Top 10 Most Attractive Investment Destinations In Africa

Africa’s feverish increase has decelerated in recent years and a lot of nations have buckled under the pressure of falling resource prices, security disruptions, fiscal imprudence and adverse weather conditions.

Africa's Relationship With China Is Ancient History

In 2002 South Africa's Parliament unveiled a digital reproduction of a map - of China, the Middle East and Africa - that some speculated could be the initial map of the African continent. The Da Ming Hun Yi Tu - the Comprehensive Map of the Great Ming Empire - was drawn up around 1389 during the Ming Dynasty, according to historian Hyunhee Park.

Economic Overview

Ghana

IMF and private support help cope with financing needs

Côte d'Ivoire Global leader in cocoa production

Côte d'Ivoire

Global leader in cocoa production

Climate change laws around the world

There has been a 20-fold increase in the number of global climate change laws since 1997, according to the most comprehensive database of relevant policy and legislation.

The database, produced by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Sabin Center on Climate Change Law, includes more than 1,200 relevant policies across 164 countries, which account for 95% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Economic Overview Over-reliance on the primary sector causes exposure to exogenous factors

Burkina Faso

Concerns about domestic stability and regional security

Japan in Africa Japan looks to grow its presence across Africa

Between 2016 and 2018, Japan has pledged to invest $30 billion in Africa’s development, as it bids to join the likes of China and the US in the battle for influence on the continent.

Competition in Africa is heating up, with Japan aiming to increase its presence and influence on the continent as it looks to make up ground lost to China since the turn of the century.

Japan launched the Tokyo International Conference on African Improvment(TICAD) back in 1993, and since again has invested around $50 billion in Africa, a meagre sum at the same time as compared to China and the US.

Nigeria Year in Review 2016

Lower hydrocarbons revenues, tight capital controls and currency volatility combined to make 2016 a challenging year for Nigeria.

By December the country was in recession, facing its initial full-year contraction for almost three decades, with the IMF expecting Nigeria’s economy to shrink by 1.7%.

Inflation, meanwhile, had climbed to an 11-year high by October. However, the outlook for 2017 appears brighter for what is still Africa’s major economy by GDP.

Ghana Year in Review 2016

Soft commodity prices, disruptions to oil and gas production, and a depreciating currency saw Ghana’s economy slow in 2016, though the country’s new government is expected to benefit from a strong rebound over the coming year.

Ghana closed out 2016 with a new chief of national. Nana Akufo-Addo, leader of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), defeated John Dramani Mahama from the National Democratic Congress in the December presidential election.

The NPP, which has outlined an intensely pro-business schedule, as well won a clear majority in the parliamentary election, with a net gain of 49 seats in the legislature, taking its total to 170 in the 275-seat body.

A mouth-watering array of African foods

African cuisine is as diverse as the hundreds of different cultures and groups that inhabit the continent. This diversity is reflected in the many local culinary traditions in terms of choice of ingredients, style of preparation and cooking techniques. Many of the dishes are also affected by the subsistence nature of living in many parts of the continent – you find farmers, herdsmen and fishermen everywhere. The crops they grow or the animals they keep thus affect the popular dishes in their regions.

President of 22 years defeated

Economic and Financial Strategies against Africa

Other than the divisive military-security perspective and ‘dark scenario’ forecasting that’s been hitherto applied for understanding African geopolitics, there’s also the more unifying and positive approach of analyzing the continent’s financial, economic, and integrative institutions.

Six reasons to invest in Africa

The conversation about Africa is shifting from one of “deficits” and “gaps” to one about opportunities, prospects, ventures and creativity. That’s not news to companies that have paid close attention to the continent and invested there. The fast growing youth populations, the urbanization expected to drive over 50% of Africans to cities by 2050, and Africa’s formalising economy are all well known. These trends and other developments have driven a half century or additional of increase in Africa, and will continue to do so.

Top 10 most competitive Sub-Saharan African economies

 A ten-year decline in the openness of economies at all stages of development poses a risk to countries’ ability to grow and innovate, according to The Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017, which is published today.

