Ten scenarios in Africa where one – or a handful – of countries make an outsized contribution to the total:
- 1.The Congo River is massive in terms of water volume. Of the 13 fairly big rivers in Africa – those with a discharge of more than 2,000 m3/second – the Congo River accounts for 44% of that flow, discharging 41,200 m3/second. And, of those 13 big rivers, nine are tributaries of the Congo.
2.21.8% of alcohol consumed per capita in Africa is in five countries : South Africa, (11 litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15+); Gabon (10.9 litres), Namibia (10.8 litres), Nigeria (10.1 litres), and Uganda and Rwanda, tied at 9.8 litres.
3.Africa is power-starved, but has huge untapped potential: 80% of Africa’s untapped geothermal power is in Ethiopia and Kenya, 50% of Africa’s hydro potential is in the DRC; 66% of sub-Sahara Africa’s wind potential is in Angola, Chad, Somalia, South Africa, and Sudan.
4.The continent uses 27 candles per person each year, more than the per capita consumption of Coca Cola.
5.Africa produces 10 million metric tonnes of refined sugar a year (mmtpa), but a fifth – 2.1 mmtpa – is produced in South Africa. But South Africa’s worst drought in two decades has now closed three mills and eight face closure.
6.One in five of the babies born in Africa is born in Nigeria. Of 30 million babies born every year in Africa, 5.9 million are born in Nigeria.
7.Nigeria produces two-thirds of Africa’s yams: 40.4 mmtpa in 2013 when global production was 63 million. Nigeria also produces a third of Africa’s millet and a quarter of Africa’s eggs.
8.The Food and Agriculture Organisation data shows the average protein supply per person in Africa from meat is 7 grams per day. China consumes 19g, South Africa 22g and the USA 39g. Nigerians consume 3.46g and Ethiopians, 2.8g.
9.Two-thirds (66%) of the fixed line telephone subscriptions in Africa today are in four countries: Egypt, South Africa, Algeria and Morocco. And 35% of Africa’s broadband subscriptions are found in Egypt.
10.Half of the cement being consumed in Africa today is in two countries – Nigeria (18.3 mmtpa) and South Africa (12.2 mmtpa) – and half Africa’s infrastructure stock of $400 billion in 2012 was held by South Africa, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco.
