In the affairs of conducting business – whether it is a single, family-owned venture or a large multinational conglomerate – capital is at the crux of the undertaking. 

In this edition, The Exchange brings to you Part 2 of a two-part series on Patient Capital and how Africa can reap the tremendous value of philanthropy in business. 

Patient Capital: An Instrument for Financing Development 

Over the last decade, a new breed of investors focused on financial returns with a strong social and environmental value proposition have emerged in Africa. These “impact investors” seek to consolidate financial returns with social impact by utilizing the apparatus of venture capital to make principal investments in private, high-growth companies/organizations that have the potential to deliver some quantifiable social or environmental benefits. 

Patient capital is an emerging investment instrument that generally falls under a broad category of vehicles for financing social change and economic …

The countdown to the commencement of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area is drawing to an end. 

The world celebrates the coming of a new year with the hope of a reprieve from the chaos and hardships that 2020 brought. For Africa, the New Year’s Eve celebrations bring hope for a brighter future. A future with Africa no longer the dark forgotten continent left behind by the rest of the world. Neither engulfed by poverty, inefficiency, and negativity nor identified by conflict and hopelessness.

A future where Africa stands shoulder to shoulder with economic giants. Where economies of scale and scope position African manufacturers favorably. Where African economies boast integrated efficiencies and world-class digital infrastructure. Where road networks and physical infrastructure on the continent take a turn for the better. Where Africa means business and has the trade statistics to prove it.

Africa is going for gold and …

Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube delivered an optimistic 2021 $426 billion worth national budget. The upcoming year’s budget under the theme: Building Resilience and Sustainable Economic Recovery, is meant to be a gateway for an economic revival in the struggling country. 

The budget allocated a sizable proportion of the funds towards the health and education sectors.  

Key Budget Highlights

• Budget size $421.6 billion
• Revenue collection projected at $390.8 billion
• Public debt $1.9 million
• The economy is expected to grow 7.4% in 2021 following a consecutive decline in the past two years.
• Year on year inflation is projected to end the year 2021 at 9% 
• Upward review of tax-free threshold on salaries and 2% transaction levy and bonus.
• Foreign currency-denominated corporate tax payments.
• Tightening of Informal sector tax (Presumptive tax) collections.

Economic Recovery 

The minister presented optimistic growth metrics. The budget projects an anticipated 7.4% economic growth trajectory following two …

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to prepare harmonised COVID-19 protocols that will ensure participants are safe during the African Union meetings scheduled for February next year.

President Kenyatta emphasized that the protocols will determine whether the African Union (AU) meetings will be virtual or physical given the challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention should give protocols that they think will ensure participants are safe and that will determine whether we will have virtual or physical meetings,” the President said.

President Kenyatta spoke Thursday evening during a virtual meeting of the Bureau of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government and chairpersons of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

Also read: Housing and construction sector key in post pandemic recoveries -Uhuru Kenyatta

The meeting was convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa of …

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is increasing efforts aimed at bolstering the global response to Fall Armyworm (FAW), considered one of the top 10 devastating plant pests affecting food and agriculture.

According to a statement from the organisation, the Director-General, QU Dongyu, noted today that great strides had been made by the Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control (GA), a coordination mechanism established by him a year ago, but emphasized that many challenges remain to be tackled in the sustainable management of this pest.

Speaking at a virtual meeting of the Global Action’s third steering committee, the Director-General noted FAW’s reach was expanding, noting that it had been reported in four new countries in Asia and the Near East.

FAW is a voracious transboundary insect which targets maize and other food crops. Originating in the Americas, it invaded Africa in 2016 and has spread …

A few years ago, Nigerian Jessica Mathews made headlines after she invented the energy harnessing soccer ball. The invention entailed soccer balls that harness the kinetic energy they gather when they are kicked around so that they can be used for lighting in the home.

This was an incredibly beneficial invention, given the challenges of electricity in most of Africa; 60 % of the population has no access to electricity. In several countries, those who do have access to electricity experience intermittent power cuts. Noisy and fume producing generators are widely used to power business and home lights. However, that is only for those with an advantage in terms of affluence. For those who do not have the same level of privilege, candles, or paraffin lamps akin to those used in 18th century Europe are still the primary source of lighting. 

Zimbabwe’s William Sachiti, the inventor of the driverless …