Connecting Business and Investment Possibilities
There are several business platforms operating on the African continent, which help investors.
One of them is “Invest Africa”, a result of the coming together of two organizations under this name in 2018: the “Business Council for Africa” (BCA) and “Invest Africa”. According to the organization’s homepage, the BCA was established in 1956 as the “West Africa Committee” (WAC); it became the “West Africa Business Association” (WABA) in 2000 before growing to cover the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa as the BCA in 2009. “Invest Africa” was founded in 2013 by the South African investor Rob Hersov to provide a specialized network to support private and institutional investors, funds and “High-Net-Worth” individuals to engage with opportunities in Africa.
With a combined membership of more than 400 individuals and companies, ranging from global organizations and multi-nationals to individual investors and entrepreneurs, the organization focuses on connecting the private sector with real business opportunities. It enjoys strong connections through the “European Business Council for Africa” (EBCAM) which has over 4,000 members active in Africa, the information says.
“We aim to connect business in Africa by leveraging this extensive network and its influence, helping members to identify synergies that add value both individually and globally, in a way that is both profitable and responsible,” the organization emphasized on its homepage.
Invest in Africa
“Invest in Africa” (IIA) is a not-for-profit organization with the vision to create thriving African economies. Working in partnership with both private and public sector companies, IIA identifies and tackles the challenges of doing business in Africa, delivering cost-efficient solutions. “We believe the challenges of doing business in Africa cannot be solved by one company or one sector alone,” the organization informs. “But by pooling resources and sharing knowledge, IIA leverages existing and new opportunities to drive long-term growth across African economies.”
“Invest in Africa” is focused on job creation and improving the business environment for both investors and local SMEs. Its priority is to increase the linkages between large international and domestic companies and smaller local business and increase access to skills, markets and finance.
■ The “African Partner Pool” (APP) is IIA’s online marketplace that allows SMEs to promote the products and services they can deliver and the standards they can deliver to. “This makes it easier for big companies to find the right local suppliers to work with,” IIA underlines.
■ The “Business Linkage Programme” (BLP) is the organization’s business skills training program part-funded by the African Development Bank.
“Invest in Africa” was launched in 2012 and has since partnered with private and public companies across sectors, including Ernst & Young, Ecobank, Equity Bank, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Association of Ghana Industries, to name but a few. The organization has offices in the UK, Ghana and Kenya.
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TEF Entrepreneurship Forum
The gathering of African entrepreneurs will take place on October 25, 2018, in Lagos (Nigeria). As reported by the Cameroon News Agency, the event will unite over 5,000 entrepreneurs, global investors, leaders from the African public and private sectors and developmental organizations at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. The “TEF Entrepreneurship Forum”, which is organized by the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), would be an opportunity to generate ideas, forge networks and bring policymakers and the private sector together, in a spirit of robust debate and interaction.
The Forum will also feature the launch of the “TEFConnect”, a digital platform for African entrepreneurs, dedicated to connecting African entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
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Photo: Nikovfrmoto / dreamstime.com
GR 3/2018
