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[South Africa] Volkswagen announces R4 billion investment in Kariega plant
The changes being made in preparation for the production of the new SUV also affords training and upskilling opportunities for Volkswagen Group Africa’s production employees.
South African used car platform WeBuyCars lists on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
WeBuyCars, a prominent and recognised brand within the pre-owned motor vehicle market, established over 23 years ago, has listed on the Main Board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) under the share code "WBC."
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.
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.
[South Africa] Volkswagen Group Africa unveils R20 million airbag deployment centre
The new facility will boost the plant’s airbag testing capacity to 150% of its previous output.
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
Toyota to open a vehicle manufacturing plant in Kenya
The agreement will see Toyota set up a vehicle manufacturing plant in the country. The company has committed an initial investment of Kshs 800 million in the Kenya Thika vehicle manufacturers.
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] GAC Motor and Salvador Caetano Auto sign vehicle distribution partnership
GAC Motor and Salvador Caetano Auto have come to an agreement regarding the distribution of vehicles, spare parts and services, in South Africa.
[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
Volkswagen collaborates with DHL Express for the pilot test of ID.Buzz Cargo fleet in South Africa
The units will be utilised for specialised last-mile delivery service part of DHL’s local pilot test of its global zero emissions logistics target.
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.
Volkswagen signs agreement with Government of Egypt for strategic co-operation viability study of shared automotive painting facility
Volkswagen and Government of Egypt have signed an agreement to work together to develop a feasibility study on a shared automotive painting facility within the East Port Said Industrial Zone in the East Port Said Automotive Zone in Cairo.
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.
Eurorepar enters the South African automotive spare parts industry
The launch of Eurorepar comes with the backing of Stellantis. From a network that stretches across 40 countries, Eurorepar is synonymous with diversity, offering an impressive array of more than 15 000 part numbers.
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%).
Stellantis invests ZAR 3 billion in a greenfield manufacturing facility in South Africa
The manufacturing plant will be built in the South African Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Coega situated near Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
[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.
Ford and Salvador Caetano appoint Motorcare as the official Ford distributor in Uganda
Motorcare Uganda and its cumulated experience, strong market knowledge and commitment to service excellence will provide Ford customers in Uganda with the highest standards of Ford products, services, and support.
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.
Volkswagen signs deal with Government of Rwanda to establish a modern farm with electric tractors
As part of the MoU, the Government of Rwanda has agreed to provide land in Gashora (Bugesera District) for the project, as well as to assist with permitting and licensing requirements of the project.
ExecuJet MRO Services Africa awarded authorised service centre status for Embraer
ExecuJet MRO Services has been appointed by Embraer as its authorised service centre (ASC) for business jets in Africa. The decision represents an expansion of the aircraft manufacturer’s service network in the region.
Global tyre manufacturer Goodyear seeks to expand to Zambia and DR Congo
As part of its growth strategy, Goodyear Middle East & Africa (MEA) is actively seeking the right distributor & service provider to expand its reach within Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
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.
Nissan Africa announces new leadership structure
Nissan Africa has taken the next step towards unlocking the potential of the African market, by unveiling a new leadership structure with effect from 1 April 2023 to drive the company’s mid-term plan.
Volvo delivers the first heavy electric truck to Africa
Deployment of heavy electric trucks is now spreading across the world. With Europe and the US among the leaders, the shift to more sustainable transport is kicking off also in other parts of the world. In Africa, the first heavy electric truck is now being delivered in the city of Rabat in Morocco.
Volkswagen opens a new vehicle assembly facility in Accra, Ghana
With this move, Volkswagen also takes over the new vehicle assembly responsibility from its licensed importer in Ghana, Universal Motors Limited (UML).
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Investors bet on fintechs, startups
The past couple of weeks have seen a flurry of activities in several sectors of the Nigerian economy. Startups are receiving increasing financial backing from VCs for the growith of SMEs.
[Interview] Jesse Onomiwo, Co-founder, Autosparkle, Nigeria
Autosparkle is part of Riltouche and Sparkles, a company dedicated to building the largest chain of the most eco-friendly cleaning solutions out of Africa through its specialisations in car care, aircraft, boats, homes, offices and cities.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: Scaling startups’ investment in the region
As startups successfully raise funding, they are boosting their product and service portfolio while setting sight on the East African region for expansion. This
[Column] NJ Ayuk: How Africa can capitalize on its mineral wealth to develop an electric vehicle value chain
As the entire global transportation marketplace marches toward an increasingly electrified and battery-powered future, many countries across the African continent stand at the threshold of profound economic opportunity.
