According to UNESCO, Africa’s film and audiovisual sector is estimated to account for roughly five billion USD in revenue on the African continent and employs millions in various capacities and skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Stories on the continent are abundant and over the years, perceptions of Africa’s creative film industry have changed. There’s now an even hungrier market for films made in Africa and about the continent, homegrown film academies all over the continent have stepped forward to train the next generation of African filmmakers in response.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Access to the very best while learning behind the scenes&nbsp;



For Zambian filmmaker and producer Masuzyo Mwale, the idea of making films started in 2014 while in India, hospital-bound after heart surgery. It was in the birth country of Bollywood that the spark to become a filmmaker was ignited. He quickly faced an obvious challenge &#8211; he had no idea of how and where to begin.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Despite Zambia’s established film industry, film and training academies are few, and the pipeline that should be channeling trained film graduates towards local film and TV opportunities isn’t working as well as it should be. So, it was by chance that Masuzyo came across the pan-African MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) film training programme’s call to entry in 2020. He was then accepted to join 19 other young filmmakers at the programme&#8217;s Lusaka hub for the full-year and all-expenses-paid training programme.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Founded in 2018, the MTF shared-value initiative was born to provide world-class training to young creative professionals in Africa’s film and TV space. To date, the initiative, through its MTF Academies in Johannesburg, Lusaka, Lagos &amp; Nairobi, has trained over 200 filmmakers and to date they have produced 30 movies for M-Net local channels and Showmax. Its three MTF Academy hubs in Lusaka, Nairobi and Lagos can altogether accommodate 60 emerging film and TV creatives each year from Southern, East and West Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;



With zero skin in the game, Masuzyo had an opportunity to work at SuperSport, the continent’s top sports channel during the MTF Class of 2020’s immersions and additionally shot TV commercials, music videos and short films. This kind of access to world-class industry producers and technicians is extremely rare, and the additional experience gained is unparalleled.&nbsp;&nbsp;



As part of the Class of 2020, Masuzyo and his classmates have now been absorbed into their local film and TV industry and work as technically-skilled filmmakers. This is thanks to MTF’s focus on empowering students with the necessary skills to be economically active in the industry once they graduate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The world of film saved my life,” says Masuzyo. “As I kept watching TV from my hospital bed, I longed to get better to one day make a movie or a documentary that people would watch. I began to have hope in my healing so that I could become a filmmaker.” 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="575" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MTF-Alumni-Production-Companies-1024x575.png" alt="" class="wp-image-54713" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MTF-Alumni-Production-Companies-1024x575.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MTF-Alumni-Production-Companies-300x169.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MTF-Alumni-Production-Companies-768x432.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MTF-Alumni-Production-Companies-1536x863.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MTF-Alumni-Production-Companies-2048x1151.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



Establishing a multidisciplinary spirit&nbsp;



Like Masuzyo, Ugandan filmmaker Cissy Nalumansi’s career in film and TV was also a result of MTF’s empowerment of students to be economically active in the industry. She won a paid internship experience at Africa Magic studios in Nigeria after graduating from the MTF Academy in 2019. Cissy has taken her skills even further as an MTF alumnus by establishing her own film production company Jungle Rains Productions.&nbsp;&nbsp;



She now sits front and centre when it comes to telling homegrown stories, and her skills as a multidisciplinary have been paying off since graduation: her documentary Creatives Under Quarantine, which she shot during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has received international funding and was nominated at the Uganda Film Festival, and her other film Namuddu currently airs on DStv’s Maisha Magic Movies. Her short film Kela, which she also wrote and directed, is currently competing at several international film festivals and is backed by Hollywood executive producers.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The funding, international film festival mileage and hefty backing are part of the major head start that the MTF initiative provides through its Academy partnerships, which include the New York Film Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (NYFA), the Henley Business School, Dolby and Canon among others.&nbsp;



What’s more, is that Cissy is one of many African women filmmakers who received their big break from MultiChoice, the biggest commissioner and licensor of local content. Advancing the agenda of women has always been at the heart of what we do as MultiChoice and we are proud that the MTF initiative has ushered in a new era of filmmakers who are eager to sway the narrative and engage in a dialogue that tells original African stories. Women have a harder time breaking into the industry as a result of the film and TV industry’s significant gender divide, where men outnumber women 2 to 1 in films, according to a 2021 report by the San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film in America.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The gender divide is also why the MTF initiative always aims for 50% and above split in favour of women.&nbsp;&nbsp;



From the start, the MTF Academy’s curriculum makes a point of equipping students towards becoming multidisciplinary creatives through its tailored masterclasses, which are a core part of the MTF Academy’s tailored curriculum.&nbsp;&nbsp;



All MTF Academy alumni have since been exposed to the initiative’s industry masterclasses in Documentary, Lighting, Sound, Casting, Acting, Production Management, and the Business of Film, among others.&nbsp;&nbsp;



These masterclasses have been taught by some of the best in the industry, including celebrated Nigerian film, TV and storytelling multidisciplinary Tunde Kelani, Kenyan film and TV producer Appie Matere, and Christian Epps, international lighting expert for productions like the 2014 American film Selma, and American TV series Lovecraft Country.&nbsp;&nbsp;



It’s no wonder then that come graduation, multidisciplinary visual creatives like Cissy can hit the ground running with connections already formed during their training at the Academy, due to MTF’s curriculum partnerships. All MTF alumni can therefore begin their careers as highly-skilled creatives that can keep up with the production demands of world-class film and TV storytelling.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Africa’s film future is safe in skilled hands&nbsp;



In a mere three years, the MTF Academy’s alumni have collectively produced 30 full-length films, 16 short films for broadcast, and eight public service announcements for the United Nation’s Verified #PledgetoPause and #OnlyTogether campaigns.&nbsp;



Many alumni are still rooted in producing local content. Ghanaian filmmaker and TV producer Godfred Dela Duvi, for example, is pulling the strings as a producer for one of Ghana’s most-loved shows Showbiz 360.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In Tanzania, alumni from the inaugural MTF Academy year Wilson Nkya and Jane Moshi respectively produced the 2021 Maisha Magic Movies film FRIDA under their digital media production company Four Creations Entertainment.&nbsp;&nbsp;



As time goes by, the MTF Academy alumni will be the fuel behind the continent’s ability to take Africa’s films to the world stage.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The alumni are young, vibrant and have sharp talent and expertise that will continue to sustain authentic African stories through video entertainment.&nbsp;

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Meet the future of Africa’s creative film and TV industry 

Many small businesses and startups thrive by identifying market gaps and leveraging the opportunities to beat competitors. According to Alex L.J, many companies fail to regard market gaps as opportunities that cost them and slow down their growth. The digital transformation has paved the way for more businesses to establish their services, but this has given way to saturation in the market. With everyone offering similar services, differentiation is crucial, and one of the best ways to achieve that is through identifying gaps in the market.



Alex L.J is the founder of L.J GROUP SRL, a company that started with just him and a laptop at home and has since grown into a successful and essential thriving business. Alex began his company at the height of the pandemic when everyone was struggling for survival. Alex explains that he managed to thrive because he took time to identify gaps in the market before he began working on and launching his business. L.J GROUP SRL was created by Alex L.J as a way to aid Europe in its time of need and help its government agencies receive crucial medical equipment that was in high demand but low supply. Today, the business that was created to serve an urgent niche need has developed into a highly profitable and established company that brings in close to ten million euros a month through the sale of essential protective masks, nitrile gloves, and COVID tests.



The L.J GROUP SRL distributes these indispensable items to international groups, government agencies, private companies, pharmaceutical distributors, and supermarket chains. Through this vital work, The L.J GROUP SRL has become a part of an important global industry that is constantly in high demand.



According to Alex L.J being the first to cater to an area that the current market isn’t serving will make you a pioneer and help you to gain headway over your competitors. Every successful business continuously reinvents itself by identifying gaps in the market and providing solutions to these industry issues. Alex L.J put this concept into action when he chose to step up as the pandemic was shutting down companies and conceive and provide a solution. Alex quickly identified a crucial gap within the market and filled it with his company’s previously mentioned distribution of nitrile gloves, both ffp2 and ffp3 masks, and essential covid tests.



Alex explains that the best place to start for every business looking for growth opportunities is to identify gaps that can serve as an excellent source of inspiration and the next big idea as this helps you to assess and build your strengths. To do this it is essential to start with a list of what is offered within your industry and then determine what is missing and how to fill that void.



Alex believes that once you learn how to identify and address gaps in the market, you will become unrivaled and your success will be guaranteed.

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Why Identifying A Market Gap And Bridging It At The Right Time Is Essential For Unparalleled Success

Having survived the rigors of Christmas, with UK panic buying now a distant memory, December and January saw a flurry of international trade activity, with deals signed between the UK and Australia, and digital trade deals with Singapore.



