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Nollywood : the Nigeria’s burgeoning film industry

26 November 2023 Comments (0) Business, Featured

Nollywood, Nigeria’s second-largest film industry, has risen from modest beginnings, revolutionizing storytelling and challenging societal norms, making a significant impact on the global film landscape.

Nollywood, Nigeria’s burgeoning film industry, has rapidly evolved into a global cinematic sensation over the last few decades. Emerging from modest beginnings in 1992, it now stands as one of the world’s most prosperous and influential film sectors, fundamentally reshaping our perceptions of movie production.

Originally rooted in Nigeria’s rich oral traditions, Nollywood draws from centuries of storytelling through song and dance. This deep-seated tradition can still be heavily observed through Nollywood films, where stories often interweave traditional music and dance, adding a unique cultural vibrancy to the industry.

From Humble Beginnings

Nollywood has come a long way since it took off in the early 1990s when trailblazers such as Kenneth Nnebue and Ola Balogun played pivotal roles in its birth. Kenneth Nnebue made history by producing Nigeria’s first feature film, “Living in Bondage” (1992), which immediately captivated audiences and set the stage for a new era in Nigerian cinema.

The film’s success inspired other aspiring filmmakers to enter the industry using video cameras and minimal budgets. These early productions were characterized by their resourcefulness, often filmed on location without the benefit of professional equipment or crews.

Fast-forward to the present, Nollywood has transformed into the second-largest film industry globally, second only to Bollywood in India. Every year, it produces over 2,000 movies and boasts an estimated revenue of $1.2 billion, establishing itself as one of the most prolific film industries worldwide.

Statistics On Nollywood Film Industry 

During the first quarter of 2023, Nollywood exhibited its unwavering productivity by delivering a total of 280 films according to Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, the Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).

This figure of 280 films actually represents a decrease compared to the 340 films produced in the fourth quarter of 2022, marking an 18 percent decline.

However, this slight dip does not diminish the ongoing significance of Nollywood in the larger context of Nigeria’s economy. Breaking down the production areas, the NFVCB reported that Lagos, as a prominent hub, took the lead with 106 movies.

Following closely was Nigeria’s federal capital, Abuja, contributing 99 films, while Onitsha added 32 to the cinematic landscape. Other cities, such as Abeokuta, Kano, and Benin, also played their part, albeit on a smaller scale.

Nollywood’s Strategy To Become An Empire

There are a couple of key features that helped make Nollywood into what it is today. First of all : the low production costs. The hallmark of Nollywood’s success lies in its ability to craft compelling narratives on limited budgets, often releasing these films directly to the video market instead of going through production companies and studios. Second : they are relatable! These films courageously confront the daily social issues and challenges that confront Nigerians, making them not just movies but mirrors reflecting the lives of millions. 

Also, Nollywood challenges time-honored values and beliefs, nudging individuals to view the world with fresh perspectives. Through their narratives, these films become catalysts for change, encouraging people to question, evolve, and aspire to a different reality.

Last but not least, Nollywood is an Ever-Growing Industry. The industry has, by employing over 200,000 individuals, made a substantial contribution to job creation. Moreover, Nollywood’s reach extends far beyond Nigeria’s borders, with its films captivating audiences in over 50 countries. This international appeal brings foreign investment, elevating the economic fortunes of Nigeria in a globalized world.

Obstacles Ahead For The Nollywood Film Industry

Despite its remarkable size and reach, the industry faces certain obstacles that warrant attention and innovative solutions. One of the most pressing challenges confronting Nollywood is the perennial need for increased funding.Nigerian films are typically produced on modest budgets, which can limit the production values and overall quality of the final product.

This budgetary constraint hinders Nollywood’s ability to compete on a global stage, where Hollywood blockbusters and other regional film industries often command significant financial resources for grand productions.

Rampant Piracy and Distribution Dilemma

Another formidable challenge that continues to plague Nollywood is piracy. Given the relatively low production costs of Nigerian films, they are particularly vulnerable to being illegally copied and distributed. Pirated copies frequently flood the market, and these unauthorized versions are sold on the streets at a fraction of their original price.

While the industry enjoys strong viewership within Africa, expanding its reach globally remains a complex endeavor. Getting Nigerian films into international movie theaters can be a time-consuming process, as many distributors prioritize established foreign films with proven track records of audience appeal.

How Nollywood Has Impacted The Globe

Nollywood’s impact on the film industry is undeniable. As the second-largest film industry globally, it has reshaped storytelling, challenged societal norms, and made substantial economic contributions.

