The culmination of twenty years spent studying Asian economics, Joe Studwell’s celebrated How Asia Works revealed the key policies behind the meteoric growth of the “Asian tigers.” The question he kept hearing from those inspired by his clear-eyed understanding of global development: what about Africa? He was finally convinced to investigate further when the inquiries began coming from Africans themselves. A decade of research, travel and on-the-ground reporting began.

Studwell expected that Africa’s challenging geography and its crippling legacies of colonialism would necessitate a unique developmental recipe. Yet to his astonishment, the African countries that succeeded did so by embracing the very same strategies their Asian counterparts had—strategies that are far different from those foisted on Africa by the international community. He explores these winning policies via four countries that have seen exceptional economic growth (Botswana, Mauritius, Ethiopia and Rwanda) and that demonstrate both the promise and the particular challenge of the African context. Highlighting the achievements of local leaders, Studwell argues that prosperity is well within reach and that the rapidly rising population—seen as alarming by so many—will be foundational to Africa’s flourishing. How Africa Works is essential, optimistic reading for anyone looking to understand the next chapter of global development.

Praise for How Africa Works:

“Joe Studwell underscores the critical role of agriculture in development and highlights how African nations have leveraged smart policies to drive sustainable growth. How Africa Works challenges outdated narratives and makes a compelling case for the continent’s economic potential.”—Bill Gates

“Timely, highly readable and provocative. This insightful volume does something unusual: it constructs a thesis of Africa’s developmental backdrop that neither relies on familiar ideological paradigms nor fixates on traditional bogeymen like corruption and civil conflict. It will doubtless inspire debate, which is by itself an important achievement.”—Vice President Kashim Shettima of Nigeria

“Joe Studwell’s How Asia Works is one of the most important and most cited works on Asian economic development. How Africa Works will achieve a comparable status for Africa. It is a book everyone should read, and it stands a good chance of being the most important book of 2026.”—Tyler Cowen, George Mason University and co-author of the Marginal Revolution blog

“How Africa Works offers a remarkable exploration of a continent rich in natural resources and human potential. It vividly demonstrates that with astute policies and a supportive government, the aspiration for rapid and sustainable economic growth is not a far-fetched dream but an achievable reality. This book is an essential read for policymakers, economists, and anyone with a vested interest in the economic transformation of Africa and the wider developing world.”—Justin Yifu Lin, Peking University and former Chief Economist, World Bank

“As Africa’s cities are flooded by young job seekers, many observers worry that unemployment and social strife will be the result. Joe Studwell presents a different, optimistic case. Informed by the East Asian experience as well as Africa’s own turbulent and violent history, his account weaves a more hopeful narrative built on recent improvements in governance, education, and manufacturing potential.”—Dani Rodrik, Harvard University and author of Shared Prosperity in a Fractured World