[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.
[Column] Job Wanjohi: Why the Kenya National Automotive Policy is a big win for the manufacturing industry
Over the years, Kenya has carried out significant reforms geared towards improving the business environment and driving competitiveness.
[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: State to digitize tourism, FG takes on efficient mobility
Banking is one of the most thriving sectors in Nigeria. The reason for this success has been attributed to the efficiency with which this industry has leveraged technology to modernize its operations.
[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: Government, Central Bank turn focus to the startup movement
There’s an ongoing comparison in Nigeria's status quo that is causing some rift – the national statistics and reports are showing a promising and stable economy, but the situation on-ground reflects a different reality.
[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.
[East Africa Business Week] Bob Koigi: East Africa positions itself as investment destination of choice
The East African community continues to live up to its billing as a prime investment destination for investors.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: A 5G promise looms, global trade predictions show winning numbers
Nigeria’s tactic is one of sharpening the sectors that have shown promise (such as technology, agriculture and banking) while throwing resources at those that have been in a work-in-progress mode for years.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: National GDP for Q3 sees increase, amid growing economic concerns
The Nigerian Minister for labour recently has affirmed that more needed to be done in order for the employment crisis to be mitigated. He did allow that much has been done, but a lot of action still was required if the problem was to be tackled from the roots.
[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.
Finance for renewables in developing countries on the rise, IRENA highlights
Global finance to developing countries in support of clean and renewable energy reached $21.3 billion in 2017, which almost doubles the level from 2010 when international financial flows were at $10 billion.
Transport sector hit hard but has key role in COVID-19 management, COMESA
Road and air transport have borne the brunt of the Coronavirus impact as countries put stringent measures to stop the spread of the pandemic.
[Startup Interview] Stanley Njeru, CEO, Buyer Logistics Limited, Kenya
Stanley Njeru is the CEO of Buyer Logistics Limited, a Kenyan-based startup offering freight forwading, custom clearance, warehousing and motor vehicle importation services.
[Column] Olagoke Aluko: Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) regulations lead the way in reshaping consumer behaviour and industry in Kenya
Kenya has paid a heavy price in lives lost for its slow uptake of LPG as a cooking fuel.
[Kenya Business Week] Competition, customer service drive expansion binge
As customers demand top notch services grows and competition reach fever pitch, companies are investing millions to improve infrastructure and service quality.
[Nigeria Business Week] Industries partner to reach common goals
The sectors are revving up to keep up momentum as the 2019 opens new doors for Nigeria’s stride toward economic balance.
[SA Business Week] Investment wave boosts country’s earnings, attractiveness
South Africa continues to be the continent’s preferred destination for international investors due to its competitive market, favorable political climate, a booming middle class and strategic location.
[SA Business Week] Opening businesses to the world, growing markets
In the recent years, South Africa has continued to prove that it is one of the most diverse and promising emerging markets in Africa. The country has become a key global hub for investment, innovation and research.
[SA Business Week] Naspers breathe new life into startups, filmmakers train eyes West
The tech startup fever has been spreading across the globe like bush-fire and Africa has not been left out in this bandwagon. More and more people are entering into the tech space because technology never gets old and new inventions keep evolving.
Your complimentary report: Lessons learned from Africa's massive data breach
Cybercrime has dominated South Africa’s news headlines throughout the course of 2018, as one high-profile attack follows another on an almost monthly basis
[SA Business Week] Water tariffs rise, no markets for black traders
Access to clean water is still a challenge in most of the sub-Saharan Africa countries. Due to the scarcity, the ones who are lucky enough to access it have to dig deeper into their pockets in order to enjoy this basic commodity.
[SA Business Week] Key sectors appointments and a busy air route
October is already proving to be a great month for the South African business and economy, maybe even greater. With only a week into the month, three South Africans have been appointed for senior positions in the ICT, aviation and engineering sectors.
[South Africa Business Week] Monash South Africa is now AdvTech owned
ADvTECH has announced the acquisition of Monash South Africa (MSA), a leading South African private tertiary education institution with students from more than 50 countries.
[Kenya Business Week] The UK, China trade factor
Fresh from discussing bilateral ties with the United States, Kenya has over the recent past held trade negotiations and deals with UK and China as the super powers seeks to grow their influence in the country.
[Kenya Business Week] New energy frontiers, more business deals
It has been another busy week for anchor sectors in Kenya with more investors, landmark deals and strategic partnerships pointing to Kenya as the investment destination for the region.
