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Gender parity will unlock $287 billion for Africa’s economy by 2030, report
Conducted in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, the study reinforces the crucial role of women’s economic empowerment in driving the continent into a new era of transformational growth.
[Open Webinar, Sept 26, 2024] Driving Success: Enterprise Strategy and Financial Leadership for Growth
UK-based global financial technology firm, VertoFX, and American consumer credit reporting agency, TransUnion, are together organizing a fascinating free-to-join webinar themed 'Driving Success: Enterprise Strategy and Financial Leadership for Growth'.
Coca-Cola is the world’s most valuable non-alcoholic drinks brand, report
The brand’s memorable marketing campaigns, such as its 2023 Christmas advertisement, "The World Needs More Santas," have further reinforced its emotional connection with consumers.
Buy now pay later gross merchandise value to reach $19.5 billion by 2029, report
The report provides a detailed data-centric analysis of the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) industry, covering market opportunities and risks across a range of retail categories.
African Water Facility secures €12 Million to invest in urban sanitation in Africa
The Nordic Development Fund announced the funding during a panel session on investing in Africa’s water sector, which it hosted in tandem with the African Union’s African Water Investment Program.
World Bank Group launches High Level Council to tackle looming jobs crisis
Over the next 10 years, an unprecedented 1.2 billion young people in the Global South will become working age adults.
Global market for digital insurance platform to reach $259.3 billion by 2030, report
The growth in the digital insurance platform market is driven by several factors, including technological advancements, regulatory changes, and evolving consumer expectations.
Global logistics sector shows signs of normalization after post-pandemic boom, report
Leading logistics brands such as UPS and FedEx have both reported lower shipment volumes and reduced consumer spending compared to the high-demand periods immediately following the pandemic.
ICAO signs new deals with African states to boost sustainable aviation development
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made a significant step forward in enhancing aviation's role as a catalyst for sustainable development in Africa.
MultiChoice Talent Factory targets African storytellers with funded training programme
MultiChoice Talent Factory has announced that it’s once again calling upon all aspiring filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers, and storytellers to apply for entry into the 2025 fully funded academic year.
[Column] Benard Onyango: Navigating the true cost of homeownership in different markets across Africa
Owning a home is something that the world's families deeply aspire towards. To many Africans, however, that dream is rich with challenges and opportunities unique to the continent but varying from country to country.
Open Startup launches second cohort of Grow programme to help African startups reach $1 million funding goals
Building on the success of last year's cohort, which accompanied 13 startups selected from over 600 applications, the GROW program continues its mission to support African startups in their growth journey.
SanlamAllianz announces merger and brand launch in Ghana
Sanlam and Allianz today announced the launch of their joint venture brand, SanlamAllianz, in Ghana. This follows the regulatory approvals the Sanlam and Allianz businesses in Ghana obtained recently to merge and rebrand to SanlamAllianz.
[Column] Philip Myburgh: Maximising the AGOA opportunity
AGOA grants qualifying sub-Saharan African nations duty-free access to the US market for more than 1,800 products.
Google and DHL collaborate on sustainable worldwide shipping
DHL and Google, one of the largest technology companies in the world, have announced a partnership to utilize the DHL Express GoGreen Plus service with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
IFC, Proparco and Helios plan partnership to support Africa’s sports and entertainment sectors
A partnership with Helios Sports and Entertainment would offer an opportunity for IFC and Proparco to jointly address a long history of limited financing in Africa's creative sectors, including sports and entertainment, and catalyze private sector development in the region.
Small business growth to unlock Africa’s potential
More needs to be done to stimulate the growth of SMMEs, as well as boost intra-African trade, to unlock the continent’s huge potential.
Mastercard and Global Hotel Alliance sign multimarket agreement to boost luxury travel
The collaboration will be tailored to the unique needs of affluent cardholders – offering a vast choice of accommodation arrangements and exciting rewards.
[Column] Sameer Kumandan: Putting lenders in the driver's seat for better vehicle finance
Facilitating access to vehicle financing for legitimate customers is a pivotal responsibility for businesses.
Global advertising revenue to hit $1 trillion in 2026, PWC Outlook
The outlook, which covers 11 revenue segments across 53 countries and territories, finds that global E&M revenues are projected to hit $3.4 trillion in 2028, growing at a 3.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Milken Institute scales up engagement with Africa through new business council
Leaders on this council will lend their expertise and provide a high-level overview of Africa’s evolving business landscape for Milken Institute’s wide-ranging network and stakeholders who wish to amplify their engagement in the region.
