The State of Product Management in Africa · 2026
Africa has a product
management story.
Africa has a product
management story.
Africa has a product
management story.
Nobody had measured it.
Nobody had measured it.
Nobody had measured it.
A new continent-wide benchmark revealing that African product management is really two ecosystems.
Explore the findings
Explore the findings
1,163
1,163
product professionals surveyed
Product Professionals Surveyed
Product Professionals Surveyed
14
14
African markets
African Markets
African Markets
11
11
sectors, startup to enterprise
Sectors, Startup to Enterprise
Sectors, Startup to Enterprise
20+
20+
CPOs & senior leaders interviewed
CPOs & Senior Leaders interviewed
CPOs & Senior Leaders interviewed
Why this matters
Everyone is talking about product in Africa. Almost no one has the data.
Everyone is talking about product in Africa. Almost no one has the data.
The discipline is growing faster than anyone has measured louder on LinkedIn than it is deep in practice, and split into two populations that barely recognise each other.
The discipline is growing faster than anyone has measured louder on LinkedIn than it is deep in practice, and split into two populations that barely recognise each other.
One is visible: the self-identified PM community in startups and fintechs. The other is invisible the analysts, transformation leads and systems managers doing product work inside banks, telcos and ministries, who were never given the title.
One is visible: the self-identified PM community in startups and fintechs. The other is invisible the analysts, transformation leads and systems managers doing product work inside banks, telcos and ministries, who were never given the title.
Until now, no one could say categorically what the state of the field is who, where, and how mature. This is the baseline.
Until now, no one could say categorically what the state of the field is who, where, and how mature. This is the baseline.
What we found
Five signals from the research.
Five signals from the research.
1 in 5
1 in 5
1 in 5
people doing product work in Africa were
never given the title “product manager.”
people doing product work in Africa were
never given the title “product manager.”
people doing product work in Africa were
never given the title “product manager.”
The invisible population mapped for the first time. Full breakdown in the report.
44%
44%
44%
say the founder or CEO makes the final
product call — not the PM.
say the founder or CEO makes the final product call — not the PM.
Who really owns product decisions in the report.
2.3×
2.3×
2.3×
the gap between valuing discovery and
actually doing it.
the gap between valuing discovery and actually doing it.
Aspiration vs. practice, by market in the report.
87%
87%
87%
place African product management in Foundation or Growth.
separate South Africa from the rest of the continent’s product maturity.
The full maturity curve in the report.
56%
56%
56%
of enterprise teams are blocked from AI
tools by policy & not by choice.
of enterprise teams are blocked from AI tools by policy & not by choice.
The real AI adoption picture in the report.
In their words
“I’ve done product for six years. Nobody ever called me a
product manager.”
“I’ve done product for six years. Nobody ever called me a
product manager.”
“I’ve done product for six years. Nobody ever called me a product manager.”
— Digital Transformation Lead · Tier-1 bank · Nigeria
“We know we should talk to users. There’s never time before the
next build.”
“We know we should talk to users. There’s never time before the next build.”
“We know we should talk to users. There’s never time before the
next build.”
— Product Manager · Fintech · Kenya
“We learn together, in French, on WhatsApp. The frameworks
came in English and never quite fit.”
“We learn together, in French, on WhatsApp. The frameworks
came in English and never quite fit.”
“We learn together, in French, on WhatsApp. The frameworks
came in English and never quite fit.”
— Product Lead · Senegal
Access the full
research.
Access the full research.
Access the full research.
The complete report: the two populations, the maturity curve, compensation, Ai adoption and what comes next.
The complete report: the two populations, the maturity curve, compensation, Ai adoption and what comes next.
The complete report: the two populations, the maturity curve, compensation, Ai adoption and what comes next.
Who produced this
Who produced this
NESI Intelligence
NESI Intelligence
The research and insights arm of NESI, a product and innovation consulting company. NESI Intelligence produces original research on how product is built across African markets starting with this study, and continuing annually.
The research and insights arm of NESI, a product and innovation consulting company. NESI Intelligence produces original research on how product is built across African markets starting with this study, and continuing annually.
Ecosystem partner
Ecosystem partner
PLA is a product laboratory for Africa, developing product people by putting them in the messiness of real product problems and challenging them to turn evidence into action. They supported this study with community reach. d distribution partner for the 2026 study.
PLA is a product laboratory for Africa, developing product people by putting
them in the messiness of real product problems and challenging them
to turn evidence into action. They supported this study with community reach.
PLA is a product laboratory for Africa, developing product people by putting them in the messiness of real product problems and challenging them to turn evidence into action. They supported this study with community reach. d distribution partner for the 2026 study.
You've seen the research. Now see how Nesi puts it into practice, explore our work in product, design, and digital transformation
You've seen the research. Now see how Nesi puts it into practice, explore our work in product, design, and digital transformation
You've seen the research. Now see how Nesi puts it into practice, explore our work in product, design, and digital transformation
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The State of Product Management in Africa 2026. The baseline.
The State of Product Management in Africa 2026. The baseline.
The State of Product Management in Africa 2026. The baseline.
Produced by NESI Intelligence © 2026 NESI
Produced by NESI Intelligence © 2026 NESI