And rather than the expected lull in January activity, negotiations commenced towards a free trade deal spanning 5 years between the UK and India. This cements a long-standing history of trade and investment, aimed to increase jobs and revenue in pharmaceuticals, leatherwear, textiles and footwear. Service sectors will also benefit in areas such as nursing, education and IT.



Additionally, the UK Department for international Trade has set its sights firmly on securing membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by the end of 2022, giving access to trade worth USD13.5trillion. Known as TPP-11, the member nations span the Far East, Australasia and South America incorporating such powerhouses as Japan and Singapore.



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With this positive step, the agreement aims clearly to increase economic security, enable non-tariff barriers to trade to be removed help to diversify trade links and re-position the UK as a true global hub following Brexit and the challenges brought by the pandemic.



And, by trading with nations already acting in different FTA’s, there should be even greater opportunities, markets and exchange of products and services, to fulfil the ambitions of all the member nations which in turn brings benefits and resources for people to work on problems that all nations are facing, in tech, the environment, healthcare and other sectors.



So, a rosy outlook to start the year. But, major challenges are still ahead, as the worlds’ second largest trading nation, China, with GDP larger than those of the next four economies &#8211; Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and India – combined, is facing a new reality when looking at sustainability of growth. Despite the intent, collaboration and reach of FTA’s, some countries are maintaining their protectionist, restrictive access, subsidy driven stance.



After its rapid rise, China growth rates have slowed, with the biggest factor being the fall in production in domestic markets, ageing population and reduced numbers of workers estimated to be in the region of 35 million over the next 5 years.



Just as the UK Government has acted to raise the retirement age and keep people in employment longer, China aims to do the same to preserve tax contributions with creation of new jobs.



The global appetite for Chinese goods is insatiable, and as a prime example, the UK imported £40.5bn more from China than it exported to the country in the year to June 2021, a rise of imports from China of 38% increasing the trade surplus to over 670BN USD.



In the same period, UK exports fell by 34%, a picture reflected in many other nations internationally.



China is set on promoting more self-sufficiency, greater domestic consumption and less reliance on the export market long term. But when things go wrong, the repercussions are immense as ‘debt bombs’ are created with companies ‘too big to fail’.



The Evergrande issue is ongoing, with unfulfilled debt obligations of USD 300 Bn, hundreds of unfinished properties now classified as distressed assets, thousands of unpaid workers, millions of jobs at risk and loss of home buyers.



Closer to home, international trade is not quickly returning to pre-covid levels or pricing. Just as forward transactions in currency markets may secure future prices, so contracts in shipping were agreed months ago at a time where exporters could negotiate prices with the luxury of excess capacity.



How different it all seems today.



Rates to move goods cross-border have never been higher, as contraction of supply chains has caused every player in the ecosystem of trade to review capacity. Starting with transport companies, prices are expected to double (not helped in the UK by additional demands for costly ow emission or electric vehicles, highest ever diesel prices at pumps and congestion charges).



The freight sector, handling the physical movement of goods is also impacted in areas of warehouse costs, displaced containers, ocean shipping and local logistics. And companies are still subject to market demand and the influence of a rapidly changing spot market on a short-term basis. One example is the Brent crude oil price, at USD 55 per barrel one year ago is now standing at approx. USD 90, with predictions of USD150 within three months.



In addition to containers being in the wrong place at the wrong time, with less overall capacity, we have already witnessed the staggering increase in spot prices for standard 40-foot containers, with prices up to 5 times higher than pre-pandemic levels and set to move higher still. In some instances the cost of container transport even surpass the value of goods they contain, making it uneconomic and therefore impossible for smaller traders and niche businesses to sustain a healthy trade and cash flow.



Looking at the other areas of logistics in the supply chain, the cost of warehousing, increase in demurrage fees (namely the charge that the merchant pays for the use of the container within the terminal beyond the free time period), labour costs, increased fuel costs and shortage of drivers to move goods will lead to inevitable price rises.



With such uncertainty and taking into account the rising costs (up 25% on average for leasing warehouse space, it is no surprise that companies are not prepared to lock in long term leases, and taking the financial hit on shorter terms.



Whilst in the past the demand for goods at low price has meant shippers absorbing costs, the time has come where increases have become so common and of such magnitude that these costs must be passed on to consumers. Even using Ai technology for innovating least cost routing, consolidating shipments, sharing containers and only renting delivery vehicles when required, the choice is stark.



Inflation is on the rise and consumers must ultimately pay more as shippers and other players in the global supply chain find themselves with drastically reduced margins, operating expenses and more pressure than ever to deliver at a price the consumer can afford.



At the time of writing, with the UK Covid wine and cake Partygate debacle seriously overshadowed by ongoing international tension as Russia amasses on Ukraine’s border, fears abound of its longer term intentions to extend its reach to re-establish a power bloc similar to the former multi state Soviet Union.



Whether a show of force or build up to full warfare, the West will need to be mindful and fully prepared to deal with trade implications, sanctions, repercussions in the event of invasion, NATO and European military support, calls for removal of banks from the SWIFT network, and possible nation state cyber-attacks on all manner of businesses across the supply chain.



With such a fluid situation, whilst free trade agreements were supposed to bring unity, collaboration and increase in collective wealth, their purpose is clearly being eroded as former allies become enemies, and protectionism, nationalism and isolationism become the new order.



We hope for the best outcome and plan for the worst. The next quarter will be critical.



By Dr. Graham Bright Head – Compliance and Operations Euro Exim Bank

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Rebuilding the supply chain – but caveats remain

Akin Jones and Wale Akanbi, lead a team of innovators at Aella, building a diversified credit payments platform with over 2 million users, offering a raft of financial services to underbanked users across Africa with a focus on lending. This strong team of innovators have one big goal, to build products that help foster financial inclusion in the African continent.



Aella piloted as the first digital lender in Africa, then known as Aella Credit. The goal was to provide quick and easy credit to Nigerians. Now, its scope in credit has moved way beyond consumer lending to building the largest agency lending platform in the globe through the debt-as-a-service model, first of its kind, to provide empowerment-focused products for banking agents in Africa.



The ultimate goal for Aella is to build and provide products that democratize financial services, thereby alleviating poverty and driving economic progress in Africa. With 11 leading agency clusters signed up, Aella has piloted the Debt-As-A-Service strategy with the Nigerian market and plans to scale across the African continent.



<a href="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Aella-Supplement.-Final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DOWNLOAD FULL SUPPLEMENT </a>

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Expanding Lending and Servicing the Underbanked In Africa

The Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC) provides political and commercial risk insurance cover to South African exporters of goods and services and to cross border investors. Its strategic focus is on emerging markets in Africa and outside the continent that are considered too risky for conventional insurers. Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are amongst the largest economies in Africa and are therefore key markets for South African exporters and the ECIC.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Ethiopia, with over US$50 billion worth of infrastructure projects in the pipeline, is the fastest growing economy in Africa. To further boost growth and attract foreign direct investment the government of Ethiopia embarked on an economic reform program which will diversify the economy away from agriculture and allow for greater private participation in key sectors of the economy. This will create opportunities for exporters and investors and therefore increase demand for export credit insurance.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The ongoing civil war, which started in November 2019, created a highly uncertain environment in Ethiopia. The recent release of opposition political party officials from prison by the central government is a significant step towards a resolution of the civil war. Investments into Ethiopia for which ECIC was involved include a US$12,5 million in a cement plant by South Africa’s Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) and a USD121,5m by Vodacom South Africa in 2021. ECIC provided political risk insurance cover for both investments.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The DRC is endowed with exceptional mineral resources including cobalt and copper, significant arable land, and huge hydropower potential. This continues to attract significant investment into the country making it the third largest recipient of foreign direct investment in Sub Saharan Africa. South Africa can supply capital, skills, machinery, and consumer goods to help the country reach its development potential. The ECIC supported projects in various sectors of DRC including mining, transport, food, and construction sectors. The country’s good infrastructure investment outlook and the first-ever peaceful transfer of the presidency in January 2019 creates room for further support.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The ECIC seeks to diversify its portfolio and increase its presence in many African countries including Ethiopia and DRC. The expansion of ECIC’s product offering to include non-capital goods will enable it to provide support to a wider set of sectors and therefore expand Ethiopia and DRC trade with South Africa. This will be supported by the removal of trade barriers that will result from the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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The African Insurance Company Growing Its Footprint In Ethiopia and the DRC

In the booming African hairdressing market, Ohaekwuzie Ekene Daniel is creating a name for himself, and unfurling the future of hairstyling in South Africa.



If there’s one thing that will remain constant, it’s that black women will always do their hair.