Despite facing challenges, Nollywood’s influence continues to grow, highlighting the remarkable power of cinema to transcend borders and inspire change. It is a vibrant testament to the enduring and transformative impact of storytelling on a global scale.

photos : olorisupergal.com / miro.medium.com/

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Agricultural data is becoming big business in Africa

30 July 2023 Comments (0) Business, Non classé

Africa can often be a continent of major contradictions, but perhaps especially when it comes to agriculture. The African Development Bank (ADB) released a recent report which stated that the continent contained an astounding 65% of the world’s uncultivated but arable land. Many areas also have an abundance of fresh water. The soil is extremely fertile, and the continent has around 300 days of sunshine every year. And when you look at the working population, in excess of 60% of people work in the agricultural sector in some capacity. 

Yet despite that potential, the continent as a whole continues to import much of its food ($64.5 billion in 2017) and many regions continue to suffer annual famines with around five million Africans dying every year from hunger and over a quarter of the population classified as “severely food insecure in 2016”.

To increase efficiency and productivity – and thus hopefully reduce hunger and reliance on imports – many African countries are now looking to data collection and analysis for solutions and creating a new demand and market by doing so. 

A lot of Challenges to Face

There are a number of challenges that Africa’s agricultural sector faces. As far as development of uncultivated land is concerned, many areas have poor or no transport links. There may be little in the way of communications, little credit to buy the machinery and seed stock needed to cultivate the land, issues with property rights, endemic corruption at local and national levels, a lack of access to technology, and various other issues. 

Many now see the use of data identifying the areas offering the most lucrative prospects as the way to move forward. Coupled with simpler smart phones to be used in situ, data scientists can analyse data from satellite imagery and records of climate and weather patterns to help focus on those initially promising areas. 

Another major problem that faces the sector, and also another that technology may offer a solution to, is that many African agricultural products are subject to the overuse of pesticides (or the use of banned pesticides). This means that they do not pass the stringent standards of target markets such as the European Union. 

Using Technology

Companies such as Acquahmeyer in Ghana are now using drones to monitor the health of crops so as to allow farmers to reduce their reliance on these pesticides. At $5 to 10 per acre, this is a growing data market across the continent. 

The ADB are also investing in data and data collection. As of 2018, they had launched a drone programme partnering with the Tunisian government and the city of Busan in South Korea. The programme will include training 32 young Tunisians on how to pilot drones and collect agricultural data. 

South African startup, Zindi, is another African company looking to harness data to improve agricultural yields. They use their platform to host competitions that brings together over 9,000 African data scientists to crunch numbers and data from satellite imagery and other sources to provide real solutions on – and in – the ground. 

But it is also about different data sets being harnessed to improve agriculture. In Nigeria, the government are undertaking a major registration programme to include its farmers on an electronic wallet system. This will allow the government to make grants and subsidy payments, share information on better farming practices, and help improve the continental supply chain. 

Monsanto Has Established Data Sharing Agreements: Good News for Africa?

Multinational conglomerate, Monsanto, has already established data sharing agreements with the American agricultural machinery producer, Agco. They also launched Climate FieldView in 2018, a tool specifically designed to collect and exploit agricultural data from across Africa. Given Monsanto’s track history, there are justifiable worries that while African NGOs seek to reduce hunger and poverty by increasing crop yields. 

Hopefully, the Pan-African efforts by various parties will continue to yield promising results.

Photos : blogs.worldbank.org / idss.mit.edu / agroinformatics.org

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MENA Seeing Rise In Startups By 24% in 2022

29 June 2023 Comments (0) Business

Startups are roaring in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Compared to 2021, a rise of 24 percent was seen in investment value. Fueled by rapid growth, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are seeing a new group of well-heeled investors. 

Top three markets by region

The top three markets in the region that dominated the venture capital scenery were the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Having the most investments, UAE took the lead with a total amount of $1.85 billion across 250 deals (a rise of 5 percent in investment value) followed by Saudi Arabia with $907 million raised across 153 deals (a 40 percent rise in investment value).   Even though Egypt ranked third place with $736 million, they secured the second-highest number of new deals totaling 180 (a staggering 70 percent rise compared to 2021).

This rise in investments and deals was felt in nearby countries such as Algeria, Bahrain, Palestine, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Yemen, Sudan and Tunisia.  On the contrary, Kuwait, Lebanon and Morocco saw a downward trend in terms of deal value.  The Jordanian startups dropped by 76 percent compared to 2021.

