We assessed the effects and dynamics of firms in three specific areas: employment creation, working conditions and skill development of local workers (i.e. workers from the countries receiving these firms). Our project is centred around individual worker-level interviews as they enable us to develop a dynamic and comparative picture of the employment conditions of African workers in these settings. For example, the workers interviewed were asked about their previous employment so that comparisons could be drawn with their current conditions. We conducted both quantitative surveys and qualitatively focused in-depth interviews. The former were used to give us a detailed picture of the sectors in question and let us draw direct comparisons between industries and ownership structures, while the latter gave us insights into the effects of employment on individual workers’ lives. Of particular concern across all interviews was the effect of employment in manufacturing and construction on training and general skill development, especially for unskilled workers who came from rural areas and agricultural occupations.