Even with the economic ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the African hairdressing market is expected to grow 7.52% by 2026, with the South African market expecting a growth of 5.7% by 2026.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“I hope to create job opportunities here by opening a wig school, and I also intend to have the products being used brought here in an effort to help push the hair business.”</blockquote>



It seems that the lockdown regulations renewed a sense of interest people have in their tresses. More women are looking for different ways to cater to their crowning glory, with tastes ranging from natural and dreadlocks, to braids and wigs.



Thanks to the economic worth of the South African haircare market, the industry has become highly competitive, as the number of people looking to be a part of it continues to grow. Whether it’s the business shift from DIY at home to the boardroom, or the fact that styling provides an opportunity to make ends meet, in the formal and informal sector – the hair industry is booming.



There are different hurdles that one has to overcome when entering the business sector. That didn’t stop Nigerian-born Ohaekwuzie Ekene Daniel, more famously known as Multiple Hair (or Multiple), from entering a female-dominated market.



“My love for hair developed when I started helping my sister with the washing and drying process. I soon started to plait cornrows, and because at the time there were no notable male stylists, it wasn’t long before my skills started to garner attention.”



Multiple’s love of locks soon found him entering the beauty industry full-time in 2007. He became certified as a professional stylist at Anthony Cut in Dubai. Soon enough, he garnered a variety of expertise within the trade, and the moniker ‘Multiple Hair’ was eventually bestowed on him.



5 years ago, the 31-year-old stylist turned that signature name into a fully-fledged hairstyling brand that places an emphasis on simplicity, open-mindedness and healthy relationships with clients.



Starting a business is a process on its own, but starting one in a foreign country can be a taxing risk. Nonetheless, Multiple persisted, sharing that one of the pillars to building his business was consistency.



“One of the benefits of consistency is the ability to focus and to never give up, no matter how small the business. The moment where you are when you start does not determine the end.”



When Multiple first entered the haircare business, he struggled to convince consumers of his expertise. In fact, in order to build a clientele, he spent majority of his days in the streets, attempting to convince people to accompany him to the closest salon where he could then do their hair.



“It wasn’t an easy thing to do,” he says, “Not only did I have to deal with being verbally accosted for being in the streets all day, but a lot of them were apprehensive about accompanying me because they worried about their safety.”



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“Wigs are currently trending and right now wigs are the perfect item every woman requires in their wardrobe. It saves time, and you can achieve a lot of looks with different hair wigs.”</blockquote>



Luckily, he managed to convince a few to allow them to do their hair, after showing them his capabilities through photographs on his phone. Multiple was able to soon build a small group of regulars that helped spread the word about his talent.



“I kept them happy and while I had three clients today and the next, the number soon grew over time,” Multiple states.



There may be an influx of hairstyling brands in the country, but Multiple’s commitment to not only stay ahead of the curve but also meet his client’s needs has allowed him to find a niche in the market, leaving an indelible impact.



Wigs on South Africa’s well-known



Renewed commitment to having your hair as natural as possible has led to an influx of products and salons aimed at helping with this journey. On the other hand, it appears that people are still looking to wigs and hair extensions.



“Wigs are currently trending and right now wigs are the perfect item every woman requires in their wardrobe. It saves time, and you can achieve a lot of looks with different hair wigs,” says Multiple.



Multiple offers a range that allows him to cater to different clients, whether they’re looking for something sleek and sophisticated or flirty and fun. The reality is that more consumers are looking to invest in wigs, as there is long-term value in doing so.



Hairpieces are an easy option to use as a protective style, helping the health of the scalp. Additionally, wigs offer the chance to switch up style.



They may have been around for years, but new trends are changing the way we see extensions.



According to Multiple, the new trends include more colour and more emphasis on stylish and creative &#8220;edges&#8221;.



It&#8217;s an outlet for creativity that allows him to truly showcase his prowess, so much so that he&#8217;s helped create innovative styles for a number of South African fashion shoots.



It&#8217;s no wonder that the countries’ biggest celebrities constantly reach out to him to have the opportunity of having the best locks in town.



However, as the wig market is still in its infancy in South Africa, Multiple is hoping to help the market grow, especially because of the high demand for good quality wigs. Granted, it’s not an easy feat to undertake.



Most of the time, Multiple has to import the materials needed to create the perfect wig, and this has its own hurdles. India is the biggest exporter of human hair, yet the industry has faced its own difficulties.



In India, raw human hair is either collected from households or temples before being introduced into the global market.



There are two types of human hair produced in the market, and these are Remy hair and non-Remy hair. The most popular and best quality is Remy hair, used to make extensions and wigs. Remy hair is bought from the temples via auctions, as this is where pilgrims donate their hair as part of their pilgrimage.



Unfortunately, the pandemic led to these temples being shut down. However, once they opened, they still had to adhere to social distancing rules and this affected the sales, which led to a rise in prices.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“One of the benefits of consistency is the ability to focus and to never give up, no matter how small the business is. The moment where you are when you start does not determine the end.”</blockquote>



Non-Remy hair is of lesser quality, collected from households and different sources, and therefore not 100% human hair. As non-Remy hair is collected from so many diverse places, the heads and tails of non-Remy is mixed, meaning that the hair needs to be stripped of its cuticles to prevent tangling.



If you’re hoping to differentiate between the two, Multiple shares that a good quality hairpiece will not only look like the real deal, but it will also feel soft to the touch with fuller curls and waves.



Once the locks are collected, it is transported to the factories and workshops where it is washed and treated, and cleansed of any lice or dandruff. Once cleaned, the hair is made into a variety of products, ranging from hairpieces and wigs to extensions and closures, before being exported to different parts of the world.



Additionally, recent laws imposed by the Indian government in an effort to curb smuggling, may also make the process of importing human locks more difficult.



Consequently, when bringing in materials to create his high-quality looks, Multiple has to deal with heightened costs and loss of time. However, Multiple is committed to growing the wig industry in the country, especially because he sees the economic value it can bring.



“I hope to create job opportunities here by opening a wig school, and I also intend to have the products being used brought here in an effort to help push the hair business.” says Multiple.



Multiple shares that he would also love to train students and empower them so that they can help grow the hair business in South Africa.

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A Growth Industry And Making The Cut

The Government of Zanzibar received EDE Covid scanners from Abu Dhabi, Dubai on Wednesday morning at 6.30am on 16th February 2022 at the Abeid Amani Kurume International Airport, Terminal 3.



The passengers who landed on Fly Dubai that morning were the first people to be scanned using the new technology.



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The EDE scanners employ a technology that can detect a possible COVID-19 infection by measuring electromagnetic waves, which change when the RNA particles of the virus are present in a person’s body, therefore providing an immediate result. This will come as a relief to thousands of COVID negative tourists who will be assured of safe and accessible entry into Zanzibar without the trouble of enduring an uncomfortable nose swab.



This move by the government is indicative of its vision to harness modern technology to create opportunities out of challenging times. In the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the virus continues to mutate into more variants, the EDE scanners are a sure precautionary method that will help create safer spaces and maintain public health.



Speaking during the reception of the EDE scanners at Abeid Amani Kurume International Airport, H.E. Hussein Mwinyi said:



“The pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on individuals, communities, and industries, in particular the travel industry. For this reason, we are pleased to collaborate with Sanimed, a subsidiary of IHC Group



to launch these innovative EDE scanners in Zanzibar, to introduce greater efficiency for travelers coming through Zanzibar as a port of entry.”



The reception of these scanners was the first of their kind in Africa, and marks Zanzibar as the country setting a precedence in the fight against COVID and cement the dedication of the Office of the President as well that of the Ministry of Health towards ensuring that the people of Zanzibar and Tanzania at large have access to the best healthcare technology there is.



“Africa continues to be a hotbed of innovation and technology. We are pleased to roll out these first of a kind EDE scanner to revolutionize COVID-19 testing in collaboration with the Government of Zanzibar,” Ajhay Bhatia, Chief Executive Officer of Sanimed International said.



“As the operator of the world’s largest COVID 19 diagnostics facility, we have decided to partner with Alfa care to deploy one of our state-of-the-art laboratories and testing facilities in Zanzibar to integrate with the scanning technology in order to provide travelers with convenience that complies with the changing world we are living in.” He added.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_5040-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54350" width="633" height="422" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_5040-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_5040-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_5040-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_5040-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_5040-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 633px) 100vw, 633px" /></figure></div>



The state-of-the-art lab and testing facilities will create a shared protocol for all incoming and outbound passengers between the two countries which sets the stage for a path towards creating Africa’s first Green Channels with the Middle East and other global travel hubs



The scanners will be part of a billion-dollar lab and research project that the government of Zanzibar will benefit from once installed as they are non-contact and can be used for mass screening. This integrated approach to combating COVID-19 will give tourists peace of mind as they can move about entry points easily while at the same time being assured of their safety as far as COVID-19 is concerned.