Value of investments by sector

Attracting $1.1 billion in investment, almost double compared to 2021, the fintech sector remains the favorite within the startup world in Mena.  A rise in funding was seen in top sub-sectors such as neobanks, crowdfunding, open banking, and corporate and personal lending.  Not to mention the cleantech sector is following closely behind with a whopping 101 percent rise from 2021, thanks to Yellow Door Energy’s $400 million rise in October 2022.  Bringing in $362 million in funding, logistics was the third-highest funded sector.

Quarterly investment activity fluctuated over the course of last year.  Quarter one recorded $1.04 billion which then dropped down to $997 million in quarter two.  Quarter three saw a severe decline with only $696 million raised and only to rise again to $1.21 billion in quarter four.  

Value of investment by gender, education and experience

Women-founded startups only made up 1.3 percent of the $3.94 billion raised last year whilst startups co-founded by both men and women performed far better, attracting $3.7 billion of the total amount raised. A hefty 94 percent of the total amount was raised.

The women-led startups that did raise investment were largely based within the UAE and Egypt.  They focused mainly on the healtech, edtech and e-commerce sectors.  

With regards to educational background, last year 1,186 co-founders successfully raised investment.  Between them were 694 first-time founders, 312 second-time founders, 124 third-time founders, 39 fourth-time founders and 17 fifth-time founders.  

Over half of the VC-backed founders have a bachelor’s degree as their highest educational level coming in at 53 percent whilst 34 percent have a master’s degree and 4 percent have a Ph.D. The more educated founders tend to be women, a third of them have a bachelor’s degree, 10 percent have a Ph.D. and 20 percent have a master’s in business administration (MBA).  The MENA region has certainly never been short on talented entrepreneurs.

Fadi Ghandour, founder of Aramex and executive chairman of Wamba stated “Saudi and UAE and Egypt are the three markets of size and significance of government and private and institutional support. That is where the entrepreneurs are coming and where they are trying to solve the digitization of bricks and mortar companies.”

Photos : .wamda.com – arabnews.com

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Astral Aviation expands towards Abu Dhabi

29 March 2023 Comments (0) Business

Astral Aviation has just signed a code-share agreement with fellow Kenyan cargo operator, Kenya Airways Cargo. It has also just signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Etihad Cargo, and looks set to take advantage of the closer ties being sought by the two countries.

Astral Aviation, a cargo-only airline in Africa flying scheduled routes to 20 destinations across the continent, has just signed a code-share agreement with fellow Kenyan cargo operator, Kenya Airways Cargo. It has also just signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Etihad Cargo to enhance cooperation between the two entities. With these partnerships, Astral Aviation hopes to increase trade between Africa and the Middle East. The announcements come off-the-backs of several other partnerships announced earlier in the year, including an agreement with Air Logistics Group, the world’s leading cargo sales and services agent, that would increase online booking capacity for the airline. As Astral Aviation has just celebrated 22 years in operation, we look back at its interesting history.

The humble beginnings of the company

Although Astral Aviation now flies regularly to 20 destinations across Africa, and delivers everything ranging from perishable goods, vaccines, mining equipment, up to humanitarian aid, it started in a very different, and much less secure position. Upon its foundation in November 2000, it was a simple charter airline operating wet-leased (where the aircraft owner will supply air crew members along with the aircraft) Russian-owned Antonov planes.

At the time, the company did not have the funds for Boeing or Airbus freighters, so Astral Aviation began operations with three Antonov AN-12 turboprop planes transporting UN food aid to Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Eight years later, Astral Aviation was in a position to be able to renew its fleet, where it returned the aging Russian turboprops and instead dry-leased (where the aircraft is leased without crew) Douglas DC9 freighters. This fleet was then expanded with McDonnell-Douglas MD83s, and eventually with Africa’s first Boeing 767-200F.

Recently, Astral Aviation has made the news again by ordering the first Brazilian-made Embraer E190Fs in Africa. They join a long order list: two Boeing 767-300Fs, two Airbus A330-200Fs, four A330-300P2Fs, and four Boeing B777-300ERSFs. These aircraft will join the current fleet of 14 that includes four Fokker 50s – used for short landing strips in remote areas – and two Boeing 747-400Fs.

Covid-19 creates huge demand for cargo carriers 

Astral Aviation found itself extremely busy during the first fourth months of Covid-19, flying every single day. Originally this was perishables and pharmaceutical cargo, and then increasingly, masks, personal protective equipment, and PCR and rapid-testing equipment. Astral found itself delivering to 48 of the 54 African countries.