[Column] Mohammed Rashwan: International responsibility for reparation for environmental damage in Africa
Although the African continent is the least contributor to the phenomenon of heat warming, accounting for less than 4% of global emissions it is the worst affected by the effects of this phenomenon.
NETA Auto launches first African flagship showroom in Kenya
NETA Auto, a Chinese electric car brand of Hozon Auto, has opened its first African flagship store in Kenya.
Ten African startups selected to receive funding to develop blue and green economy solutions
Through a fellowship program, the Waves supported founders in creating solutions that promote sustainable livelihoods, the use of ocean and freshwater resources, and the restoration and regeneration of landscapes.
Lagos Business School and CityBlue Hotels partner to drive growth in the hospitality industry in Africa
The Academic Director of LBS Hospitality Initiative, Dr Belinda Nwosu FIH, stated that the Initiative is a platform for developing and growing the hospitality industry in Nigeria and Africa, anchored on four main pillars – Advisory, Engagement, Research, and Capacity Building.
Finland signs funding deal with TradeMark Africa to enhance trade in Africa
The funding will support projects aligned with TMA’s third strategic plan (2023 – 2030) which will advance inclusive, clean, and digital trade in Africa.
IATA launches advanced analytics solution to optimize airline fuel consumption
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the launch of IATA FuelIS, an advanced analytics solution to optimize airline fuel consumption, using aggregated and anonymized flight and fuel data.
Engineering firm Pini Group expands operations into Africa
Pini Group has had a longstanding interest in Africa and has recently participated in several significant projects in Senegal, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Africa Business Communities seeks columnists in Egypt and Dubai
We are keen on contributors with originality, creativity, versatility and an eye for interesting trends across the sectors that we cover including banking and finance, tech, energy, agribusiness and trade.
Africa Business Communities launches operations in the Middle East
The company supports doing business in Africa through marketing and communication services, custom media productions and market research and has the largest LinkedIn community in Africa with over 1.2 million followers.
Kotler Impact presents the Essentials of Modern Marketing, Nigeria Edition 2024
This is the world's first marketing book around market-specific stories from Nigeria, to be published in November 2024 on Amazon and launched in Lagos.
L'Oréal is the world’s most valuable cosmetics brand, report
The iconic French brand continues to outshine its competitors, boasting a brand value approximately 80% higher than its closest rival.
Corporate communications agency LCH Consultancy appoints Evelyne Wangui as Director of media relations
As Director of Content and Media Relations, she will be pivotal in strengthening strategic services across the African region.
Pan-African legal firm Centurion Law Group rebrands as CLG
The rebrand aligns closely with the firm’s mission to consolidate its position as the leading legal practice and business advisor in an ever-evolving energy environment.
MENA region leads global growth in luxury travel, report
The appetite for new experiences in unexplored destinations, micro-trips and ‘bleisure’ will likely drive the growth of the global luxury travel market
African Union and Google Africa launch campaign to celebrate the creative economy
In celebration of Africa Month,YouTube creators across Africa are invited to share short videos capturing their unique perspectives using the #DiscoverMyAfrica hashtag.
EIB’s Water Sector Fund invests €10 million to support innovative businesses in Africa and Asia
W2AF is a “water-focused” blended finance impact fund targeting sustainable and scalable solutions that improve access to safe, affordable drinking water for underserved populations, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia.
[Zoom Event, April 11 2024] Global Strategies for Success in Africa: Overcoming FX and Payment Hurdles
This event explores the vast potential and unique challenges of expanding businesses in Africa, focusing on mastering international pitches, understanding cultural nuances, and crafting pitches that highlight unique value propositions.
Mastercard and Women Choice expand partnership to invest in women entrepreneurs
Women Choice - an international organization dedicated to advancing women's personal and professional development - launched the pilot cohort in 2023.The next cohorts will be participating in the new programs this year and will aim to impact 50,000 women.
Unilever accelerates Growth Action Plan by launching productivity programme
Unilever has announced steps to accelerate its Growth Action Plan (GAP) through the separation of Ice Cream and the launch of a major productivity programme.
Nissan Africa announces regional appointments
Jordi Vila, currently Nissan Divisional Vice President Marketing and Sales Europe has been appointed as President Nissan Africa, as DVP.
Mark-Anthony Johnson: Is Africa splitting in two?
Mark-Anthony Johnson: Is Africa splitting in two?
Africa’s vibrant and sustainable creations
In many African communities, creativity knows no bounds. A unique and fascinating trend has emerged, where individuals repurpose flip-flops into remarkable crafts.
Nissan Navara to fly the flag up through Africa in daring expedition
Dubbed Nissan Daring Africa 2024, the expedition will visit Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya before ending in Egypt.