For media enquiries and information about the launch please contact;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="156" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screenshot-2022-02-17-at-16.45.11-1024x156.png" alt="" class="wp-image-54352" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screenshot-2022-02-17-at-16.45.11-1024x156.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screenshot-2022-02-17-at-16.45.11-300x46.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screenshot-2022-02-17-at-16.45.11-768x117.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screenshot-2022-02-17-at-16.45.11.png 1128w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>

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Zanzibar Receives Africa’s first EDE Covid Scanners

Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, Co-CEO of Konga together with his team, led this successful indigenous E-commerce brand, Konga. It has become one of the largest online marketplaces in Africa for everything you need; from electronics, clothes, books, children&#8217;s items, computers and accessories, phones and tablets, to healthcare and personal care products, wines, toys, furniture and groceries.



First functioning as a Lagos-only online retailer, Konga broadened its scope to all of Nigeria and gradually to other countries by staying true to its classic commerce refrain, “find a need and meet it,” therefore filling the void between consumer shopping and available physical retail markets.



Made and headquartered in Lagos, Konga has experienced over 800% growth — surpassing expectations in the E-commerce sector across Africa — and now, offering four different services; KongaPay, Konga Express, Konga Marketplace and Kong Self-fulfill model. 



<a href="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Forbes-special-edition-KONGA-FINAL-FINAL-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DOWNLOAD THE FULL SUPPLEMENT HERE</a>



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The Leading Africa E-Commerce Player On An Expansion Drive

Working closely with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Education, Information &amp; Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art, Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, is building healthcare capacity and addressing wide range of health and social challenges in Africa. Here are the many reasons why Africans consider Merck Foundation is the most influential in the continent.&nbsp;



An influential African CEO is the driving force:&nbsp;



One of the main reasons is Merck Foundation CEO, an African woman, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, who has been recognized as one of the Most Influential African (2019, 2020 and 2021) and is also a Senator at the Egyptian Senate.&nbsp;&nbsp;



All this adds a great value to better understand the continent and it’s pressing issues of building healthcare capacity, empowering women in STEM, support girls’ education.&nbsp;



Lovingly called &#8216;Mama Africa&#8217;, she is a strong crusader for transforming patient care in Africa with special talent as she is also a producer and director of various Merck Foundation contents including inspiring music videos, short movies and TV program to raise awareness about critical social and health topics in Africa.&nbsp;



20 African First ladies are Merck Foundation Ambassadors:&nbsp;&nbsp;



Merck Foundation in partnership with their Ambassadors, the First Ladies of Africa, are executing their impactful programs and initiatives across Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Together, Merck Foundation has supported the African communities during Coronavirus lockdown through donation and raising awareness. They also worked together to support girls’ education so that they can reach their potential and pursue their dreams through “Educating Linda” program by providing scholarships and school items for thousands of girls in 20 African countries.&nbsp;



Making History and transforming patient care in Africa:&nbsp;



Merck Foundation programs have greatly contributed to building professional healthcare capacity through providing more than 1300 doctors from 45 countries with scholarships of one year, two year and three years diploma and master degree in more than 26 critical and underserved specialties. Merck Foundation is making history in many African countries by providing training to the first specializes doctors in these countries.&nbsp;



&#8220;We are making history and legacy in Africa. The first Fertility specialists, Embryology, Oncologist, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Respiratory experts and more in many countries are trained by Merck Foundation. We have now widened our horizons by introducing more scholarships for young doctors in many new underserved specialties across Africa. I am so proud and want to invite all doctors to apply to our scholarships on our email <a href="mailto:info@merck-foundation.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">info@merck-foundation.com</a> to fill health gaps in their communities&#8221; Dr. Kelej emphasizing in all their social media pages.&nbsp;



Addressing wide range of critical social and health topics:&nbsp;



The first and may be the only foundation to successfully engage young artists, young healthcare providers, singers, fashion designers, filmmakers, and musicians to work together to break the silence and create a culture shift by advocating social issues such as stopping Gender-based Violence, ending Child Marriage, ending Female Genital Mutilation, promoting girl education, women empowerment, supporting a healthy lifestyle, Covid 19 health precautions, preventing diabetes by early detection, on a regular basis. This is all possible because of their creative CEO, Dr. Rasha Kelej, as she is the brains behind all these innovative initiatives.&nbsp;



Partnering with African Media and Artists for a Better World:&nbsp;



The CEO explained, “I strongly believe in the critical role that Media and Art play to be the voice of the voiceless and raise awareness about sensitive topics. Currently, we have trained over 2000 media representatives from over 30 countries to raise awareness, create culture shift, and break stigma surrounding infertility. Also, launched 6 awards for media, fashion, film and song. Each year, more than 200 winners receive these awards and welcomed as Merck Foundation Alumni to become part of our commitment. I’d like to invite all fashion designers, singers, filmmakers, media representatives, and young talents to apply for Merck Foundation Awards 2022 and become health and social champions to become the voice of the voiceless in their communities. Kindly share in entries through an email at <a href="mailto:submit@merck-foundation.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">submit@merck-foundation.com</a>”.&nbsp;



First “Fashion and Art with Purpose” Community in Africa:&nbsp;



The community brings together fashion designers and new talents with the aim to raise awareness and sensitize communities about various social and health issues through their creations and work on daily basis.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Sound Response to COVID 19 pandemic:&nbsp;



Merck Foundation raced to respond to COVID 19. Due to travel restrictions, it adopted the online medical education strategy through providing scholarships for specialty training. It started Coronavirus Response Program to improve healthcare capacity by providing online scholarships in Respiratory Medicine, Acute Medicine, Critical Care, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine and Microbiology &amp; Infectious Diseases for more than 150 doctors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“One of the most important initiatives is to continue healthcare capacity building, which has been our strategy since 2012, in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health, much before the pandemic struck worldwide. Through our online medical education strategy, we strongly continue the current capacity advancement programs through providing African medical postgraduates with one-year online diploma and two-year online master’s degree in many specialties. We are very proud to invite applications from African doctors for these scholarships on our mail: <a href="mailto:info@merck-foundation.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">info@merck-foundation.com</a>”, Dr. Kelej emphasized.&nbsp;



Merck Foundation breaking the Silence:&nbsp;



• 20 African First Ladies as Ambassadors,&nbsp;



• 9 Social Media Channels with more than 3 Million Followers,&nbsp;



• More than 25 songs,&nbsp;



• More than 2000 videos,&nbsp;



• 10 children’s storybooks,&nbsp;



• 6 different awards of best media coverage , fashion designs&nbsp; , films&nbsp; , songs&nbsp;&nbsp;



• 1000s of girls from 15 African countries to be supported through scholarship or school items annually,&nbsp;



• 2000 media persons to be trained to better raise awareness about different social and health issues.&nbsp;



New millions of viewers through TV channels:&nbsp;



Moreover, due to the high quality, impact and influence of Merck Foundation&#8217;s social media and awareness contents, five TV channels in four countries have provided Merck Foundation a weekly time slot so that their viewers in rural communities nationwide can benefit from their awareness materials as much as their social media followers do every day.&nbsp;



“More than a Mother” a historic movement of Merck Foundation:&nbsp;



The Influence of the Merck Foundation can be seen in the Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” which is a strong movement that aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and change of mind-set. It supports countries in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe, effective and equitable fertility and reproductive care solutions. It defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention, management and male infertility. In partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Information, Education &amp; Gender, academia, policymakers, International fertility societies, media and art, the initiative also provides training for the first fertility specialists and embryologists in many countries in Africa .&nbsp;&nbsp;



These facts alone speak volumes about Merck Foundation’s impact in raising community awareness in Africa, led by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, one of the most influential Africans&nbsp;&nbsp;



Learn more about Merck Foundation programs and long-term commitment to create a culture shift at <a href="http://www.merck-foundation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.merck-foundation.com</a> and on their social media channels.&nbsp;

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej with African First Ladies

The Foundation Influential In Building Community Awareness In Africa 

The Micro Pension Plan (MPP) is a new retirement offering launched in 2019 by the Nigerian Government to cater to workers in the informal sector. It differs from the earlier established Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) which is only available to workers in the formal sector. Seeing that informal sector workers who account for close to 80% of Nigeria’s labour force had no access to structured retirement savings, the recently established scheme is a laudable one. However, in spite of noble intentions, the scheme has recorded a dismal adoption rate as a result of the absence of infrastructure required to reach the target market.&nbsp;