When the first vaccines arrived in 2021, Astral Aviation was ready to assist. In particular, a million doses of AstraZeneca, refused by the Kenyan Government due to the lower efficacy shown against the dominant variant in Kenya at the time, were re-distributed across 16 other countries on the continent. To date, Astral Aviation estimates they have delivered 59 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines across Africa.

As jet fuel prices soar, cargo operators face new pressures

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. The resulting backlash against Russia saw it ostracized from much of the international community and demand for its oil and gas exports fell, or were intentionally cut off. Fuel prices across the world rose quickly, with jet fuel right alongside.

Cargo airlines like Astral Aviation found themselves facing costs rising by as much as 35%, in part due to the older age of cargo aircraft compared to those operated by passenger airlines. For example, production of the Boeing 727-200Fs that Astral Aviation leases ended in 1984, and the aircraft is significantly less efficient than more modern planes. On top of this, cargo flights are typically unbalanced between outward and return journeys – a flight from Europe to Nairobi will be nearly full of high value-added products, but on the return trip Astral Aviation often has no choice but to fly a near-empty plane. Nonetheless, the airline has shown resilience and continued to operate.

Closer links to the Middle East could fuel growth for Astral Aviation

In October 2022, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates agreed to expedite trade agreements and investment opportunities between the two countries. Astral Aviation’s new code-share agreement with Kenya Airways Cargo and MOU with Etihad Cargo will mean Astral Aviation is likely to see more flights into Abu Dhabi, taking advantage of the closer ties being sought by the two countries.

Photos : aircargonews.net

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TotalEnergies becomes QatarEnergy’s first partner on the North Field South LNG project

21 February 2023 Comments (0) Business, Featured

TotalEnergies, already heavily involved in the North Field East liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, has been chosen as the first international partner for the North Field South LNG project. Under the new agreement with QatarEnergy, TotalEnergies will gain a 9.375% stake in the North Field South project.

TotalEnergies takes second stake in the world’s largest LNG project

TotalEnergies, already a major partner of QatarEnergy and heavily involved in the North Field East liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, has now also been chosen as the first international partner for the North Field South LNG project. Expected to produce 16 million tonnes per year (Mt/y) of LNG, the North Field South project will, along with further development of the rest of the North Field project, increase Qatar’s LNG export capacity to 126 Mt/y. The offshore project will be developed via 50 oil wells that will feed 5 oil platforms, all of which are linked to the onshore processing plant by gas pipelines. Two liquefaction trains will also be installed as part of the project.

Extracting from the world’s largest LNG field

North Field South and North Field East combined make up Qatar’s North Field project, which it claims is the world’s largest LNG project in the world in terms of capacity. The field itself is a natural-gas condensate field located in the Persian Gulf, part of the South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field that is shared between Iran and Qatar, holding around 51 trillion cubic meters of in-situ natural gas, plus around 50 billion barrels of natural gas condensates. The field is by far the world’s largest natural gas field, and the extremely high amount of resources present means that the area is incredibly geopolitically important.

Qatar is already the world’s largest LNG supplier, but nonetheless it aims to expand LNG production from the North Field, along with producing condensate, LPG, ethane, sulfur, and helium. LNG production from the new North Field South project is expected to start in 2025.

High tech, low-carbon

North Field South is aiming to use the highest standards of extraction to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the project. The processing plant will be connected to Qatar’s electricity grid, meaning it will be powered in-part by renewable energy, mostly from the 800MW Al Kharsaah solar plant and the QatarEnergy solar plant currently under construction. Along with this, native CO2 released during natural gas production will be captured and sequestered rather than lost to the atmosphere. A system to recover gas evaporated during shipment will also be implemented that is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.

TotalEnergies enjoys booming LNG prices

TotalEnergies, just like BP, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and others in the gas sector, has had a windfall year, with oil and gas prices being pushed to record highs in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Due to Western sanctions on Russian exports, the destruction of the Nordstream pipeline, and public outcry of the invasion pushing nations to move away from Russian oil and gas, buyers in Europe scrambled to replace Russian imports, which caused prices to skyrocket. TotalEnergies sat in an enviable position with access to 20 million tonnes of regasification – roughly 15% of the total capacity available on the continent – and was able to leverage this by maximizing spot purchases and sales.

All of this fueled a year of record net profits for TotalEnergies – $36.2 billion in 2022 – and has led some to call it the ‘year of LNG’.

The company has since indicated it will double-down on the LNG business, aiming for it to make up 50% of its energy sales mix by the year 2030. CEO Patrick Pouyanné has even stated that it will be a “pillar of the company’s growth in the years ahead.”

