Africa’s warehousing sector set to record massive growth

The demand for quality warehousing in Africa has been skyrocketing, especially with the rapid mushrooming and proliferation of e-commerce platforms across the continent. However, the supply has scarcely risen to meet the burgeoning demand. In 2021, the African e-commerce industry grew by 31 per cent to US$28B in revenues from US$21.4 in 2020; whilst in 2022, the industry is predicted to produce US$33.3B in revenue. This upward trajectory has largely determined the steady growth of the warehousing and logistics market in the continent. Overall, Global Smart Warehousing Market is valued at USD 14.46 Billion in 2020, and is expected to reach USD 31.57 Billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 11.8 per cent over the forecast period. With the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) going on its second year, the sector is projected to register robust growth due to increased intra-African trading on a macro-level. The warehousing market wields so much potential to stimulate multisector economic development across African countries, thereby boosting the continent’s GDP, creating employment and alleviating deeply entrenched poverty. Review of the Warehousing market in Africa According to a report by Knight Frank, named ‘Africa Logistics and Industrial Review H2 2021, the prime