[Webinar] Complimentary expert session for Telecom leaders and Startups in Africa, March 21
Designed for telecom leaders and startups, thia event offers invaluable strategies for expanding services, managing FX risks, enhancing cross-border payments, and establishing credibility in the international arena.
Xsolla unveils new payment methods for gamers in Africa
This move addresses the unique financial landscape of Africa, where a significant portion of the population, particularly in regions like Ghana and Uganda, remains unbanked.
Southern African tourism stakeholders to get new regional disaster risk management and crisis communication plan
The SADC Business Council Tourism Alliance has concluded the successful completion of a pilot project on tourism disaster risk management and crisis communication for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
IATA announces first signatories to Air Cargo Digitalization Leadership Charter
The Digitalization Leadership Charter aims to accelerate the air cargo industry’s digitalization journey by committing to five key guiding principles.
Village Capital unveils programme targeting African startups focused on greentech
The programme is designed to advance innovative and sustainable solutions, actively contributing towards building resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change across Africa.
AFC Joins Ecobank and Soto Gallery to Host +234Art International Art Exhibition to empower African artists
AFC has joined forces with Ecobank Nigeria and Soto Gallery to host the +234Art Fair, a 10-day international exhibition intended as a springboard to promote Africa’s art and its artists.
[Column] Farai Bayai Ncube: Bridging gender gaps in Africa’s creative sectors
The Creative DNA programme, initially successful in Kenya with three completed cohorts, has expanded to Ethiopia, Senegal, and Uganda, and plans to launch in more sub-Saharan African countries.
IATA partners with Smart Freight Centre on carbon emission calculations
The two organizations will focus efforts on developing the cargo component of IATA’s CO2 Connect offering, which successfully launched its passenger version in 2022.
DP World launches global freight forwarding network
In response to increasing disruptions to global trade – from climate change, geopolitics and macroeconomic challenges – DP World has embarked on a bold initiative to bolster its commitment to its customers.
IBM commits $45 million towards resilient cities
IBM also announced that it would increase investment in the pro-bono social impact program by 50%.
Global HR company Deel to acquire African payroll firm PaySpace
Global HR company Deel has announced that it is acquiring African-based payroll and HR solution company PaySpace for an undisclosed amount. It is one of Deel’s largest acquisitions to date.
Aviation experts push for a Model Bilateral Air Services Agreement
Aviation officials from the Eastern Africa-Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region are making steady progress in reviewing and having a model Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) that conforms with the provisions of the Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999.
IATA and The Weather Company to provide enhanced turbulence-related weather data to airlines
With this enhancement, participating airlines will soon be able to access Eddy Dissipation Rate (EDR) turbulence data directly through Fusion and Pilotbrief tools by The Weather Company.
Lilium Group and Didier Drogba Foundation are now co-owners of Team Drogba in the E1 World Championship
Lilium Group, the parent company of Vista Group the African financial services group, and the Didier Drogba Foundation announce that they are co-owners of Team Drogba in the E1 World Championship.
DFC reaffirms commitment to scaling investment in African infrastructure and critical minerals
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Nisha Biswal traveled to South Africa and Zambia as part of the largest U.S. government delegation to Mining Indaba and the first Lobito Corridor Investors Forum and to deepen DFC’s investments on the continent.
TradeMark Africa partners with global organizations to boost international trade
With TMA funding of $4 million, IOTA developed TLIP, a system built on the distributed ledger technology providing a transparent and secure electronic exchange of trade information in international supply chains.
Uber is the world's most valuable mobility brand, study
Uber remains the world's most valuable mobility brand, with a 28% increase in brand value to $29.7 billion, according to the latest report by Brand Finance, the global brand valuation consultancy.
African healthtech shows resilience with mere 2% decline in funding while broader tech ecosystem plunges in 2023, report
Healthcare consulting firm Salient Advisory has launched its latest Intelligence Report, presenting findings on funding activity, covering grant, equity, and debt investments for African healthtech startups in 2023
Digital commerce in Africa to expand 25% per year by 2026, report
Africa has emerged as a frontier for the new online consumer class, representing an estimated 10 million new consumers in 2024 and trailing only Asia as a region. This is according to the new annual Beyond Borders digital payments and commerce report by EBANX
TradeMark Africa receives $63 million from Netherlands to advance sustainable trade
This strategic investment will fuel TradeMark Africa’s Strategy 3, covering the period till 2030, aimed at driving green, sustainable economic growth, fostering innovative trade practices, and promoting inclusive trade across Africa.
Vodacom, Safaricom hit 200 million subscribers
Vodacom Group’s subscriber base including Safaricom has now surpassed 200 million for the first time, having previously achieved 100 million customers in 2018.