Under the new agreement with QatarEnergy, TotalEnergies will gain a 9.375% stake in the North Field South project, with QatarEnergy holding 75%. The remaining 15.625% will be available to other international partners. Pouyanné has said that, “we are very proud and honored that Qatar has once again chosen TotalEnergies as its first partner on the North Field South project…We see Qatar as a long-term strategic country for TotalEnergies and this new addition of capacity to our portfolio marks an important step towards achieving TotalEnergies’ growth objectives in low-carbon LNG, a key pillar of our transformation into a sustainable multi-energy company. It will also enhance our ability, alongside Qatar, to contribute to Europe’s energy security. “

Photos : offshorewind.biz and splash247.com

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Growing Africa’s Tech Startup Sector

24 January 2023 Comments (0) Business, Featured

Africa is home to a rapidly-growing tech startup scene. From 2015 to 2020, the number of African startups receiving financial backing stood at over 6 times the global average. Thanks to hosting the world’s largest free trading area and a young, growing population that makes use of new technology like e-banking and mobile phones to leapfrog traditional development pathways, the tech startup sector grew by about 46% a year. For the continent to truly become a launch pad for innovation and for the tech sector to maintain its stunning growth trajectory, it will need some help.

An increasingly attractive continent for investors

For any startup, obtaining early-stage funding is crucial, and entrepreneurs often seek external investment to raise this. Historically, venture capital on the continent has been limited, however this is changing. In 2014, only 70 venture capital deals were recorded in Africa, while by 2020 this had risen to over 300, with around a third of investors from the United States. This growth in investments has led to the rise of new unicorns – privately-held companies valued at over $1 billion – with four companies holding the status in 2021.

In addition, the continent is an easy place to start a company, with one of the highest entrepreneurial rates globally. This is not unusual – developing economies often have high numbers of startups driven by a lack of employment – but the increasing prevalence and the sinking cost of mobile phone technology has meant Africa is increasingly digitized. This has motivated entrepreneurs, especially in the technology sector, to innovate to match the continent’s needs. From this, a wave of investment followed: In 2015 only $190 million was invested into startups in Africa, but by 2021 it had gone up to $2 billion. South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya were the most favorable African countries for startups in the last year, hosting high numbers of companies, good co-working spaces, and a generally robust economic system.

A growing sector, but one that is still far behind

It is easy to conclude that the continent is already a hotbed for tech startups, especially as economic forecasts predict a record year for tech in Africa in 2022, with the possibility of total investments into startups reaching more than $7 billion. But while there is more money flowing into more companies than ever before, Africa’s record of scaling up these companies or even sustaining them, is poor.

There are only 4 unicorns on the entire continent, compared to over 50 in the EU, over 100 in China, and over 200 in the United States. Even for lower-value companies, such as African ‘Zebras’ valued at $200 million, numbers are slim. There are only 20 zebras across Africa, as most startups only make it to the series B funding stage. In fact, the returns on venture capital investments in Africa are less than 3% over 5 years on average, compared to 11% in Asia-Pacific and 16% in Europe.

A challenging place to grow a startup

Startups struggle in Africa for several key reasons:

  • Despite the free-trade area, the market is very fragmented
  • Consumer purchasing power is low
  • Data communication infrastructure is inadequate for the number of people it serves
  • Digital talent is scarce
  • Regulations across the 54 countries are varied, inconsistent, and often-times complex

On top of this, key sectors, especially business-to-consumer ones such as financial services and energy are often controlled by state monopolies that use their market power to prevent new companies from challenging the status quo, rather than advancing the national interest or providing a level playing field.

This leads to an inhospitable startup environment that in turn stops job creation and economic development, and threatens the entire startup sector by preventing innovative products from reaching the market.

The outlook for the future

Africa has all the pieces needed to become one of the most innovative regions in the world: high entrepreneurship, a large free-trade area, and a young and growing population that adopt new technology quickly. To see continued growth in the sector, African governments need to build and deploy a digital economic policy that encourages investment, improves the business environment through clearer regulation, and creates support networks for startups, as well as expand the continent’s digital infrastructure. Not only does this lead to short-term startup growth, but it stops the biggest companies from growing dependent on the world’s leading technology players, making the continent more self-sufficient in the longer term.

Sources : cioafrica.co and visualcapitalist.com

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With a Digital Tech 100 Award, Kobo360 cements itself as the best e-logistics company in Africa

24 October 2022 Comments (0) Business, Featured

Kobo360, the company that connects truck owners and shipping customers through an Uber-like application, picked up the title of ‘Best e-Logistics Platform,’ bringing it one step closer to becoming the leading provider of e-logistics on the African Continent.