To bridge this gap, in January 2021, after more than ten years of championing financial literacy and inclusion across several media outlets in Nigeria, Economist Tunji Andrews decided to put his principles into action by launching PensionTech startup Awabah in collaboration with a seasoned Software Engineer Tina Ajishebiyawo. They teamed up to accelerate micro pension adoption by developing a micro pension aggregator that provides access to retirement savings to informal sector workers across Nigeria. The PensionTech startup combines a digital solution with physical onboarding and remittance options to cater to a wide range of audiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Tunji’s vision for Awabah is not just born out of a passion for numbers. Instead, it is fueled by his experience as a child living in Mushin among older people. Particularly, he remembers an elderly “lotto” agent who was the life of the party. Baba “Hello There” as he was called was quick to give out cash but as he grew older and his lotto business waned, he began to live at the mercy of those kinds enough to give him handouts. Although this was many years ago before the advent of micro pension in Nigeria, Awabah seeks to mitigate old-age poverty by providing access to pension services to the country’s informal sector. According to Tunji, “while retirement savings does not necessarily improve the quality of life of the contributor, it does provide some financial security for them at retirement that otherwise would not exist without the scheme”. He backs his drive for financial inclusion with the required expertise to successfully execute his vision. Tunji is a well-known Finance and Policy analyst with experience anchoring business shows with local and international media. He has worked with Bloomberg Africa, Ndani TV, Bella Naija, and Wazobia FM.&nbsp;



Although Awabah’s core product is micro pension, its approach to building sustainable financial security for workers in the informal sector is to create a bouquet of micro-financial services that cater to the lifelong needs of these workers and make them available and accessible on demand. This is made possible by the partnerships established with businesses offering these solutions. In essence, Awabah serves as an aggregator of these services- a one-stop-shop for micro-financial services. With these services integrated into one place, informal sector workers are able to approach financial planning holistically.&nbsp;



In one year of operation, the company has launched operations in Lagos, Oyo, and Kwara states, registered over 12,000 people into the micro pension scheme, and established a 250 man strong agent network. In 2022, Awabah is set to expand to more states in the country and launch its digital solution in order to meet its target of onboarding 150,000 customers in the next 12 months and 5 million in 5 years. While Awabah currently operates in Nigeria, its aspirations are not limited to the country as it is looking to expand to Ghana and other African countries in the coming years. The absence of working social structures for the aged is a problem that exists across the world and is building a multi-pronged solution to address these issues. Even though this is a field not many have ventured into, Awabah believes it is capable of conquering the market.&nbsp;

Screenshot 2022-02-14 at 14.38.18

Awabah: Championing Financial Security for Nigeria’s Informal Sector Workforce.

As the world continues its reliance on virtual communication and promotes a more digital lifestyle, consumers have become accustomed to using a smartphone in nearly every aspect of their daily lives. High levels of screen time have prompted reconsideration of their requirements, prioritizing functionality, simplicity and ease of use above all. This means delivery of a differentiated user experience and user-friendly devices with clean and uncomplicated styles which have been driven by the desire for bigger screens and more minimal, yet functional features. Infinix aims to strike a balance between aesthetics and performance with its smartphone design to create beautifully crafted products and more seamless user experiences in line with current trends. &nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Product-kv-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54305" width="723" height="406" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Product-kv-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Product-kv-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Product-kv-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Product-kv-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Product-kv.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px" /></figure></div>



Introducing Infinix ZERO 5G&nbsp;



The ZERO 5G is Infinix&#8217;s first premier 5G smartphone, featuring MediaTek Dimensity 900 6nm chipset with Dual 5G SIM technology, allowing users have access to premium 5G services from both connections whenever they need it. The device also features a 48MP main camera with 30X Ultra-zoom for long-range photography, a 6.78&#8221; FHD+ Ultra-smooth Display for immediate finger touch responses, easy to operate UI interface and a 5000mAh battery with 33W quick charge technology. &nbsp;



Infinix has focused on putting consumers first by leveraging a user-friendly design, balanced with functionality, and developing a device that buyers emotionally and physically connect with. The brand’s &#8216;less in more&#8217; philosophy has led to a pure and progressive design for the ZERO 5G, delivering an intuitive user experience. &nbsp;



A Work of Art in Your Hand&nbsp;



The ZERO 5G carries a unique Uni-Curve design that was made to turn heads and make the ZERO 5G look truly incredible. The Infinix design team was inspired by G2 curvature continuous standards on luxury sports cars, which adds elegance to the pure, sleek frame and geometric line, allowing the cold rationality of technology to be brought to life by the unique curvature. The ZERO 5G’s curved frame was put through rigorous testing, completing 100 mold adjustments, 84 curvature optimizations, and the &#8220;zebra crossing&#8221; surface reflection test, before a perfect curve back cover was finally formulated. The glass-like composite material it is covered with makes it glossy, while subtle textures on the back cover remain a fashionable display of the strength and technology of the curved surface. The ZERO 5G’s back cover is both modern and hard-wearing and protects the device in almost all standard usage scenarios.&nbsp;



The curved design makes the smartphone thinner, lighter and more comfortable to hold, making photography easier than ever before. The ZERO 5G’s contour drop camera design with a powerful 30X zoom module is integrated into the curve of the device, creating an ergonomic design that is ’palm friendly’ and a move away from traditional camera modules’ harsher right-angle positioning. The 30X 48MP zoom camera allows users to capture high-quality, detailed images from a great distance making the ZERO 5G a powerful tool for mobile photography enthusiasts.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="422" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/MediaTek-Dimensity-900-6nm-chipset.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54304" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/MediaTek-Dimensity-900-6nm-chipset.jpg 750w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/MediaTek-Dimensity-900-6nm-chipset-300x169.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure></div>



A Rich Immersive Display&nbsp;&nbsp;



The ZERO 5G’s large display is perfectly designed for consuming online media, with stunning colors and a seamless response time combined with power-saving capabilities on a 6.78” FHD ultra-smooth display. The device also has a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate for playing games and streaming content with extremely fast response times. The UX design system on screen is easy to use, concise and efficient. XOS 10 is re-engineered with catchy designs and efficient upgrades. The color shades are well balanced bringing users the impact of texture, emotion, and energy right on the first use. XOS 10.0 offers immersive experiences using intelligent applications such as AI Voice Assistant, Smart Scenes, Phone Cloner 2.0 and Doc Correction.&nbsp;



Deep &amp; Vibrant Colorways&nbsp;



The colorways available with the ZERO 5G draw inspiration from the universe, most specifically the mysterious shadows of our galaxy. The smartphone is available in three colors, each bringing a unique feel; Cosmic Black invokes thoughts of distant ethers, Skylight Orange is bright and energizing and Horizon Blue is truly mesmerizing. The ZERO 5G in Skylight Orange is the industry’s first leather-clad smartphone with a curved frame, achieving an excellent balance between vision and touch, evoking a sense of strength, comfort and style. &nbsp;



The design process of the ZERO 5G has been a journey of artistic inspiration and experimentation using materials, colors and textures, the final result is truly stunning and we’re proud to call it our finest work yet. Infinix always keeps the consumer in mind when creating stunning smart devices that empower their lives and we hope that users all around the world will enjoy having the all-new ZERO 5G in their hands. Check out <a href="https://www.instagram.com/infinixnigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@infinixnigeria</a> on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/infinixnigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Instagram</a> to keep up with updates on ZERO 5G and other devices.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZERO-5G-Lifestyle-5-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54307" width="625" height="416" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZERO-5G-Lifestyle-5-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZERO-5G-Lifestyle-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZERO-5G-Lifestyle-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZERO-5G-Lifestyle-5-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZERO-5G-Lifestyle-5-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px" /></figure></div>

ZERO 5G Lifestyle 3

Functionality Meets Aesthetics – Meet the ZERO 5G The Next Big Thing from Infinix 

With the growth of technological advancements like cloud computing, data is a big commodity in the African tech market. Arravo has found itself taking on the big task to empower businesses through such ICT solutions aiming to be the leading IOT enabler for human-to-human interaction by the year 2025.



Cloud computing has the power to change the ICT sector, and there’s one company taking on the responsibility to disrupt the way businesses in Africa operate indefinitely.



“Part of our mission is to be an enabler of IoT and human-to-human connectivity. So we are pretty much at the heart of technology itself in Africa,” Ayo Adegboye, CEO of Arravo.



Previously known as BCX Nigeria, which was a subsidiary of business Connection PTY (BCX) a South African-based ICT firm, Arravo’s aim is to innovate, disrupt and deliver technology for business and life.



“Your business is not going to die because of technology. But your business is going to die because you have not adopted technology,” he says.



Arravo provides ICT services including cloud computing, unified communications, and collaborations, converged connectivity, mobility, security, Internet of Things, M2M and big data analytics and managed print services (MPS).



It has been one year since the rebranding in 2020, and has already garnered awards.



Last year they were awarded the Nigeria Technology Innovation and Telecoms Award for best systems Integration service provider of the year in 2021.



“This award re-established our leadership in the industry. It further emphasized that we have gone all out to make things happen for our customers,” he says.



Adegboye considers himself a God-fearing technophile who loves to play golf.



Just as his love for golf teaches him to remain calm and focus on succeeding on the golf course, so does he abide by these rules in the game of business.



