Browsing: Africa

The elephant population in Tanzania has increased from 43,330 in 2014 to over 60,000 this year. The government attributes the increase to crackdown on poaching syndicates.

A key figure in the poaching and black market trade of ivory, was arrested denting the industry greatly. Christened, the “Ivory Queen” Yang Fenglan, a prominent Chinese businesswoman was last year sentenced to at least 15 years in prison.

However, by time of her arrest, it is estimated she alone was responsible for the smuggling numerous tones of ivory to China. Yang was tried and found guilty of operating one of Africa’s biggest ivory-smuggling rings. By the of her arrest, she is said to have been responsible for smuggling ivory worth over USD2.5m. That value is estimated to have been derived from the slaughter of almost 400 elephants.

Following her arrest, activists suffered a great lose with the murder of Roger Gower in 2016. …

When there is conflict, it is the general society and businesses that suffer the most, in fact business should be at the forefront of advocacy for peace.

With almost every element of business going digital, the question of digital platforms been used for radical sentiments is not a political agenda but a socio-economic one.

There is need to take concerted action to promote and facilitate peace especially now, in an age where social media is been used to spread radical content online. Social media and other digital platforms are also very powerful tools to prevent conflict and extremism and promote greater understanding and tolerance.

“We have to take steps to ensure we instill seeds of peace and tolerance for one another, and social media is a great platform to reach youth to promote peace” Martha Nghambi the, Country Director for Global Peace Foundation Tanzania asserted.

Speaking to media over the …

When you are a small start up in Africa, you do not dream of getting listed on the London Stock Exchange, or shall we say, that is indeed all you dream of, and far fetched dream that is.

However, maybe not so far fetched, if you can achieve consistent annual growth and, keep your finances transparent.

While their business growth is a main factor to get them on the shortlist, however, to be listed in this report, the company must also show transparency in reporting its finances.

In its recent report, titled ‘Companies to Inspire Africa’ the London Stock Exchange Group listed a handful of companies and highlighted them as Africa’s top upcoming firms.

The report, which was produced in partnership with the African Development Bank Group among other stakeholders, describes these companies as the inspiration of Africa’s future and that they are leading the way to an Africa of …

In Africa’s metropolises, you don’t have to be rich to wear Gucci Armani or Prada, no sir, it is common place to see women in the slums carrying Dolce Gabbana handbags.

In fact there is a prominent saying across most all of Africa’s urban centres like Dar es Salaam and Nairobi “…everyone looks good in mtumba.”

Mtumba, is Swahili slang for second hand clothes, and Africa is one of the world’s leading importers of second hands, from caps, t-shirts and shirts, to pants and shorts all the way to bras and women underwear, yes second hand bras and underway are big business.

‘East Africa imported $151 million worth of used clothes and shoes in 2015, mostly from Europe and the U.S.’ And ‘At least 70 percent of donated garments end up in Africa’ – Oxfam.

What is strange here is that, Africa does not want to import these used items …

Trouble laden Petra Diamond is planning to sale 75 per cent stake of its Tanzanian diamond business but the government of Tanzania says, no. Rightfully so, because as a stakeholder, the government had every right to be informed prior to any sell attempt and in this case, it was not.

The company currently owns the Williamson mine in partnership with the government of Tanzania and as a share holder, the government has said it was not consulted prior to the sale plans.

This government response comes just a fortnight after the UK based miner announced the decision to sell.

In its initial announcement, local media quoted the company’s Africa Corporate Communications Manager, Ms Cathy Malins admitting that the company was facing heavy losses and has no choice but to sale.

The Communications Manager attributed the losses to effects of Covid-19 saying there is a dire fall in the global market.…

The Tanzania insurance market is still very much untapped and even as the country achieves middle income status, much of the population is still not insured.

Commercial banks in the country have smelt opportunity in the industry and are now circling in. CRDB Bank, a leading bank in Tanzania, recently announced plans to register its own insurance subsidiary firm.

The bank is currently already a broker and enjoying considerable premium back payments which almost double in the span of just 3 years (2016-2019).

In an interview with local media, CRDB’s Broker General Manager, Mr Arthur Mosha said in that short time, their premium levels is up from 44.2bn/- ($19.088 million) from 25bn/- ($10.81 million).

Not surprising, Tanzania’s insurance market grew by 8.6 percent in gross premiums over the course of the last financial year. As of 2018, Tanzania’s insurance industry had 31 insurance companies, 109 insurance brokers and 635 insurance …

In the past years, more research has been conducted about the alternatives of our current linear economy that is focused on ‘take-make-dispose’. A circular economy is an alternative model, that enables green growth and green industrialization by closing the loop of resources and by developing regenerative and circular systems. As stressed by Chatman House¹, the circular economy has been mostly seen as a rich-country agenda.

However, the circular economy has enormous potential for lower and middle-income countries. Here are four reasons why circular economy supporters should focus on the (East) African region to unlock the potentials of the circular economy in Africa- and to leapfrog to a Circular Africa.

 African emerging economies as an opportunity to implement a circular economy

First of all, it is important to consider that developed countries might be stronger committed to a linear economy than lower and middle-income countries. The industrial revolution in …

The African continent has experienced a bitter reaction from the coronavirus pandemic, whereby as of May 13 almost every nation in the region battled the virus, while—other nations had cases less than 1000, the continent with some of the fast-growing economies could contract by 1.5 per cent and lose $200 b in income, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections.

World Economic Forum brings an interesting perspective to the fold, as it pictures the regional economies in a deterioration hotbed as a result of de-globalization, and underlying factors such as operation shift to digital and debt burdens.

Hence—African Development Bank (AfDB) one of Africa’s vibrant financier has risen and displayed a rather crucial analysis pertaining the fate of the regional economy, the report was released on Tuesday 6 July 2020.

As the rest of the world strives to salvage and bounce back to normalcy, still—there are vital aspects at play …

As part of your positive reinforcement regimen, you have probably bought junior that tasty chocolate biscuit that he loves so much or the packaged ice cream that has him agreeing to anything you say. Did you know almost all snacks are made using the most popular vegetable oil in the World, Palm Oil?

Palm oil is used in the preparation of most processed foods from biscuits to chips to instant noodles. It is also used in the manufacturing of soap and cosmetics, and with the exponential increase in population, global demand for these products has equally put pressure on the demand for palm oil.

While palm oil is indigenous to West Africa, now the continent is losing almost 7.5 million acres of land to palm oil companies. Communities are been displaced and forests are been destroyed to make room for the coveted palm tree.

“In the past decade, West Africa …