The manufacturing sector is central to the country’s economic prospects but remains notably underpowered. Although it has the potential to generate employment, boost exports, and drive structural change, its growth has been sluggish, averaging 3.4% in 2021 and 2.5% in 2022, falling short of the levels required to elevate the broader economy significantly. Its contribution to GDP has remained stagnant at a single-digit percentage for nearly twenty years, lagging behind competitors such as Malaysia, China, and Singapore.