“So we bought over a brand and an entire business including the assets and liability of the multinational and are growing the brand out of Nigeria to the rest of the world. And we are very clear. We have a vision and we have a mission. We are not distracted,”



He took over the business seven years ago when it was still BCX however it was only when the name changed that he considered it his happiest day.



Months of planning and preparation had gone into it just a few years before.



What’s more, taking over a huge brand in the midst of a pandemic, may be considered a very risky business decision for some.



But for Adegboye, this was an opportunity to turn rock into a diamond.



“So when we started it, was quite challenging. It was not like, the money was there to acquire this multibillion-dollar asset from the multinational foreign entity. But I think it’s the power of vision. When people see that you have a vision, it’s easier for you to get family and friends to support your vision, you simply see that you have the drive to get support from people to support the drive,” he says.



For him, he believes that brand equity plays a huge role in the value they have brought to the table.



“The brand equity sustainability is also in the heart of almost every employee,” he says.



Arravo has cemented itself as a ‘Glocal’ brand, which means local with a growing national and regional footprint to global culture, corporate governance and rules.



Arravo prides itself on going global with pedigree and integrity.



“Our brand promise, which we have printed and made open to the world is that a piece of our mind equals to the customers’ peace of mind,” says Morenike Alder, the VP of Marketing and Communications.



Morenike has taken on the mandate to build the strongest IT brand in Africa.



“This means that for us to be able to deliver on that promise, we have to be right on the top of our game, in terms of technical expertise and indeed that has been one of the differentiators for ARRAVO, right from the days of BCX and, even after we transitioned to Arravo,” she says.



As a “rough diamond” with the right amount of pressure, Arravo was able to process the painful reality of the pandemic, the right documentation, marketing, beating the competition, and at the very edge of the lockdown, they signed the contract marking the beginning of something new.



“And I know a few months from now, we’re going to come out shining bright like a diamond,” Adegboye says.



Currently, they have expanded operations into Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire and have set their eyes on East Africa including Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania by the end of their calendar year.



These expansions allow Arravo to bridge the gap between West Africa, Francophone Africa, and East Africa.



However, with the aim for growth, Arravo promises not to compromise on their value, corporate governance, and ethics, putting their clients first.



“We’ve invested in our people. We’ve put in a whole lot, and we’re already working on our IoT platform, we’ve invested in cloud, and partnered with some of the most advanced security companies like AWS, and the likes of Microsoft Azure, just to make sure that we give back to the customer the economies of scale,” Adegboye says.



From technological advancements in IoT to artificial intelligence in the retail and telecommunications industry and this is just the tip of the iceberg of what Arravo plans to offer.



Their green, future-looking offices located on the affluent Lagos island of Ikoyi are nothing short of environmentally friendly.



As the world looks towards sustainability and curbing climate change Arravo’s technological solutions reduce the global carbon footprint as they empower companies to adopt to cloud thus reducing the need to rely on infrastructure and use serverless technologies and electronic content management solutions and electronic document solutions.



A survey conducted by Accenture in 2020 revealed that companies can lessen their per-user carbon footprint from between 30% to 90% by switching to cloud computing.



This offers great opportunities to businesses across Africa with Arravo at the helm driving this.



“We’re beginning to gain adoption of technology, we’re beginning to see traction from the adoption. The first thing customers brood about is the cost-saving, then they look at the carbon footprint, ” Adegboye says.



However, outdated government legislature and policies make the shift towards technological advancements in the private sector very difficult.



“Whether governments like it or not, technology is already breaking the barrier of working,” he says.



By the year 2025, Arravo’s mission is to become a household name and speak to the needs of the people.



In his waking life, Adegboye constantly fantasizes about the future of technology thinking about how the 5G and the 6G would be able to operate across different regions and what Africans can do with data.



“I’m fantasizing about what we can do with data. I’m fantasizing about when we have so much data with artificial intelligence and what we can do with it being able to have some level of prediction,” he says boldly.



Technology has the power to reduce human error, enhance the quality of life and help in making informed decisions.



“People say ‘technology is going to take our jobs’. And I say technology is not going to take your job. Technology is one factor that is concerned with almost every sector of the economy,” he adds on.



One of the key lessons learned for Arravo is never to compromise on value and they hope to continue with that legacy.



“So at the heart of everything everybody’s doing today is technology,” he says

Pic 7

The Heart Of Technology In Africa; How Arravo’s Success Is enabling ICT Solution

Unique Executive MBA transforms executives and equips them to focus on solving the complex problems of our times by putting them into a better relationship with their lived experience  



The pandemic has cast a harsh&nbsp;light&nbsp;not just on the schisms within societies, but also – for leaders in the&nbsp;public and&nbsp;private sectors&nbsp;– the&nbsp;inherent&nbsp;unpredictability of doing business. But while&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;has tested leaders’ mettle like few crises before it,&nbsp;there is a hope that the sheer intensity of the experience could birth a&nbsp;new kind of&nbsp;leader, one that is more in tune with their lived experiences and the immense learning and wisdom that can flow from this.&nbsp;



“If ever there was a time to turn to a different form of logic it is now,” says&nbsp;Kosheek&nbsp;Sewchurran, director of the&nbsp;Executive MBA&nbsp;programme at the&nbsp;University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT&nbsp;GSB). He&nbsp;explains that in a complex world, leaders need more than knowledge&nbsp;and skills;&nbsp;they need the courage of their convictions&nbsp;about ‘goodness’&nbsp;and an ability to think&nbsp;integratively, along with enough practical experience to act with wisdom.&nbsp;“As the world braces for the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression,&nbsp;we need leaders who don’t just know&nbsp;what&nbsp;to do&nbsp;but understand&nbsp;how&nbsp;to&nbsp;do&nbsp;it.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Sewchurran&nbsp;says that&nbsp;business schools,&nbsp;accordingly,&nbsp;need to&nbsp;change the ways they&nbsp;teach. In essence, they need to&nbsp;innovate to allow&nbsp;leaders to experience new ways of being, doing and knowing&nbsp;that is rooted in a becoming world. In other words, there is need for rounded development that includes both knowledge,&nbsp;which inspires capability, and the development of virtue (Aristotle’s reference for personal excellence). And this needs to be rooted in&nbsp;practice. It is only&nbsp;out of wise, skilled&nbsp;practice&nbsp;that leaders can&nbsp;pursue&nbsp;new options and&nbsp;make&nbsp;new choices while uncovering and working with paradox and tensions.&nbsp;



The UCT GSB prides itself on&nbsp;being at the forefront of this puzzling frontier,&nbsp;developing&nbsp;graduates&nbsp;who think and act in ways&nbsp;that foster innovation and positive change&nbsp;in the&nbsp;midste&nbsp;of complexity.&nbsp;Its EMBA programme, ranked number one in Africa by the Financial Times and&nbsp;Quacquarelli&nbsp;Symonds, is one of the fastest growing postgraduate degrees at&nbsp;the&nbsp;University of Cape Town&nbsp;and is known for its focus on the practice of management and leadership rather than a traditional training in business functions.&nbsp;Its location in an emerging market&nbsp;–&nbsp;a context that&nbsp;is&nbsp;increasingly recognised as being&nbsp;an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/c265cb90-4165-11e7-9d56-25f963e998b2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">incubator of innovation</a>&nbsp;– gives the programme an extra edge.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The&nbsp;EMBA&nbsp;provides reflective strategies,&nbsp;practical insight,&nbsp;and tools to build students’ capacities to work productively with&nbsp;anomalies&nbsp;and complexity.&nbsp;The experiences of its graduates – many of whom have achieved notable success in the public and private sectors –&nbsp;demonstrate that&nbsp;leaders today must&nbsp;wrestle with&nbsp;three&nbsp;key provocations.&nbsp;



Provocation 1 &#8211;&nbsp;Wisdom comes from reconciling&nbsp;what’s on&nbsp;the inside with&nbsp;outside&nbsp;pressures,&nbsp;especially when your back is against the wall&nbsp;



Fortune&nbsp;Gamanya, associate director at Deloitte, and a 2018 graduate of the UCT GSB’s EMBA programme,&nbsp;says that embracing uncertainty involves acknowledging that we live in an unpredictable world. It also demands a degree of self-awareness; understanding how you as a leader respond when your back is against the wall,&nbsp;and you don’t have all the answers.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Fellow alumnus,&nbsp;Buhle Goslar, is&nbsp;Chief Executive Growth and New Markets at&nbsp;JUMO&nbsp;–&nbsp;a financial technology platform that connects under-served customers in Africa and Asia to financial services. Goslar believes in the power of industry disruption to drive broader access to health, education, financial services, transport and communications.&nbsp;She says, “market disruptors are, out of necessity, lion-hearted&nbsp;–&nbsp;they are not afraid of tension and complexity. Instead, they seek it out as a vehicle to seeing the world as it really is. They ask ‘why not? If not this way, then how?’” She also believes that successful disruptors find creative ways to learn&nbsp;in the midst of doing.&nbsp;