Sub-Saharan Africa: importance of institutions for developing food and agriculture value chains

Despite its huge food and agricultural potential, Sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural production has barely kept up with people increase as productivity increase has lagged behind. Over the completed decades the region has become a net food importer. Food and agricultural trade deficits are on the rise, posing risks to food security. Conference this challenge requires the region to develop its role in food and agricultural price chains.

It should move from predominantly smallholder production for informal markets and export of (agricultural) commodities to adding additional price at different stages in the price chain. Possibilities for doing so depend crucially on climatological and soil circumstances and on the presence of enabling factors. The degree to which nations provide an enabling environment differs largely across the region, and is strongly linked to nations’ in general institutional development, as is shown by investigating a set of relevant indicators.

President Alassane Ouattara is steadily putting the Ivoirian crisis behind and laying the groundwork for a brighter future

A retrospective on the first cases of the outbreak

Ebola at 6 months

On 26 December 2013, a 2-year-old boy in the remote Guinean village of Meliandou fell ill with a mysterious illness characterized by fever, black stools, and vomiting. He died 2 days later. Retrospective case-finding by WHO would later identify that child as West Africa’s first case of Ebola virus disease. The circumstances surrounding his illness were ominous.

His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma President of the Republic of Sierra Leone EU Ebola Conference Brussels 3 March 2015

We are honored to be here to chart ways forward on the current Ebola Outbreak in our nations.

The EU has always been a great promoter of its core price of social solidarity and human advancement. Ebola tested the durability of these values, but the EU and its member states, inclunding the United Kingdom showed great commitment to these values by supporting our nations to tackle this virus. We deeply appreciate your commitments.

Nigeria Year in Review 2014

Falling oil prices and increased instability in the north impacted Nigeria’s economic increase in 2014, though a rebasing of GDP means that whoever wins the forthcoming presidential elections in 2015 will take the helm of Africa’s major economy.

Building for a lifetime, lasting through generations, Ghana

Ibrahim Bah, Managing Director of Regimanuel Gray Limited (RGL), discusses the performance of the real estate sector in Ghana and how RGL strives to be the market leader particularly in terms of technology or advancing construction techniques.

Mr Ghassan Yared, CEO of Forewin Group

In this interview with The Worldfolio, Mr. Ghassan Yared, CEO of Forewin Group, discusses the role of the private sector in Ghana’s economic increase, how Forewin Group has managed to diversify into one of Ghana’s biggest conglomerates and their new venture with Actis, “The Exchange” project.

Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Nti Commissioner General of Ghana Revenue Authority

In this interview with The Worldfolio, Emmanuel Kofi Nti, Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, discusses the importance of domestic revenue mobilization for the sustained socioeconomic development of the country, and how Ghana is moving from an ‘up-front tax to back-room tax’, allowing businesses to become additional competitive

Like the rest of the world, Africa remains uncertain about what is approaching next world geopolitical shifts like Donald Trump’s election in the US and the upcoming Brexit. How can Africa take chance of this world landscape and gain investor confidence?

Africa: Making Things Happen at the Bank - 'Not a Talk Shop' - Akin Adesina

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is focusing on five areas to achieve the African and world goals for a prosperous continent since becoming president of the African Development Bank - Africa's major public financial institution in September 2015. He was a keynote speaker at this month's Corporate Council on Africa's U.S.- Africa Business Summit in Washington D.C. and moderated a lively panel with five African government ministers. He as well received the Gene White Lifetime Succcess Award from the World Child Nutrition Foundation. This week, he was named the 2017 recipient of the World Food Prize, a prestigious honor that includes a $250,000 award. In an interview in Washington, DC, Adesina discussed the Development Bank's ambitious schedule and his vision for attracting the increase capital Africa needs. Posting questions for AllAfrica was Noluthando Crockett-Ntonga.

