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<p>Through 2017, the East African region has braved through debt, with different restructuring models analysed, policy reform and sector prioritisation, among other macro-economic issues.</p>


Vishal Agarwal on why you should look into Zimbabwe’s consumer sector

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<p>East African countries will receive up to Ksh 3.6 billion from the European Union to fight poaching.</p>


EU commits Ksh3.6bn to fight poaching in East Africa

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<p>Rwanda’s hopes to increase its energy supply from 190 MW in 2016 to 563MW in 2018 with a combination of 48 per cent on grid and 52 per cent off grid energy supply solutions.</p>


Ignite Power’s Yariv Cohen gives update on powering Rwanda initiative

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<p>Ted Galante, Managing Director of the Zimbabwe Mortgage Company discusses his outlook for Zimbabwe under a Mnangagwa-led government.</p>


If you plan to invest in Zimbabwe now is the time to do your due diligence

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<p>The 2017 Ibrahim Index of African Governance notes that Africa’s overall Governance trajectory remains positive, although moving at a slower in recent years.</p>


Citadel’s Craig Kiggen on why Africa needs strong leaders

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<p>According to YPO&#8217;s Global Pulse report, economic sentiment among business leaders in Africa is at its highest level since April 2015, however, it remains the second least-confident region in the world.</p>


Africa’s confidence in the economy improves slightly

<p><em>By YPO Africa Member, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishalagarwalafrica">Vishal Agarwal</a>, Senior Leader, ex-PwC &amp; GE Africa. Driving Infrastructure Outcomes in SSA.</em></p>
<p>Summed up, localisation to me means: having a global mindset with a local heart. True economic growth isn’t achieved by superficially working towards localisation.</p>
<p>Localisation is critical for businesses wanting to achieve sustainable growth in Africa. Yet, when we talk about localisation we must be careful not to approach it superficially, as I mention in my interview below and in this article.</p>
<p>One might look for examples of localisation in contexts such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Economic_Empowerment">black economic empowerment</a> like in South Africa, achieving quotas set by affirmative action. There&#8217;s also an understanding of a type of localisation that seeks to appease the political class in a particular country. Not to take anything away from those approaches but to copy them (in other African contexts) may be missing the point.</p>
<p>An all-rounded and whole-hearted approach must be taken. Only when companies see localisation as efforts to making local strategic partnerships, or investing and empowering locally, are we creating a runway for sustainable growth.</p>
<p>Hire local, partner local, and empower local!</p>
<p>Today, having a representative on the ground as a company, but having three layers of bosses sitting in headquarters far away is something that customers, suppliers and talent can see through. For a company to genuinely contribute towards localisation it must understand the local business ecosystem. The majority of the hands in a company need to be on the ground for effective decision making to happen.</p>
<p>Likewise, localisation must involve investing in the supply chain on the ground. This means that it not only falls on governments to invest in local infrastructure; but the private sector as well. There’s a lot more work that needs to go in from both parties in terms of will and intention.</p>
<p>CEOs have pressure to achieve company growth, but there’s only so much success they can enjoy in an environment with structural inefficiencies. To be on the ground also means that companies must collaborate and learn from customers, while at the same time empowering and investing in native talent.</p>
<p>Doing all this creates the next generation of customers and supply chain, and for foreign companies to find the balance between investing in the next generation and the now, is vitally important for their own sustainable success.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Op-Ed: If Africa wants sustainable growth it needs localisation

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<p>With South Africa having entered its second recession and a dim growth outlook, what needs to happen to restore the confidence of businesses? Joining us to discuss this is Dr Terrence Kommal, CEO of the Medical Expert Consulting Group and YPO Member.</p>


Restoring confidence in SA’s economy

<p>Recently, I have been intrigued to see how parts of this great continent are beginning to take up the mettle and make a mark when it comes to technology prowess, particularly, the platform economy.</p>
<p>We might still not have created the likes of Google, Facebook, Whatsapp, but our foray into M-Pesa, the platform that has come to define the era of mobile money in Africa and many other innovations, demonstrates that it won’t be long before the continent enters the ranks of producing a global platform of note.</p>
<p>I have been clamoring for a company to originate from Africa that creates games for the people of Africa and of course the world.  Gaming is the way one can express how their culture is reshaped and changes over a period of time &#8211; <a href="http://www.chopup.me/">Chopup</a> is one such tech platform.</p>
<p>Chopup is the brainchild of two youngsters in Nigeria, who have chased their dream to make sure African games like their peers around the world have a voice and more importantly, the people of this continent can also enjoy games that are made in their own circumstances.</p>
<p>These games that are created use the environment and caricature of the bustling energies of Lagos particularly the Yellow Combies, which pry commuters from one part of the city to the rest.</p>
<p>To get their creation going, these youngsters arranged gaming challenges at different universities across Nigeria, taking a cue from the playbook of the forerunner of the social media, Facebook.</p>
<p>These youngsters have won accolades about their growing creation in gaming and continue to learn and aspire to take their games across the continent and world.</p>
<p>Recently, their games have been uploaded into the gaming portals of MTN, Etisalat and Huawei and are slowly making their way across the continent.</p>
<p>The journey of these two youngsters is still in its infancy, but the steps taken shout of a growing tech future as attested by the recent visit by Mark Zuckerberg to Nigeria and Kenya</p>
<p><em>*YPO is a global community of chief executives dedicated to becoming Better Leaders through Lifelong Learning and Idea Exchange.<sup>TM</sup>  We create trusted spaces where leaders gather, connect, share and grow. The YPO platform provides more than 24,000 members in more than 130 countries – representing diversified industries and types of businesses – with access to extraordinary educational opportunities, alliances with leading institutions, and interest-based communities to support their businesses, communities and families. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ypo.org/">ypo.org</a> .﻿</em></p>
<p> </p>


YPO

Vishal Agarwal on why you should look into Zimbabwe’s consumer sector

EU commits Ksh3.6bn to fight poaching in East Africa

Ignite Power’s Yariv Cohen gives update on powering Rwanda initiative

If you plan to invest in Zimbabwe now is the time to do your due diligence

Citadel’s Craig Kiggen on why Africa needs strong leaders

Africa’s confidence in the economy improves slightly

Op-Ed: If Africa wants sustainable growth it needs localisation

Restoring confidence in SA’s economy

A Nigerian startup that's redefining gaming in Africa

News Tips

Advertise With Us

YPO

Vishal Agarwal on why you should look into Zimbabwe’s consumer sector

EU commits Ksh3.6bn to fight poaching in East Africa

Ignite Power’s Yariv Cohen gives update on powering Rwanda initiative

If you plan to invest in Zimbabwe now is the time to do your due diligence

Citadel’s Craig Kiggen on why Africa needs strong leaders

Africa’s confidence in the economy improves slightly

Op-Ed: If Africa wants sustainable growth it needs localisation

Restoring confidence in SA’s economy

A Nigerian startup that's redefining gaming in Africa

News Tips

Advertise With Us

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