Africa is set to become the fastest growing beer market, according to the report ‘Beer on the Frontier: Opportunities for Brewers in the African Continent’ by Rabobank.

The report states that the growth of beer market in Africa will be driven by rapid economic development, expanding population and rising wages.

Rabobank analyst Francois Sonneville said over the past few years, brewers from mature, stagnating beer markets have been investing in emerging markets.

"The favourite destinations have been the BRICs and Asia, but as these countries mature growth rates are declining. Based on demographics and economic developments, we believe that Africa will be the continent to witness the fastest growth over the next five years," Sonneville added.

The report also found that the consumption of beer per capita will increase globally, with significant rise in GDP levels expected from Africa because of its limited disposable incomes and high price of beer.

However, it warned brewers to be aware of African regions having restrictions on alcohol consumption, and urged them to depend on exporting and existing supply chain infrastructure, rather than setting up operations there.

When the restrictions are laid off, brewers can consider local production, which would help them cut transportation costs and get rid of import duties.