Provocation 2 &#8211;&nbsp;Becoming comfortable with&nbsp;emergence&nbsp;can help you&nbsp;deal&nbsp;creatively&nbsp;with social and economic challenges&nbsp;



Paxton Anderson says that the&nbsp;EMBA&nbsp;offers&nbsp;a more experiential, emergent style of thinking and exposes students to different ways of viewing the world. He says, “often this shift in perspective or a process of questioning closely-held beliefs can lead to creative entrepreneurial breakthroughs.”&nbsp;



Jerome Thomas,&nbsp;service&nbsp;sales&nbsp;director&nbsp;for Southern, West &amp; French Sub-Saharan Africa at GE Healthcare,&nbsp;echoes this saying&nbsp;that&nbsp;learning to&nbsp;embrace&nbsp;VUCA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Volatility, Uncertainty,&nbsp;Complexity and Ambiguity – proved&nbsp;helpful when his organisation had to adapt to the outbreak of COVID-19.&nbsp;



“Before doing the&nbsp;EMBA at the UCT GSB, I was resistant to change but have since learned to embrace the uncertainty. I am more comfortable leading in an unpredictable environment which has enabled me to lead my team better in the time of COVID-19,” he says. Humanity is at the core of his leadership strategy, a value that was also strongly influenced by his EMBA, where he recalls lectures on mindfulness and how it improves awareness,&nbsp;self-knowledge,&nbsp;and personal growth. It was here that he was encouraged to think about a reflective leadership style, which he has come to incorporate as much as possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“A stressed mind cannot see clearly, much like a jar with muddy water, in which the water only becomes clear once the dirt has settled.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Provocation&nbsp;3&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Having a sense of the things that&nbsp;ennoble&nbsp;us,&nbsp;is proportionate to the&nbsp;pleasure we derive from any created thing.&nbsp;The authentic and creative practice of&nbsp;strategy and&nbsp;leadership&nbsp;emerge from this understanding&nbsp;



Themba Kalua, Head of UN Women in Papua New Guinea in the Pacific&nbsp;says the EMBA provided&nbsp;him&nbsp;with the&nbsp;knowledge, skills and tools to lead teams in&nbsp;times of complexity,&nbsp;as well as a keen understanding of what&nbsp;his&nbsp;own values and needs are. This has given&nbsp;him&nbsp;the strength to lead&nbsp;within&nbsp;the uncertainties of&nbsp;the&nbsp;COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;“The EMBA has helped me to be a more authentic and mindful leader. One of the unique offerings of the EMBA is that in addition to the combination of academic rigour, it focuses on personal leadership development that takes the students in a journey of self-discovery and out of their comfort zones.”&nbsp;



Phathizwe&nbsp;Malinga,&nbsp;former&nbsp;CEO of&nbsp;SqwidNet&nbsp;– licensed network operator for Sigfox in South Africa and subsidiary of Dark Fibre Africa, credits the&nbsp;insights he&nbsp;gained&nbsp;on the EMBA for preparing him for his leadership role by transforming&nbsp;his way of thinking and enhancing his strategic decision-making abilities. “It gave me the confidence to navigate complex problems with integrity and humility. I learned that there are many truths and I no longer feel the need always to be right. I have learned to listen.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The essence of practice in management, of really coming to grips with the lived experience of disharmony and complexity,&nbsp;is a crucial skill for leaders in disruptive and uncertain times,”&nbsp;says&nbsp;Sewchurran.&nbsp;“The truth is&nbsp;that managers don&#8217;t operate on a plane removed from the&nbsp;world around them, where they have all the answers and can employ abstract, rational thinking to lay out their options and pick the best.”&nbsp;



It is only by changing their relationship to their lived experience,&nbsp;embracing emergence, and having a deep understanding of self&nbsp;that leaders can make sense of these times.&nbsp;“We refer to this on the EMBA as providing an understanding of ‘Being’ that is changing skilful practical coping,” says&nbsp;Sewchurran.&nbsp;



As a distinctly African business school, the UCT GSB’s expertise in teaching students&nbsp;how&nbsp;to&nbsp;strive for&nbsp;excellence in tough operating environments has made its programmes internationally sought-after qualifications&nbsp;in the world today.&nbsp;

UCT GSB

Three essential provocations for leaders in business and government today

The Nick Maughan Foundation is proud to support Spotlight on Africa&nbsp;to&nbsp;improve access to&nbsp;education and healthcare&nbsp;in Uganda.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Nowhere in the world have children waited longer to return to school than in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/world/africa/covid-uganda-schools.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uganda</a>, where schools remained closed&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/save-the-children-mexico-east-african-yoweri-museveni-johns-hopkins-university-b1949421.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">83&nbsp;consecutive weeks</a>&nbsp;as a precaution against Covid-19.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;there is&nbsp;now&nbsp;hope on the horizon,&nbsp;with&nbsp;Uganda&#8217;s pupils returning to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/10/ugandas-pupils-back-to-school-after-record-83-week-covid-shutdown" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the classroom</a>&nbsp;last week.&nbsp;



Uganda’s&nbsp;leaders&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;this&nbsp;policy&nbsp;of school closure&nbsp;was&nbsp;the safest&nbsp;choice during the pandemic,&nbsp;insofar that&nbsp;it&nbsp;reduced&nbsp;the risk of&nbsp;parents&nbsp;contracting Covid-19&nbsp;through their children.&nbsp;Nonetheless, on the ground, the effects of the closures are stark.&nbsp;



A report released in August by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/ugana-students-school-covid-pandemic-b1956504.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Planning Authority</a>&nbsp;found that nearly a third of Uganda’s students may never return to school&nbsp;when they reopen,&nbsp;and that 3507 primary and 832 secondary schools are likely to close.&nbsp;&nbsp;



This is because&nbsp;many of&nbsp;Uganda’s young&nbsp;people&nbsp;had&nbsp;abandoned&nbsp;hopes of going&nbsp;back&nbsp;to&nbsp;school,&nbsp;and&nbsp;disillusioned students&nbsp;started&nbsp;taking menial jobs&nbsp;like fruit selling&nbsp;or gold mining, while many&nbsp;young women&nbsp;began&nbsp;getting married and starting families instead. As a result,&nbsp;many&nbsp;school buildings&nbsp;were&nbsp;converted into businesses or health clinics, and&nbsp;many&nbsp;teachers&nbsp;found themselves out of work.&nbsp;



It is clear Uganda’s education system&nbsp;is in need of&nbsp;serious investment, and fast, to ensure the next generation do not fall behind.&nbsp;



Fortunately, organisations such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hsoa.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harpenden Spotlight on Africa</a>, are stepping up to make a difference.&nbsp;Operating in Eastern Uganda for over 14 years, Spotlight on Africa has&nbsp;built&nbsp;two primary schools in the poorest areas,&nbsp;serving&nbsp;a total of&nbsp;1400 students.&nbsp;Now, Spotlight on Africa plans to build a secondary school in&nbsp;Namatala, one of the largest slums in Uganda.&nbsp;



There is a desperate need for a secondary school in&nbsp;Namatala. Indeed,&nbsp;most of its residents&nbsp;are&nbsp;internally displaced people who have fled from conflict and civil unrest in Northern Uganda and South Sudan.&nbsp;Providing an education for over 1250 vulnerable pupils,&nbsp;this&nbsp;secondary school&nbsp;will equip young people with&nbsp;essential skills and learning, whom otherwise would be forced to go without.&nbsp;



I am incredibly proud that the&nbsp;<a href="https://nmf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nick Maughan Foundation</a>&nbsp;could support this project, pledging £80,000 towards the costs of&nbsp;building&nbsp;the secondary school.&nbsp;Part of our work at the Nick Maughan Foundation is to improve the&nbsp;quality of&nbsp;teaching&nbsp;by&nbsp;widening access to&nbsp;technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In this vein, the&nbsp;donation will&nbsp;be used to build a state-of-the-art computer lab, which will give young people in the area&nbsp;the chance to develop the IT skills necessary to meet the challenges of the modern world. The new school will also help children learn practical science and mathematics, software engineering, and problem solving, among other subject areas.&nbsp;It is my hope that with the support of the Nick Maughan Foundation, this secondary school in&nbsp;Namatala&nbsp;will be hugely innovative and give children in the local area hope for a better life.&nbsp;



In the words of Bim Afolami, MP for Hitchin &amp; Harpenden, ‘I had the pleasure of visiting Harpenden Spotlight on Africa’s projects in Uganda in 2019, where I saw first-hand the tremendous impact the charity has on the local community. On this visit, I also saw the extreme difficulties facing many in Mbale, Eastern Uganda. It is within this context that the generous donation from The Nick Maughan Foundation is very welcome news, serving to accelerate the charity’s invaluable work in Uganda.’ 



