Profit-making idea is a series of short posts, each with a piece of information that we think you might find useful: for investment, for growing your company or to start a new business.

The United Nations is trying to raise awareness about UN Development Business (UNDB), “The official online platform for information on procurement projects and contracts financed by multilateral development banks and governments.”

The website publishes information about procurement projects, consultancies and export opportunities across the world – worth a total of $90bn each year. The opportunities are all with governments and development banks.

According to the UN magazine African Renewal, “The number of African companies subscribing to the database, however, is still very low – with the exception of companies from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya – despite the fact that about 30% of the projects published on the platform are in Africa.”

Companies looking to secure new contracts – from repairing a World Bank-funded road to short-term policy analysis – could do so through the platform. To be considered for the jobs advertised, they just need to register through the UNDB website as subscribers.