Kobo360’s new award testifies to the company’s progress

On the 29th of July, at the Movenpick Hotel in Kenya, Kobo360, the African E-logistics company that connects truck owners and shipping customers through an Uber-like application, picked up the title of ‘Best e-Logistics Platform.’ With this prestigious award from the Digital Tech 100 Awards, renowned for recognizing the top tech companies in Kenya and attended by key individuals and stakeholders in the logistics sector, Kobo360 is one step closer to achieving its goal of becoming the leading provider of e-logistics on the African Continent.

Despite low quality infrastructure throwing challenges at the company that are unique to the intra-African trade ecosystem; dilapidated railroads, poorly maintained road systems, high duty taxes, and excessive and often corrupt bureaucracies, Kobo360 already serves over 700 businesses on the continent. It has also acquired investment from high profile international groups including Goldman Sachs, who put $20 million of Series A funding into the company back in 2019.

Obi Ozor knows the challenges personally

Obi Ozor, co-founder of the e-logistics platform, began working in African logistics while a college student in the United States. While studying in Michigan, he made extra money by exporting goods to his home country of Nigeria. After working for JPMorgan in the states, he returned to his home country and worked as Uber Nigeria’s operations chief.

He has spoken about how he would send diapers and soap to Africa during his university years, and how ‘a 1,000 kilometer journey was taking 8 days, but it cost more than moving a container from the US to Nigeria.” Because of this experience, he knew that there was a need for a data-driven service that could help move goods efficiently and securely across the continent.

Connecting suppliers with truckers with customers

Given Ozor’s experience, it is perhaps no surprise that Kobo360’s model bears similarities to Uber, connecting suppliers and cargo owners with truck drivers through an online or mobile-based application. Through Kobo360, customers can schedule, book, track, and pay for goods to be moved.

Despite the basic idea being similar, Ozor has had to apply it to an entirely different market, one that comes with its own unique challenges. Kobo360 started operations in Nigeria in 2018, and it has since expanded to Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Benin Republic.

Helping truckers as well as customers

Ozor knows that the quality of trucks and experience of the drivers is key to solving many of Africa’s logistics challenges. With so many trucks bought second-hand in Africa, and infrastructure problems abounding, the company set out to make sure that their drivers, who are independent contractors, are not alone. To help, the company offers loans to purchase new vehicles, as well as support for those who are targeted with extortion attempts, both by police and by bandits, by dispatching rapid-response repair teams and coordinating with authorities in the event of a hijacking.

Kobo360 also guarantees truckers access to discounted diesel, tires, spare parts, and working capital. This approach clearly works, as the company now has over 50,000 registered truck owners on the platform.

Ready for the next free trade area

With Africa beginning its implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement in 2021, creating the world’s largest free trade zone across 54 countries with a collective GDP of close to $3 trillion, competition is sure to start. Free movement of goods and services will make it easier than ever to move goods between locations, a fact that many will be keen to exploit. Nonetheless, Kobo360 is well positioned to be at the forefront of a logistics revolution on the continent and the company is set to take advantage of this.

Photos :

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Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2022

19 July 2022 Comments (0) Business, Featured

Between the digitization of informal trade and agriculture, new banking options for those without banks, and co-working opportunities, the African continent is ripe for investment. With the release of the Statista report by the Financial Times on Africa’s fastest growing companies, three stand out – Wasoko, Flocash, and AFEX.

The African continent is a unique and rapidly-evolving economic environment. In recent years new opportunities have arisen to fill the newest niches, from the digitization of informal trade and agriculture, to new banking options for those without access to traditional brick-and-mortar banks, to co-working opportunities; the African continent is undergoing a change. With the release of the Statista report by the Financial Times on Africa’s fastest growing companies, it is possible to get an insight into what businesses are flourishing in the current environment. The list of fastest-growing companies is dominated by technology providers in every industry including agriculture, financial services, logistics, and transport. The top three of these are Wasoko, Flocash, and AFEX.

Wasoko – 346% compound annual growth

The informal retail sector is huge in Africa, with hundreds of billions of dollars of product sold yearly from shops and kiosks. Yet these sellers have little access to capital, and face challenges getting goods either regularly, or on time from suppliers. This is where Wasoko comes in. It has become a full-scale distributor, owning and leasing facilities in the supply chain from warehousing to logistics. It began in Kenya, but quickly expanded into Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda, the Ivory Coast, and Senegal.