15% of companies in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region do not train employees on IT
According to Kaspersky’s Business Digitization survey, only 29% of companies surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META) region organised training on cybersecurity for their employees.
[South Africa] Ninety percent of CEOs are waiting for GenAI to move past the hype, report
Seventy-one percent of global executives surveyed say they plan to increase tech investments in 2024—an 11-point jump from 2023—and even more (85%) plan to increase their spending on AI and GenAI.
23% of companies in the META region suffered from malicious actions by staff, report
A Kaspersky study found that in the past two years, 78% of companies surveyed in the META region have faced cyber incidents in different forms, 23% of which were caused by deliberate malicious behaviour by employees
47% of companies in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region plan to outsource cybersecurity, report
Company bosses are boosting their cybersecurity following an alarming increase in cyberattacks, a new study commissioned by Kaspersky has found.
Generative AI skills gap slowing down AI adoption EMEA region, report
Organisations in the EMEA region plan to embrace AI solutions but are slowed by a generative AI skills gap. This is according to a new report released by hybrid multi-cloud computing provider Nutanix.
Retailers are struggling to deal with ransomware attacks, Sophos report
After surveying 3,000 IT/cybersecurity leaders in organizations with between 100 and 5,000 employees (including 355 from the retail sector), across 14 countries in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific Sophos found that only 26% of retail organizations this past year were able to disrupt a ransomware attack.
75% of healthcare organisations lose data to ransomware attacks, Sophos report
Cybercriminals successfully encrypted data in nearly 75% of ransomware attacks on healthcare organisations. This is according to the The State of Ransomware in Healthcare 2023 report released by cybersecurity firm Sophos.
Kenyan consumers remain optimistic, but financial worries weigh heavy, report
According to TransUnion’s Consumer Pulse Study, one of the significant factors contributing to the decrease in household income was job loss, with 30% of consumers reporting that someone in their household lost their job over the past month.
Kenya among top countries receiving most DDOS attacks amid ongoing geopolitical unrest
Kenya has been listed among the top five countries hit by distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks in the first half of 2023. Other countries include France, Germany, Italy, and Saudi Arabia
[South Africa] Companies acknowledge inadequate budgets to address the root cause of breaches, J2 Software survey
A recent survey revealed that 58% of organisations believe their budgets allocated to manage insider risks are insufficient to effectively mitigate the increasing costs and frequency of security incidents instigated by individuals within the organisation.
80% of SMEs in South Africa project similar or increased revenue in 2023, Mastercard report
From surviving to thriving in the post-COVID world, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa are projecting similar or increased revenues in 2023.
Mobile threats in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region rise in Q2 2023
The number of mobile threat detections particularly in the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa region increased by 5% in Q2 2023 compared to Q2 2022.
43% of employees in META region afraid of losing job due to lack of digital skills, report
Among those who think they are most likely to lose their job because of the lack of digital skills within the next 5 years are department heads (29%) and top managers (15%).
[South Africa] Financial Sector surpasses the National Average as Data Breach Costs Reach R73.1 Million
The average data breach cost for South African organizations reached R49.45 million in 2023 – an all-time high according to the IBM Security annual Cost of a Data Breach Report.
Nigeria trails South Africa and Kenya in Africa’s B2B payment revolution
Nigeria trails South Africa and Kenya in the development of key B2B payment processes across Africa, including the adoption of electronic bank transfers, speed of processing invoices and payment automation.
Kenya experiences 82% increase in cyber-attacks, Liquid C2 Cybersecurity Report
Cyber-attacks on Kenyan businesses increased by 82 percent according to a cybersecurity report released by Liquid C2, a business unit of Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
Kenya lost Ksh 3.6 billion to cyber criminals in 2022, report
Kenya’s losses to cyber criminals reached Ksh 3.6 billion (USD 36 million) in 2022, compared to Nigeria and South Africa where they are nearly tenfold at Ksh 50 billion (USD 500 million) and Ksh 57 billion (USD 570 million) respectively.
[Interview] Dr. Mohamed El Sahili, CEO, Medland Hospital, Zambia
Dr. Mohamed El Sahili is the Chief Executive Officer of Medland Hospital, Zambia. As a medical doctor and entrepreneur, Dr. Sahili also serves on the board of key economic international organizations like the African Business Roundtable, the American Chamber of Commerce, Zambia, Olympic Youth Development Center and the Africa CEO Forum.
