When a market doubles in size over a decade it does more than change balance sheets. It reshapes livelihoods, shifts diets, and redraws the map of who wins and who loses in food systems. That is the story behind the forecast that Africa’s meat industry will rise from US$63.03 billion in 2024 to about US$108.23 billion by 2033, growing at roughly 5.43 percent a year. This is not an abstract statistic. It is demand walking into city markets, smallholder farms finding new buyers, and processors racing to keep meat fresh from farm gate to plate.
Urban appetites and a young population are driving demand
Cities are the beating heart of this growth. Africa’s urban population is projected to more than double from 567 million in 2021 to over 1.2 billion by 2050. Those city households want convenient, affordable and protein-rich foods. Packaged and processed meat is already expanding in Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg where supermarkets, cold storage and delivery services are taking root. With about 60 percent of Africans under the age of 25, younger consumers are increasingly choosing diets that include more protein, which supports higher demand for poultry, beef and pork.
Poultry leads today and pork is the rising star
Chicken already accounted for nearly half of consumption in 2024 at 47.3 percent. Poultry’s faster production cycles, lower input costs and growing urban markets make it the natural engine of near-term growth. But pork is emerging fast as the sector with the highest growth rate, especially in Southern and Central Africa where changing tastes and rising incomes support diversification. For processors and retailers this means a two track opportunity: scale poultry supply while investing in processing and cold chain capacity for pork and beef.
Small farms matter as much as large processors
Africa’s meat sector combines small scale farming and formal commercial enterprises in ways that are complementary. Livestock contributes roughly 30 percent to agricultural GDP in many economies, and countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria and Sudan hold some of the continent’s largest cattle herds. When processors and traders build dependable off takes for smallholder producers they convert subsistence assets into regular cash income. Policies that support feed access, veterinary services and market linkages will determine whether rural producers benefit from the forecast growth.
Cold chain gaps are the biggest constraint and the biggest opportunity
Logistics and cold storage remain weak links across many countries. In places such as Tanzania and Malawi informal supply chains face high rates of spoilage and food safety challenges. Solving that gap unlocks more value than any single production boost. Investments in refrigerated transport, regional cold hubs and last mile delivery can dramatically reduce losses, raise quality and open supermarket and export markets. Companies that crack affordable cold chain solutions stand to capture large parts of the growing market.
Regional trade, policy and scaling local production
The African Continental Free Trade Area is a structural tailwind. It can help match surplus regions with deficit markets, for example moving beef from Namibia and Botswana to West African demand centers. Governments are already nudging production with targeted measures. Uganda and Rwanda have introduced feed subsidies and tax incentives to expand poultry farming. Kenya is strengthening export potential through better veterinary services and certified slaughterhouses, while Morocco and Tunisia are modernising supply chains with state support. These steps reduce fragmentation and make cross border trade more viable.
Retail is changing, and e-commerce is accelerating adoption
Formal retail accounted for a substantial share of sales in 2024, with supermarkets and hypermarkets holding about 43.6 percent of formal sales. At the same time online grocery platforms are growing faster because they combine mobile payments with cold last mile delivery. That means producers who can meet traceability, package quality and consistent supply will find new, higher margin channels.
Winners and challengers in the market landscape
Global meat giants such as Tyson Foods, JBS and Cargill are competing alongside regional players like Tiger Brands, Bidco Africa and AVI Limited. This mix intensifies competition but also brings capital, technology and standards that can lift the whole sector. Local processors that specialise in regional tastes and short supply chains have their own edge. The net outcome will depend on who invests in cold chain, who secures feed supplies, and which businesses build trust with consumers around safety and affordability.
What this forecast means for stakeholders
- For farmers: greater market opportunities if they can comply with quality and weight standards. Support services for veterinary care and feed will be vital.
- For processors and retailers: an incentive to invest in cold chain, packaging and digital ordering systems to capture urban demand.
- For investors: predictable demographic and urbanisation trends make the sector attractive for long term investments in logistics, processing and branded products.
- For policymakers: incentives for production, improved veterinary services and regional trade facilitation will multiply benefits for rural incomes and national food security.
Quick facts at a glance
- Market size 2024: US$63.03 billion.
- Market size 2025 estimate: US$66.38 billion.
- Forecast for 2033: US$108.23 billion, at about 5.43 percent CAGR.
- Per capita meat consumption in sub Saharan Africa: around 15 to 20 kilograms per year.
- Poultry share of consumption in 2024: about 47.3 percent.
- Formal retail share in 2024: roughly 43.6 percent.
- Nigeria share of regional market: about 22.4 percent.
- Key players: global multinationals and strong regional firms both competing for market share.
A simple way to think about it is this: the growth is already being written in the streets and markets of Africa. Younger, urban consumers are asking for convenient protein. Supermarkets and online platforms are building supply chains to serve them. Governments are nudging production with subsidies and infrastructure. The missing pieces are logistics and consistent standards. Solve those and the US$108.23 billion figure becomes not a distant headline but an everyday reality that pours income into rural households and offers modern protein to city tables.
If you work in agriculture, food retail or investment this is the moment to look closely. The market is not only growing in size, it is changing in structure. Farmers who adapt, processors who invest in cold chain, and innovators who digitise ordering and delivery will be the ones who turn a forecast into lasting opportunity