Access to high-quality education is not the only challenge facing&nbsp;Uganda. Indeed, Uganda’s healthcare&nbsp;system also continues to face a number of obstacles, with the sector remaining&nbsp;underfunded, under resourced, and understaffed.&nbsp;&nbsp;



With hospitals under increasing strain,&nbsp;<a href="https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-020-03385-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maternal mortality</a>&nbsp;is&nbsp;as high as&nbsp;336 deaths per 100,000 live births&nbsp;in Uganda, while infant mortality is&nbsp;sadly recorded as&nbsp;43 deaths per 1000 live births. This means that a woman is nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/surviving-birth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">50 times more likely</a>&nbsp;to die in childbirth in Uganda than the UK, with their child more than 10 times more likely to die in their first month.&nbsp;&nbsp;



These shocking statistics reflect the tragic reality facing many pregnant women and young children in Uganda today, one that Spotlight on Africa is working hard to tackle&nbsp;by building a new Maternity Centre in&nbsp;Mbale, eastern&nbsp;Uganda.&nbsp;This centre, which the Nick Maughan Foundation is proud to pledge £20,000 towards its construction,&nbsp;will&nbsp;provide dedicated pre, post and neo-natal healthcare to help deliver safely over 2000&nbsp;babies a year.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In helping Spotlight on Africa bring this project to reality, we hope that it will inspire other&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;across the country to&nbsp;deliver projects&nbsp;that have a long-lasting and positive impact on the future of Uganda’s&nbsp;healthcare system.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Supporting&nbsp;Uganda&nbsp;to&nbsp;develop its educational and healthcare infrastructure are the most important causes to back if we are to help developing countries lay the foundations for&nbsp;a brighter future.&nbsp;It is for this reason I hope&nbsp;this initial collaboration will be the first of many between the Nick Maughan Foundation and Spotlight on Africa, with the organisations&nbsp;celebrating the completion of these vital projects&nbsp;at a launch event&nbsp;in&nbsp;Uganda in&nbsp;March.&nbsp;&nbsp;



By Nick Maughan

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Spotlight on Africa: Helping Uganda in its time of need

Written by Yves Nono: Regional President &#8211; Automotive Aftermarket at Bosch Africa&nbsp;



Africa has one of the world’s fastest-growing populations.&nbsp;Early&nbsp;2021&nbsp;the United Nations estimates that&nbsp;the continent has 1.38&nbsp;billion&nbsp;inhabitants, which will grow to 2.5 billion by 2050. It’s also the world’s youngest continent, with almost 60% of&nbsp;the&nbsp;population under the age of 25.&nbsp;



More people&nbsp;are entering&nbsp;the labour force,&nbsp;which&nbsp;drives the growth of an emerging middle class. Young populations, together with rising incomes and increased purchasing power, provide huge opportunities&nbsp;for the continent’s&nbsp;auto industry.&nbsp;Consumers with more cash in their pockets will look for safe, convenient,&nbsp;reliable&nbsp;and environmentally friendly forms of transport, and will be more prepared to pay for after-purchase services.&nbsp;



In addition to the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, economic growth across African has faced many challenges over the years, from lack of investment to insufficient manufacturing capabilities, skills shortages, infrastructure demands and unstable energy supply. The African Union noted that only 16% of goods manufactured in Africa&nbsp;are&nbsp;traded on the continent. With the introduction of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the face of Africa is transforming, providing opportunities for free movement of goods and people.&nbsp;AfCFTA&nbsp;holds&nbsp;the&nbsp;capacity to reshape markets&nbsp;and&nbsp;economies and&nbsp;accelerate growth across more than 50 African countries. It can also play a major role in unlocking the continent’s automotive aftermarket potential.&nbsp;



The automotive aftermarket industry is the market for&nbsp;replacement&nbsp;motor vehicle parts,&nbsp;accessories, components and tools,&nbsp;after&nbsp;a vehicle has been sold to a consumer. It includes&nbsp;the&nbsp;repair services and&nbsp;maintenance&nbsp;that dealerships sell to&nbsp;consumers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Today,&nbsp;there are approximately 60 million vehicles in operation on the&nbsp;continent,&nbsp;with an automotive aftermarket size estimated&nbsp;in excess of 30 billion Euro.&nbsp;Taking this into account,&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;has similar needs&nbsp;compared to&nbsp;matured markets like Europe.&nbsp;Such as:&nbsp;&nbsp;



<ul><li>affordable and reliable parts&nbsp;to support sustainable daily vehicle repairs&nbsp;and maintenance&nbsp;</li><li>technical competencies&nbsp;and professional skills&nbsp;to understand the increasing complexity in the vehicle architecture&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>certified maintenance workshops&nbsp;to service all&nbsp;makes&nbsp;and models&nbsp;of vehicles with minimum standards&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>accessible&nbsp;vehicle diagnostic tools&nbsp;to diagnose vehicle&nbsp;status, and&nbsp;recommended&nbsp;repair guidelines&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>well-developed distribution networks&nbsp;to ensure part availability,&nbsp;not only in urban areas&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>accurate vehicle data&nbsp;to help&nbsp;assess real demand and&nbsp;improve forecasting&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



All of these needs have to be supported by relevant in-country&nbsp;regulatory and policy frameworks,&nbsp;to foster and unleash the potential of the&nbsp;local&nbsp;automotive aftermarket.&nbsp;



Overcoming obstacles&nbsp;and challenges&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The automotive&nbsp;aftermarket&nbsp;industry&nbsp;is&nbsp;an important contributor&nbsp;for countries&nbsp;in Africa, helping&nbsp;to&nbsp;build economies,&nbsp;to&nbsp;improve&nbsp;road safety and&nbsp;to&nbsp;enrich the&nbsp;quality of life for all Africans. While it is&nbsp;undergoing&nbsp;an&nbsp;essential&nbsp;transformation, this industry sector also faces many challenges.&nbsp;These include but are not limited to:&nbsp;



<ul><li>counterfeit or second-hand spare parts from scrap yards&nbsp;used&nbsp;as a cheaper alternative to buying genuine reliable parts&nbsp;</li><li>low offer of&nbsp;localised&nbsp;spare&nbsp;parts&nbsp;manufacturing&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>skill scarcity&nbsp;of&nbsp;mechanics,&nbsp;as well as mobility user awareness (e.g. total cost of ownership)&nbsp;</li><li>fragmented and&nbsp;undeveloped&nbsp;distribution network&nbsp;making&nbsp;affordable logistics&nbsp;challenging&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>lack of transparency in regard to imported used&nbsp;and new&nbsp;vehicles&nbsp;(e.g.&nbsp;origin&nbsp;data&nbsp;missing)&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>small&nbsp;volume&nbsp;of&nbsp;qualified&nbsp;repair or maintenance workshops&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>volatile trade barriers affecting imports&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



Despite&nbsp;all&nbsp;these challenges several opportunities exist, as the demand for quality, affordable automotive spare parts and maintenance services steadily&nbsp;increases through&nbsp;rapid urbanisation and the emerging middle class. This growing demand will in certain cases justify the need for&nbsp;the&nbsp;local manufacturing of vehicle components,&nbsp;in order to remain competitive. In addition,&nbsp;the ongoing mega trends, such as e-commerce, connectivity,&nbsp;electrification&nbsp;and digitalization, could become a game-changer for the development of&nbsp;the automotive aftermarket in Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Leading the way in Africa&nbsp;



Bosch&nbsp;was founded in Stuttgart in 1886 as a workshop for precision mechanics and electrical engineering, and it opened its first&nbsp;car service&nbsp;in Hamburg in 1921. In the past century, the&nbsp;Bosch Automotive Aftermarket&nbsp;organisation has&nbsp;established itself as the world’s largest brand-independent workshop network and has cemented its&nbsp;position as a&nbsp;reliable and innovative mobility partner.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The Bosch Automotive Aftermarket division has been present in Africa since 1951 and is today located in 6 countries, with local teams on the ground serving more than 40&nbsp;African countries.&nbsp;The division’s business activities and solutions portfolio includes spare parts trading, maintenance workshop development, diagnostic support and technical training centre deployment.&nbsp;



As a key player in the automotive aftermarket sector, Bosch has done significant work in&nbsp;Africa in&nbsp;the past ten years to address the&nbsp;difficulties&nbsp;faced by the industry. While there are major challenges&nbsp;facing the automotive&nbsp;aftermarket, there is also&nbsp;considerable&nbsp;potential. By&nbsp;addressing the&nbsp;demands&nbsp;and obstacles of this industry, the automotive&nbsp;aftermarket&nbsp;can drive much-needed growth on the continent.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Watch our latest webinar:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1XI9Lo3C24&amp;t=111s" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Exploring the face of the Automotive Aftermarket in Africa &#8211; YouTube</a>&nbsp;

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