Benin designs a digital future

In December 2016, Benin announced its economic transformation plan, including 45 flagship projects addressing the major components of the west African country's economy. Six of the projects are specifically focused on constructing a digital economy. Serge Adjovi, director of Benin’s Digital Economy Agency, speaks to Joy Macknight about the laying the foundations for progress.

Georges Philippe Ezaley, Mayor of Grand-Bassam, on the citys significance and potential

Which sectors offer the majority potential for economic increase in Grand-Bassam?

GEORGES PHILIPPE EZALEY: As the major tourist destination in Côte d’ Ivoire for both the local and international community, Grand-Bassam offers an array of tourism attractions.

Francis Okoh, Commercial Director, Dolphin Telecom

Francis Okoh the Commercial Director at Dolphin Telecom is a round peg in a round hole. The man, who is responsible for implementing sales and marketing strategies inclunding managing customer relations across West Africa, is a guru with business agreements with operators.

Philip Sowah, CEO Airtel Ghana

You can’t deny the fact that Mr Philip Sowah is a thorough bred in his field. The amiable Managing Director of Airtel Ghana Ltd is a definite goal getter. His track records show so easily. Prior to joining Airtel Ghana, Sowah was the Chief Officer of Onetouch (presently Vodafone Ghana) where he championed its aggressive expansion from 160,000 to 1.3 million subscribers.

Fredrik Jejdling, Head of Region for sub-Saharan Africa, Ericsson

Full of brains, highly energetic Fredrik Jejdling has held his current position since April 2013. He joined Ericsson in 2006 next having before been Director and Chief of Managed Capacity, Vice-president and Chief of Sales and Finance for Business Unit World Services.

CEO explains success of ASKY Airlines

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana news Agency (GNA) in Accra, Mr. Awel , CEO of the Gambia based ASKY airlines, said the airline's major goal was to connect all capital cities in Africa with daily flights in order to relieve movement within the continent and it was making great strides in that regard.

ASKY, he noted, currently served about 22 destinations, mainly in West and Central Africa with two or three weekly flights.

The destinations include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, DR Congo, Chad, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Republic of Congo, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

Mo Ibrahim is chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation

Being an optimist about Africa’s economic prospects was once a pretty lonely cause. But I am thrilled to presently find myself in a very crowded field.

The continent’s strong and sustained increase – evolution amount the additional remarkable given the severe problems in the world economy– has been one of the success stories of the last decade.

Andreas Karlsson is the Chief of Supply for Ericsson in sub-Saharan Africa

Andreas Karlsson is the Chief of Supply for Ericsson in sub-Saharan Africa & Country Manager for Ericsson Ghana. Ericsson is Africa’s leading provider of communications technology and services and employs over 3,000 professionals who support additional than 100 customers in 43 nations across sub-Saharan Africa.

Bornman du Toit, MTN Group’s General Manager for Products, Services and Innovation

There is no doubt that Africa is a hot bed for Mobile Banking and Mobile Money. In this issue, glObserver catches up with Bornman du Toit, MTN Group’s General Manager for Products, Services and Innovation, to get a lowdown on mobile telecom industry in Africa.

Mo Ibrahim - founder and chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

The founder of Celtel talks about the role businesses can play in transparency and discusses trends in African governance

Lapodini Marc Atouga

Since its inception in 2005, where does the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP) stand today?

A large step has been made towards the effective implementation of ECOWAP since 2009 with the development and implementation of National Agricultural Investment Programmes (NAIPs) and the Regional Agricultural Investment Programme (PRIA).

Strive Masiyiwa, philanthropist and founder of Econet

As a global business leader, African philanthropist, anti-corruption activist, and mentor to thousands, Strive Masiyiwa is a vibrant example of someone who has little doubt about what motivates him, what he hopes to accomplish, and what sort of example he wants to set for others along the way. His is a character forged by struggle and perseverance against corruption, and shaped by a deep faith that guides him on the world stage as he looks to bring about positive change to his home continent. We had the pleasure of speaking with Masiyiwa in London during a brief pause in a schedule bursting with business and philanthropy interests.