Since the implementation of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) in 2003, foreign direct investment has become a priority for Abuja. It received a modest $1.87 billion of new FDI in 2002 compared to almost $9 billion in 2011, for example. Although the bulk of this FDI inflow was directed into the extractive sector, manufacturing and telecommunication sectors have also gained. To maintain this economic growth, it is imperative for Nigeria to improve governance, privatize large public companies, and address infrastructure bottlenecks.
South Africa, on the other hand, will miss its 2.7 % growth target this year after suffering the longest strike in its history and a growing twin deficit. Since the first multiracial elections in 1994, the Rainbow Nation has averaged a 3.3 % annual growth rate, but racial income inequality remains high with a Gini co-efficient at 0.69. With a relatively stable government, abundant natural resources, strong manufacturing sector, and a world-renowned stock exchange, South Africa still remains an economic powerhouse in the continent.
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