[Interview] Dr. Mohamed El Sahili, PDG, Hôpital Medland, Zambie
Le Dr Mohamed El Sahili est le directeur général de l'hôpital Medland, en Zambie. En tant que médecin et entrepreneur, le Dr Sahili siège également au conseil d'administration d'organisations économiques internationales clés, telles que l'African Business Roundtable et l'American Chamber of Commerce.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Digitization set to penetrate capital market, investment
Given the economic situation spreading across the globe in the last couple of years, it is with some optimism we can take the modest increase in Nigeria’s GDP.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Telcos break new ground, digital loans gain momentum
Instant loans, sometimes called digital loans, are gaining speed in the country and the telecom sector took some giant steps forward this week.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Persistent shortages and inflation call for new measures
Africa has in the past decade positioned itself as a knowledge economy, with one of the most robust startup ecosystems in the world.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Crude industry facts underlining the Nigerian economy
The Nigerian stock market indicators have shown lately a typical pattern in stock markets – investors stay loyal to the resilient stocks.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Experts point toward startup management for local productivity
Nigeria’s crown jewel, oil and gas, has been in a state of mild disrepair for several months now. There’s an ongoing fuel scarcity situation that is intensifying by the day and causing a ripple effect in every aspect of daily life.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Domestic savings, capital formation meet infrastructure demands
The Federal Government is taking huge strides to strengthen the infrastructure and agriculture industries in Nigeria.
[Column] Rene McGregor: How to find the story in a business’s data and then action it
It's broadly understood that a data literate person can read, understand, communicate, argue and apply insights from data.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Economic conditions returning to pre-pandemic levels
The startup movement has picked up pace in Nigeria over the last decade, with the government and responsible agencies ramping up efforts in motivating the burgeoning industry.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: 5G becomes national security policy, industries seek sustainability in technology
The one thing the current global pandemic has unilaterally effected in all nations is a rearrangement of priorities, both for people and for governments. Survival elements – food and healthcare – have taken lead position.
[Column] Roger Long: Divergent trends in property values across Africa
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic not only affected people and communities, but also impacted commercial property values across the world. This report looks at the effect of the pandemic on property values in Africa.
[Interview] Stephan Eyeson, fondateur et PDG, Survey54
L'entrepreneur Britanique-Ghanéen, Stephan Eyeson, est actuellement PDG et fondateur de la société panafricaine de collecte de renseignements sur les consommateurs, Survey54.
[Interview] Stephan Eyeson, Founder & CEO, Survey54
British-Ghanaian entrepreneur, Stephan Eyeson, is current CEO and Founder of pan-African consumer intelligence gathering firm, Survey54.
Rystad Energy analysis shows Africa’s renewable energy capacity is set for consecutive years of growth
Africa’s installed capacity of renewable energy, which stood at 12.6 gigawatt (GW) in 2019, is set for consecutive years of growth, a Rystad Energy analysis shows.
[Africa Business Panel] 6 percent of African Business Professionals expect their companies not to survive the Covid-19 Crisis
About 2/3 of the African companies (62%) say they are struggling but will survive. Almost a third of companies (29%) say they are doing well and the near future is looking good
[Survey] Threats and Opportunities for African Business in 2020 and beyond
As a valued member of Africa Business Communities, we invite you to participate in this a survey to better understand the impact of COVID19 on the current economy in general and within specific industries, but also look at the near future
New analysis shows onshore wind potential across Africa enough to power the entire continent many times over
Developing Africa’s huge onshore wind energy potential can boost its transition to affordable and reliable clean energy. For the first time ever, wind and solar made up the majority of the world’s new power generation in 2019.
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COLUMNS.
[Column] Louis Avenant: Trends for African telcos in 2024
Africa’s vibrant telco sector is set for a bumper year in 2024 as it expands operations and broadens service offerings ...read full column here
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[Column] Virodh Sunderlall: What to expect from South Africa’s cybersecurity landscape in 2024
As widely reported last year, South Africa received the most cybersecurity threats on the continent by far ...read full column here
[Column] Stephen Bottger: The power of data analytics to revolutionise public safety
The use of applications, technology and data analytics can play a significant role in public safety globally ...read full column here
INTERVIEWS.
[Interview] Chester Wisniewski, Director of Global Field CTO, Sophos
Chester Wisniewski, the Director of Global Field CTO at Sophos, emphasizes several key trends and predictions for the cybersecurity realm in the coming year … read full interview here
[Interview]: Daniel Otu, Koa’s Production and Operations Director & the factory project lead
Daniel Otu, Koa’s Production and Operations Director & the factory project lead, touched on the challenges faced, the importance of sustainability, the role of local culture, and the lessons that shaped Koa’s future vision … read full interview here
[Interview] Oluwole Eweje, CEO-WATT Renewables Corporation
We provide sustainability for communities, especially communities that have very few businesses … read full interview here