(a) Characteristics of manufacturing industries in Tropical Africa
— mainly light industries with few heavy industries
— production is usually small scaled
— industries are labour intensive
— industries are mainly concentrated in urban areas.
— emphasis is on the production of consumer goods
— products are consumed locally
— raw materials got from foreign countries with only a small proportion sourced locally.
— reliance on imported skilled labour
— reliance on imported technology
(b) Problems facing manufacturing industries in Tropical Africa;
— shortage of raw material
— inadequate market
— low purchasing power inadequate transport network
— inadequate power supply
— insufficient capital competition from foreign goods
— inadequate skilled labour shortage of entrepreneur
— political instability
— taste for foreign goods
— low level of technology poor management.