[South Africa] Pink tax causes financial pain
Basic toiletries, grooming products, medical screenings and haircuts are some of the items that see women spending hundreds to thousands of rands more than their male counterparts.
[Kenya Business Week] Realigning businesses to drive growth
With competition across public and private sector now being driven by innovation, Kenyan institutions have invested heavily in modernizing operations and selling the convenience message to customers.
[Nigeria Business Week] Racing toward growth, partnerships, targets
This week has shown interesting developments in a wide range of sectors in Nigeria - Hospitality, Real Estate, Agribusiness, Banking, Automotive, Oil and Gas and as always, ICT remains a busy sector.
[Nigeria Business Week] With Construction, Agribusiness, Oil and Gas and startup hubs, Nigeria leaves no sector behind
Two years ago Nigeria was as good as drowning in debts, unemployment, reduced investment and general widespread discontent. Today, though still a work in progress, the country has exited recession and is fast regaining its momentum.
[Startup Interview] Renaldo Bothma, Managing Director, HomeFixer, South Africa
Renaldo Bothma is a professional rugby player and founder of a new app, Homefixer, an app to help fix any household related issue at the push of a button.
[Column] Gilbert Saggia: Data - the fertilizer that will feed Africa's agricultural transformation
Everywhere we look, technology is being touted as the enabler of a new era of African agricultural prosperity. The exciting world of possibilities offered by blockchain, IoT and machine learning has made companies, governments and policy-makers sit up.
[Column] Benjamin Coetzer: Combating cloud’s biggest security risk - the user
Cloud is coming into its own. Forrester says that public cloud platforms, business services, and applications will reach $236B by 2020.
[Startup Interview] Aziz Senni, Founder, C Mon Taxi, Senegal
Aziz Senni, a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience is piloting a taxi renting model in Dakar Senegal that offers taxi drivers access to ownership of their vehicle through a system combining financing, training and customer acquisition thanks in particular to its digital booking platform.
Nigerians seek next level shopping experience - Nielsen findings
Despite Nigeria’s retail sector being dominated by independent formats like Open Markets and Kiosks in terms of absolute store numbers, modern trade formats like Supermarkets and Hypermarkets are stepping up to fulfil the needs of consumers.
[Startup Interview] Axel Peyriere, Co-Founder, AfricarGroup
Axel Peyriere is co-founder of the number one car classifieds websites in Africa, the AfricarGroup, which covers 22 countries and translated into 10 local dialects of the continent. His interview with Africa Business Communities:
[Column] Frances Okosi: The rise of renewable energy across Africa
The extent of the power deficit across Africa is well documented and increasing electricity generation across the continent is the focus of a number of initiatives at both national and supra-national level.
Africa presents a mixed foreign direct investment picture - EY Africa Attractiveness report
According to EY’s latest Africa Attractiveness report, heightened geopolitical uncertainty and “multispeed” growth across Africa present a mixed FDI picture for the continent.
[Interview] Jonathan Bloch, CEO, Africa Financial & Economic Data
In response to the ever growing need for information and market analyses, Jonathan Bloch founded the Africa Financial & Economic Data, providing a library of intelligence on African economic markets.
Powering Africa's Transformation - Tony Elumelu, Aliko Dangote, Carlos Lopes
Africa has a bright future ahead of it. Productivity and growth will improve as African economies continue to place more emphasis on services and manufacturing, pursue commodity production, and achieve quick gains in agriculture and light industry.
Casablanca and Nairobi rank leading destinations for Fortune 500 companies establishing international headquarters
The Middle East Africa (MEA) region has become increasingly important for the majority of global Fortune 500 companies, according to a new report released by Infomineo, a global business research company specialising in Africa and the Middle East.
[Column] Brett Parker: Between East & West, Africa's economic transformation will create a third centre of global power
What a difference a century makes. If we stepped back in time to a hundred years ago we'd find a primitive China; a Middle East that had yet to discover the riches of oil and most of Southeast Asia consisted of countries that were barely distinguishable from medieval societies.
Economic growth in East Africa remains strong despite drought - Report
East Africa's economy has continued to grow despite the adverse effects of drought being felt across the region according to ICAEW's (the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) latest report.
[Column] Jaco Lotz: Growth in middle class drives private education boom in Africa
Private universities and schools are mushrooming across Africa, as parents increasingly seek a quality education for their children outside of the state offering - a move which is largely attributable to the rapid growth of the middle class on the continent.
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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