Beer is more than just a drink it’s a big part of economies and cultures around the world. It’s found in traditions, businesses, and social life.
In 2023, global beer production dropped slightly to 1.88 billion hectoliters—a 1% decrease from previous years. The drop mainly came from Europe and North America. Europe saw a 2.5% decrease, especially in countries like the UK, Germany, and Poland. North America dropped by 2.7%.
Meanwhile, Africa’s beer industry is growing quickly. This is because of more people moving to cities, better incomes, and a very young population—over 60% of people are under 25. Young Africans are drinking more beer socially, giving beer companies a growing market.
But there are challenges. Making beer in Africa is getting more expensive. Inflation, currency problems, and high taxes on brewing equipment and ingredients are making it harder for small brewers to survive.
According to the BarthHass report, some African countries have very low beer production. These are the top 10 with the lowest production:
| Rank | Country | Beer Production (Million hectoliters) | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 0.01 | 169th |
| 2 | Cape Verde | 0.012 | 167th |
| 3 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.045 | 100th |
| 4 | Niger | 0.1 | 152nd |
| 5 | Seychelles | 0.1 | 151st |
| 6 | Liberia | 0.145 | 148th |
| 7 | Senegal | 0.17 | 144th |
| 8 | Sierra Leone | 0.19 | 140th |
| 9 | Mali | 0.19 | 139th |
| 10 | Eswatini | 0.225 | 136th |
Despite the hurdles, Africa’s beer market is growing and has strong potential for the future.