In a bid to reshape Africa’s industrial and business landscape, renowned supply chain strategist Professor Douglas Boateng has unveiled two seminal publications titled Compendium of Supply Chain Management Terms and Strategic Sourcing and Industrialisation at a high-profile launch at Exclusive Books Rosebank Mall in collaboration with the University of Johannesburg Press (UJ Press).
The launch is being hailed by business leaders as a major milestone toward building a continentwide framework for industrial competitiveness, localisation and economic self-determination. The publications offer practical locally grounded knowledge to guide both public and private sector decisionmakers in procurement manufacturing and long-term strategic planning.
“No country has industrialised without mastering strategic sourcing and supply chain management” said Prof Boateng. “If Africa is to move from being a consumer to a producer we must think and act strategically. These books provide the blueprint.”
Business-Driven Knowledge for a Competitive Africa
With Exclusive Books as Africa’s largest bookseller and UJ Press as one of the continent’s leading academic publishers co-hosting the event the launch signalled more than literary success. It marked a collaborative effort to build business literacy and capacity at scale especially within the procurement and industrial sectors.
The books are expected to become essential resources for industry leaders supply chain professionals public sector agencies and educational institutions offering terminologies case studies and frameworks designed to enhance operational efficiency and build sustainable value chains.
“At Commerce Edge we train thousands across Africa. These books are a vital addition to the ecosystem” said Ronald Malazi Managing Director of Commerce Edge South Africa the continent’s largest privately owned supply chain education institution. “Capacity building is no longer optional it is critical to Africa’s economic competitiveness.”
Strategic Sourcing as an Engine of Industrialisation
The launch comes at a time when many African economies including Ghana Nigeria Kenya and South Africa are rethinking their industrial strategies. From pharmaceuticals to agro-processing and minerals beneficiation strategic sourcing is emerging as a key pillar for localisation job creation and intra-African trade.
Professor Boateng’s text Strategic Sourcing and Industrialisation is being positioned as a business manual for African countries looking to maximise local content reduce import dependency and develop export-ready supply chains.
“This is not just a book launch” said Wikus van Zyl Manager of UJ Press. “It is the foundation of an industrial transformation strategy rooted in African realities. At UJ Press we do not just publish we equip business leaders with actionable insight.”
PanAfrican Industrial Roadshow in the Pipeline
As part of a broader business strategy Prof Boateng announced plans to roll out a Pan-African Industrialisation and Strategic Sourcing Roadshow in partnership with industry associations chambers of commerce and government agencies. The roadshow will include executive seminars investor roundtables and youth-targeted knowledge sessions across at least 10 African countries.
“Africa’s economic potential is immense but real transformation requires deliberate effort investment in people and strategic thinking” Boateng added. “We are going to every capital city we can to challenge the status quo and equip leaders with the tools to compete globally.”
Relevance to Ghana and West Africa’s Industrial Agenda
The books are particularly timely for Ghana where efforts are ongoing to build industrial parks anchor pharmaceutical production and attract private investment through initiatives like One District One Factory and the Ghana Free Zones Authority. Strategic sourcing and efficient procurement frameworks as outlined in Boateng’s work could help local businesses cut costs improve product quality and scale regionally under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
“For Ghanaian businesses seeking to become regional champions these books are more than academic texts they are strategic tools” said a Ghana-based supply chain executive present at the launch.
The event was broadcast across Ghana and West Africa reflecting rising demand for homegrown thought leadership and business frameworks tailored to African contexts.
Business Meets Industrial Purpose
Prof Boateng’s latest publications are not just contributions to the academic canon they are economic strategy documents. As Africa seeks to industrialise reduce its dependence on imports and add value to its vast natural resources knowledge will be as crucial as capital. The partnership between academia publishing and industry showcased at the launch offers a model for how this transformation can be achieved one page at a time.
