It is to the middle class we must look for the prosperity of Africa, to paraphrase William Thackeray. Many countries are making a mint from commodities such as oil, copper and gold thanks to sky-high prices. But that is not enough to give Africa a permanent boost. Commodity markets are notoriously fickle and revenues can quickly be squandered.rnThe true test of progress is whether new riches trickle down from the elite to create a group of consumers large enough to sustain broad economic spurts in the service and manufacturing sectors.
展开▼
