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COLONIAL INDUSTRY
Industries are the manufacturing units and factories involved in the processing goods. In the colonial time, Africa wasn’t characterized by many manufacturing industries as it is today, it had processing industries which were meant at processing raw materials so as to increase the shipment of raw materials to European industries.
The Europeans established SEMI – PROCESSING INDUSTRIES not manufacturing industries in Africa. They also wanted to reduce (prevent) the competition over raw materials.
THE OBJECTIVES OF COLONIAL INDUSTRY
Processing of raw materials for European industries.
Protection of European markets in Africa by monitoring African industrial sector.
The main types of industries in the colonial Africa were processing industries. There were
Meant at reducing the bulkiness of raw materials from Africa. They also established few import substituting industries to supply consumer goods to white men in Africa.
Examples of industries in colonial Africa in East Africa
Decoration of sisal industry to process sisal fibers by decertification machine in Tanga.
The Tanganyika plantation company in Arusha Chini to produce sugar.
The Bata Shoe Company was established in Tanganyika and in Kenya.
The Dar es Salaam breweries was established in 1924.
The East Africa Breweries was established in 1934 based in Namibia, Kenya.
Other industries included Tanganyika Packers Limited, Blue band margined soap industry, cigarettes, match boxes etc.
In South Africa:
Food processing industries near the mining Centre, Mineral processing industry etc.
In West Africa:
Cocoa processing in Ivory Coast, Gold coast etc., Gold processing in Gold Coast (Ghana) and many other industries.
In Central Africa:
Many food processing industries were established in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nyasaland (Malawi).
In North Africa
In Egypt, they established many industries such as medicine, food processing etc. Other industries were established in Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and other areas.
THE IMPACT OF COLONIAL INDUSTRIES IN AFRICA
Destruction of African industries: Most of the natives who had various skills in handcrafts were turned to the cheap laborers (workers) in various works in processing industries and other sectors.
Exploitation of native (human resources): They were paid meager wages (hand to month). This turned them to be very poor. The working hours were extended a long with other difficult working industries conditions.
Exploitation of the native’s raw materials: The Europeans colonial industries were meant to process raw materials produced by the native peasants or white settlers. Raw materials from natives were purchased at a very low price compared to raw materials sold by the white settlers.
Increase of raw materials to Europeans industries: The processing industries established in Africa reduced the Bulkiness of raw materials in Europe that meant that raw materials were sent to Europe after being processed in Africa and were of high quality and quantity.
Weak base of African industries after independence: Most of the industries established in colonial Africa were processing industries. Few import substitution industries were established in Africa. So Africa inherited from Europe the culture of processing and selling raw materials to Europeans until today Africa is still backward in terms of industrial development.
Promotion of uneven development: The areas with many processing industries were well developed than the areas without those industries. The areas with industries had other facilities to support the nearby population e.g. Health services, schools, recreation centers etc. these areas developed than other areas.
Environment pollution: The areas with many industries witnessed a lot of environment pollution e.g. Water land or air pollution. Industries produced fumes, garbage and sewage which polluted the environment.
Creation of a working class along with other sector: The industrial sectors in which the natives were employed made the natives change their economic structure. They gradually became dependent on being employed by the Europeans’.
