Author: Opinion

This summer has seen a huge amount of interest, and investment, in Africa from private capital outfits. From fund raising – such as the African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) reaching final close of its US$320 million African Infrastructure Investment Fund 3 and new funds for Centum, the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed investors – to acquisitions and disposals, interest has been high across the continent. The Exchange even reported in April that Africa is eying US$1 trillion in private equity deals in the near future. It also appears that returns are good. East African exits by private equity investors currently stand at…

Juba – South Sudan has launched its first-ever mobile money transfer service in Juba last week. The aim of m-GURUSH (m-for mobile and GURUSH for money in Arabic)  is to make it easier to transfer money, as well as create new job opportunities in South Sudan. The mobile based financial service platform is a joint partnership between South Sudan’s Trinity Technologies Limited and Zain Telecoms South Sudan. Licenced by the Bank of South Sudan and the National Communications Authority of South Sudan, m-GURUSH allows users without bank accounts to access banking services through outlets spread across the country. The virtual…

By Washington Ndegea In the year of our Lord Two thousand and Eighteen, the Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich strode to parliament carrying the characteristic brief case just in time to read the twenty eighteen-twenty nineteen budget. That was in the month of June. Expectations were high, that the prices of various basic commodities would reduce, and that we in the insurance industry would get the much needed relief and create an enabling environment to do business. The issue of the prices of the basic commodities were met, but we in the insurance sector were left reeling by the recommendations that…

The digital divide in Africa is real: Three-quarters of the people on the continent do not have sufficient access to the internet – or have no access at all. This has an impact on everyone and in every component of society, from health to economic well-being to education. The priority solution requires a combination of continent-wide high-speed access combined with low prices, available through the surety of satellite connectivity. On June 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2019 the East African Communications Organizations* (EACO) is gathering in Dar Es Salaam. Regional experts, national ICT regulators, operators, services providers (in the telecommunication, broadcasting…

Ahead of the Baker McKenzie African Transactional Summit taking place in Johannesburg in May 2019, Baker McKenzie lawyers based in Africa, alongside the Firm’s global Africa specialists, as well as lawyers from our African Relationship Firms from across the continent, share their knowledge about what investors should consider when transacting in Africa. Accept the uncertainty and gather knowledge Investors in Africa must consider geo-political and economic uncertainty on the continent as well as a plethora of country and region-specific governance, compliance and regulatory challenges when investing in the region. They must also contend with a critical lack of infrastructure and…

Welcome to Jack’s world. Jack is a photographer based in Dar-es-Salaam who recently set up a sole proprietorship. His dream is to grow into a visual interior design firm that furnishes affluent homes, office spaces, and restaurants with compelling imagery for their otherwise boring walls. Every one of Jack’s hours is valuable to achieving his ambition. Jack is not alone. East Africa is burgeoning with small businesses that are formalizing. With this formalization – setting up a company, relentless selling, and paying taxes – comes a heavy investment in time and a meticulous focus on prioritizing what matters most on…

The total volume of Islamic Banking and Finance has been exceeded $2.6 trillion globally. The growth of the Islamic banking and finance volume in different continents and regions is continuous with the positive node but sometime its vary region to region. Due to the reason, about 2,500+ Islamic banking and financial institutions are working in every region including both Muslims and non-Muslim countries. In the current era, Islamic banking and finance started in 1960s from Egypt and Malaysia and dramatically spread over the Middle East, Africa, Europe and other regions. The growth of this phenomenon swiftly increased in Middle East,…

Tanzania endeavors to become a middle-income economy by 2025 with a desired per capita income of USD 3000; this will be a monumental step towards economic development and growth for the country. These aspirations can only be achieved by investing in human capital, in particular creating equal opportunities for women and men. Human capital is the driver of economic transformation and according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) the population currently stands at 54 million and is projected to reach 67 million by 2025. Currently, women comprise 51.3 percent of the population, and while they play a key role…

World Bank has projected that by the year 2060, Africa’s population will be as much as 2.7 billion people; Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is estimated to be at 860 million. At the moment, at least 60 percent of Africa’s population is under the age of 25. This figure also indicates that Africa has one of the largest youth populations in the world. Africa’s economy has to be in proportional progression to keep up with the ever-rising population. Needless to say, the digital economy is indispensable as it intertwines creative and innovative technological solutions that not only reshape traditional marketing endeavors but…