the general populace due to governance and value addition challenges. Thus, Africa has de jure sovereignty, but not resource authority. Chitonge redirects us to unpacking and reclaiming economic sovereignty through natural resource-based industrialisation.” —Pius Siakwah, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.

ISBN: 9781839993336

Dimensions: 229mm x 153mm x 18mm

Weight: 502g

246 pages