Wasoko allows retailers to order products from suppliers via SMS or its mobile app for same-day delivery to their stores and shops via a network of logistics drivers. The company also offers a buy now, pay later option for retailers who need working capital to order more goods. The company is trusted by over 50,000 retailers and has over 1,000 employees, with their revenue having gone from 0.3 million in 2017 to 27 million in 2020.

Flocash – banks for the unbanked

In a continent where around 57% of the population do not have a traditional bank account, making electronic payments is difficult. With the growth of e-commerce, and greater prevalence of internet access, it was doubtless that someone would step in to fill the void. Flocash, a provider of payment services across Africa and the Middle East is the fastest-growing. It offers more than 200 payment options, 20,000 cash points, and 30 different currencies.

The company currently covers 60 different countries and has more than 400 million customers, with a compound growth of 275% and revenue going from $0.121 million in 2017 to $6.3 million in 2020.

AFEX – the reference point for commodities

Until 1990, commodity exchanges were generally restricted to industrialized nations but the rise in affordable technology has seen them spread globally. Commodity exchanges began to emerge in Africa in the 1990s but the only successful exchange was the South African Futures Exchange which was birthed from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited provides commodity brokerage services. The company has been developing a viable commodities exchange and supply chain infrastructure to support agricultural products since 2014, and it reached $31 million in revenue in 2020.

Many notable companies in the top 10

There are many interesting companies listed among the fastest-growing in Africa. Starsight Energy is ranked number 6, and delivers comprehensive, end-to-end solar solutions. AfricaWorks is a partner with Seedstars and offers workplace solutions, including co-working spaces with a compound growth of 238%. Lori systems has built an e-logistics platform that is revolutionizing the cargo-transport value chain in frontier markets from the ground up, currently number 7 on the list.

Considering that the current two biggest companies in Africa by revenue are oil and gas companies, and the third is a timber company, this could be seen as a sign of the continent becoming more developed, and moving away from traditional resource extraction markets.

Photos : breakingnews.com – ft.com

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Video Games Thriving on the African Continent

12 April 2022 Comments (0) Business, Non classé

In 2015, sub-Saharan Africa had approximately 77 million gamers, but in 2021 that number had shot up to 186 million, making Africa one of the fastest-growing in the world.

Video gaming is taking off on the African continent

In 2015, sub-Saharan Africa had approximately 77 million “gamers” – someone who plays video games at least semi-regularly. In 2021 that number had shot up to 186 million. Crucially for developers, the number of people willing to pay for video games has also skyrocketed. When taking into account the growing youth population in Africa and greater access to mobile phones on the continent, analysts are predicting a compound annual growth for the video game market of 12% until 2026, making Africa one of the fastest-growing in the world.

Impressive growth, but small total numbers

While the number of gamers in Africa is increasing rapidly, the total numbers are still relatively small. Across the world, there are an estimated 3 billion gamers, meaning that sub-Saharan Africa currently only accounts for 6.2% of the total number of gamers in the world. South Africa accounts for the biggest market within in Africa, with nearly 40% of the population identifying as ‘gamers,’ compared to only 27% in Ghana and 23% in Nigeria. In Kenya and Ethiopia the gaming population makes up 22% and 13% of their overall population, respectively. For comparison, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) in the United States of America estimates that 67% of American adults play video games at least semi-regularly.

Why this growth is not just a pandemic pop

One of the biggest drivers of growth in gaming across the world has been in mobile games. Mobile gaming now dominates the market with the segment worth nearly $100 billion and showing a 7.3% YOY growth.

In Africa, video gaming has gone hand-in-hand with greater proliferation of mobile technology and smartphone ownership. In South Africa nearly 51% of the population have access to a smartphone, and it is estimated that by 2023 nearly 84% of the sub-Saharan population will own a mobile phone. This proliferation has meant that along with gaming, online shopping and social media have exploded on the continent. In some industries, such as banking, this has even led to a ‘leapfrog’ effect where traditional players, such as brick-and-mortar banks, have been skipped in favor of smartphone and internet-driven solutions. In the video game market, traditional devices such as personal computers or games consoles have low ownership numbers due to the relatively high cost of equipment, along with often unreliable power sources, and people are going straight to mobile gaming.

When looking at growth that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic there is always the question of whether lock-downs and social distancing played a part and how long the trend will last post-pandemic. The video gaming trend in Africa has been going on a similar trajectory for many years now, and when comparing the percentage of adults that play video games in Africa to that of the United States it is clear that there is plenty of room for further growth.

