[Interview] Oluyomi Ogunniyi, Real Estate Coordinator, Accraexpat.com, Ghana
Oluyomi Ogunniyi is Real Estate and Service Coordinator with accraexpat.com, the leading services resource for expatriates living in and coming to Ghana. Her interview with Africa Business Communities.
Please introduce accraexpat.com.
Accraexpat.com is a resource website for expatriates settling or living in Accra, Ghana. It’s also a platform for product and service providers to reach the expat community.
In which industries does accraexpat.com operate and who are your clients?
Mainly online media and real estate. Our clients who advertise on the website range from hotels, airlines, restaurants, event organizers and other service providers for expatriates. On the real estate section, our clients are the real estate developers, property owners, international organizations, various embassy staff and local and foreign companies.
How did the economic distress in Ghana affect accraexpat.com in 2015?
Fortunately we were one of the lucky ones, as our services are geared toward the expat community mainly. Despite the economic conditions in Ghana, we surpassed our performance from 2014. Our business was not really affected.
What can be done by entrepreneurs and government to stimulate the business environment in Ghana?
Ghanaian government could reduce the tax implications for new businesses owners to cushion the set-up costs. Also the government agencies are becoming more and more cumbersome and corrupt.
Entrepreneurs could form alliances which could enable these groups to compare and share business experience and give advice to government in ways the various industries can be assisted.
Do you think African women entrepreneurs typically have a harder time accessing loans through traditional bank channels?
Yes, bank loans are usually obtainable through the mix of favoritism and other factors which entail being a member of the “old boys club”, of which most women are excluded.
What can you say about the targets, plans and ambitions of accraexpat.com in 2016?
The plan is to launch a newer more interactive website with accessibility on mobile devices. Increase online presence on social media and get at least 10% increase on last year’s revenue regardless of the downturn of the country’s economy in the last year.
Do you believe Social Media and the Internet to be a plus to the business environment, as it applies to your industry?
Our main business is web based and increasingly, interactions with advertisers and clients are now on social media. As a result we also have had to increase our social media presence and become more responsive real time, as more people have more mobile devices and access to internet everywhere.
Which African country impresses you as having done well in 2015?
Though reeling from the civil war, Ivory Coast is fast becoming the best country to do business in in West Africa. The government has rebuilt most of the infrastructure and inviting investors with reduced capital requirement and tax incentives. The human resources are also one of the best skilled in West Africa.
