Browsing: africa investment

“Sokowatch started as this kind of backend brand. We wanted a brand that could be more front and centre for the African retailer and easily pronounced across all markets while reflecting our East African roots. So that’s why we’ve rebranded now to Wasoko, meaning ‘people of the market,” Yu said.

The seven-year-old company said this round of funding will go towards exploring expansion into Nigeria as well as Southern Africa while consolidating its position across its six current markets.

It will also make hires and expand its product offerings to point-of-sale merchant systems, bill payments and social commerce, verticals it might build in-house or back and acquire companies that provide such services.

The company also offers a buy now, pay later option for retailers who need working capital to order more goods. Buy now, pay later offerings are the latest trend for B2B retail and e-commerce companies. They see it …

Despite the effects of Covid-19 Africa remains the ripe land of opportunities and as the conversation about Investing in Africa is shifting from one of deficits and gaps to one about Opportunities, Prospects, Trends, Innovation and creativity, in the Companies and industries who have paid close attention to how business in Africa operates.

Africa continues to be the newest destination for emerging market investors and according to Eric Osiakwan, the managing partner at Chanzo Capital, half of the world’s fastest-growing economies have been in Africa, with Ghana and Ethiopia among the countries which showed a real GDP growth of 8 percent in 2018.

In an interview with this reporter at the Social House hotel in Lavington area of Nairobi, Eric Osiakwan a renowned tech investor and entrepreneur says that Investors seek out emerging markets for the prospect of high returns, as they often experience faster economic growth as measured …

A new report now indicates that women entrepreneurs and in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) are leading the way in tapping into the power of the digital economy to succeed and grow.

According to the inaugural Mastercard MEA SME Confidence Index, women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) believe there are huge benefits of a cash-free economy to their businesses.

As such, 81 percent of the region’s women entrepreneurs have a digital presence for their businesses, compared to 68 percent of their male counterparts.

In terms of a digital footprint of the region’s women entrepreneurs, social media (71 percent) leads the way, followed by a company website (57 percent).

In the Middle East and North Africa, more women entrepreneurs had a website (71 percent) than a social media presence (55 percent).

It also found that over 80 percent of women entrepreneurs have digital readiness for their business compared to their …

The increasing emergence of modern logistic parks in Kenya has been mainly attributed to favorable tax laws, increased e-commerce, intra-regional trade, and growth across various sectors, including manufacturing, retail, and health.

This is according to a new report by Knight Frank which indicates that a couple of logistic projects commenced during the first half of the year.

For example in February, a beverage manufacturer and distributor Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL) broke ground on its Sh4 billion manufacturing plant located in Tatu Industrial Park in Ruiru.

In June Packaging products manufacturer Super Plastics announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in Tatu Industrial Park.

Africa Logistics Properties (ALP) broke ground in June on phases two, three, and four of its 1,076,390 sq. ft modern warehousing complex located in Tilisi Logistics Park in Limuru.

The Sh1 billion project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022, Phase one …

Arise, an African investment company has acquired 34.9 per cent of Rabobank shares in the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) listed NMB Bank Plc. Notably, NMB is one of the largest and most successful banks in Tanzania.

The buyout actually took place late last year when on 28 December 2020, having been approved by the  Capital Market and Securities Authority (CMSA) in Tanzania for the transfer of 174,500,000 NMB Bank Plc shares owned by Rabobank to Arise.

The share transfer process was completed on 31 December 2020.

According to Arise Chief Executive Officer, Mr Deepak Malik the conclusion of the share transfer is a significant milestone for the company which partners with sustainable, locally owned financial services providers in Sub -Saharan Africa.

“The organization’s core mandate is to partner with local sustainable financial institutions to strengthen and develop effective, inclusive financial systems in Africa to contribute to economic growth …