The link – or not – with cryptocurrency

Frequently making headlines, it is no surprise that analysts have looked to see if cryptocurrency is important to the gaming community in Africa. TripleA notes that gamers are more likely to own crypto compared to non-gamers, with 55% of gaming millenials owning crypto as compared to just 5% of millenials overall. On top of this, 80% of gamers who own crypto are interested in using cryptocurrency for gaming purchases. In Africa and the Middle east, a total of 5.9 million gamers own crypto. Along with this, many game developers are looking for more ways of integrating cryptocurrency into gaming.

This has not always been a welcome choice however. Globally, crypto and blockchain technology in gaming is a controversial topic. Vice Magazine describes it as a ‘culture war’ between developers and players, and executives and crypto evangelists. Developers at major studios that are actively using or considering crypto in their games, such as Electronic Arts, Zynga, Behaviour Interactive, and Ubisoft, have described internal turmoil and disapproval over what is often seen as “dollar signs guiding executive-level decisions that seem to add little to the already wildly popular medium, and if anything, present a threat to how and why games are currently made.”

But if gamers want to use crypto, then perhaps it is simply a matter of implementation.

Local games, local developers

The African video game market is one that so far has seen little attention from the international community. This is allowing local developers like Nairobi-based Usuki Games, Ghana’s Leti Arts, and South African startup Carry1st to thrive. But with Africa having one of the fastest-growing video game markets in the world, it is unlikely to be long before multinational companies have the continent in their sights.

Photos : euronews.com – inews.co.uk

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The Africa Tech Summit returns to Nairobi for its 4th Edition

15 March 2022 Comments (0) Business

 In February 2022, the Africa Tech Summit returned to Nairobi with over 500 delegates, 150 guest speakers, and more than 350 companies, with the aim of bringing African Tech leaders and international players together across three key summits.

February 2022 marks the 4th Africa Tech Summit

On February 22nd and 23rd 2022, the Africa Tech Summit returned to Nairobi for the 4th edition of the exposition. This two-day event will bring together over 500 delegates, 150 guest speakers, and more than 350 companies to share their insights on technology on the continent. Attendees, both companies and investors, had networking and business opportunities in the FinTech, Startup, and Mobile sectors. The goal was to connect startups and visionaries with industry leaders from across the world and there were opportunities for startups to pitch live on stage, along with attending workshops, use a deal room, and join venture showcases. Previous Africa Tech Summits have been held in Kigali, London, Washington DC, and Shanghai, all with the aim of bringing African Tech leaders and international players together.

Getting the necessary funding at the Startup Summit

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 saw over $4.27 billion invested into African startups, a huge increase on 2020. In such a fast-moving ecosystem the Africa Tech Startup Summit is the perfect place for companies to pitch to investors. This summit, a recurring component of the Africa Tech Summit, will encourage collaboration and showcase investment opportunities with the aim of developing entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa. Industry leaders, corporations and startups will all have the opportunity to connect at the summit.

Crypto was prominent at the summit

FinTech (Financial Technology) solutions have become massively important across the continent, illustrated by the $200 million acquisition of Paystack and Beyonic by Stripe and MFS Africa, respectively. FinTech companies work with digital identity, remittance, cyber security, and payment and banking systems to offer services previously only available from traditional brick-and-mortar banks. This year’s summit focused on Decentralized Finance, a term for various financial applications of cryptocurrency or blockchain that has the potential to disrupt traditional financial intermediaries in Africa. This was continuing the theme set in the previous years where a Money and Blockchain Summit was held.

This year’s summit was supported by Celo and VerifyMe, and featured African Fintech leaders as they deep-dive into the opportunities offered by FinTech, Crypto and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) in Africa through conferences, panels, and organized sessions.

Tapping into Mobile Technology in Africa

Nearly 800 million people in Africa lack a mobile internet connection, but the sector is expanding quickly. By 2025 over 425 million people will be using mobile services on the continent, and the data center market in Africa and the Middle East attracted over $6.55 billion of investment in 2021. Opportunities are plentiful, and the Africa Mobile Summit featured keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions from across the sector. MarTech (Marketing Tech), gaming, connectivity, cyber-security, cloud computing, and application development were focused on during the mobile summit, which was supported by Ethiopian startup, Gabeya, a pan-African source for freelance professional talent that recently launched its talent mobile application. The 2022 Mobile Summit is the evolution of 2020’s Future Summit, which focused on new technologies across the African digital landscape.

Photo : resilient.digital-africa.co

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