East Africa will be the fastest growing region in the African continent at 5.1% in 2023 and 5.8% in 2024 as per the African Development Bank. The economic growth will be driven by the rebound in economic growth in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Seychelles and Djibouti.

The FMCG industry stands as a prominent contributor to the GDP of East African nations, fostering economic growth and employment.

Although specific figures may vary from country to country, the FMCG sector consistently constitutes a substantial share of the region’s GDP.

The industry comprises a wide array of products such as food and beverages, personal care items, household essentials, and more. It is a sector characterized by high demand, frequent consumption, and relatively low-cost products. East Africa, encompassing countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, represents a dynamic and expanding market for FMCG enterprises.

However, the political instability in some East African countries has the potential to disrupt the FMCG industry. Uncertain governance, civil unrest, and leadership changes can create an unpredictable business environment, impacting supply chains, market access, and profitability.

The economic and political instability drives the need for 360° visibility across the retail supply chain and modern retail technology, to sail through the unpredictable business environment and supply chain disruptions in the region. Retail technology that can provide data insights,real -time inventory tracking, end-to-end distributor management and new techniques of sales force automation can help in maintaining market share and streamlining distribution and on-ground sales performance.

Having the right retail technology in place can help track goods in real time through the whole supply chain.

Tools like SFA help in monitoring the sales teams, optimise their beats, get the most out of the crew on the ground, by boosting their productivity.