Exclusive interview: The woman behind M-PESA Published by Jaco Maritz on 11 November 2010 In an exclusive interview with How we made it in Africa, Susie Lonie talks about how M-PESA’s success surpassed her own predictions and shares her thoughts about the future of mobile banking in Africa.
Immigrant township traders becoming a force to be reckoned with Published by Jaco Maritz on 10 November 2010 Immigrant traders operating in South Africa’s townships are becoming more competitive, said Gill Mkhasibe, managing director of The Alternative Consultancy.
How to invest in Africa’s agriculture sector Published by Jaco Maritz on 5 November 2010 Agri-Vie is a private equity fund focused on agribusiness in Africa. Jaco Maritz spoke to Izak Strauss, Agri-Vie’s executive director and chief investment officer, about investing in Africa’s agriculture sector
Zim farmers trying to get Nigeria’s dairy industry going Published by Jaco Maritz on 1 November 2010 Selling fresh dairy products in Nigeria, a market hooked on powdered milk, is easier said than done.
Wal-Mart and what it means for Africa Published by Jaco Maritz on 12 October 2010 How we made it in Africa looks at how Wal-Mart’s entry into Africa might affect the continent’s retail landscape
Running a thriving money transfer business from Somalia Published by Jaco Maritz on 5 October 2010 Somalia, a country that has over the years mostly made headlines for violent civil unrest and piracy, is an unlikely birthplace for one of Africa’s largest money transfer companies.
Egyptian firms able to compete with China, says portfolio manager Published by Jaco Maritz on 15 September 2010 Egypt’s manufacturing sector has the capability to compete head-on with Chinese companies, both in terms of price and quality.
The changing face of retail in Nigeria Published by Jaco Maritz on 15 September 2010 Nigeria’s retail sector is undergoing change with international supermarket brands entering the country, new malls being constructed and the transformation of informal markets into more modern facilities.
French solar firm invests in South African manufacturing plant Published by Jaco Maritz on 9 September 2010 French solar power generation company, Solairedirect, last year invested in a photo-voltaic manufacturing plant in Cape Town, South Africa.
Interview with Zim farmers in Nigeria Published by Jaco Maritz on 7 September 2010 In 2004 a group of Zimbabwean farmers were invited to start with commercial agriculture in Nigeria. Jaco Maritz caught up with Graham and Judy Hatty to find out how things are going.
Shoprite’s African expansion hit by lack of investment in property Published by Jaco Maritz on 24 August 2010 South Africa-based retailer Shoprite Holdings’ expansion into the rest of Africa was over the past year hampered by a lack of investment in retail space.
Mauritius a potential springboard for investing in Africa Published by Jaco Maritz on 11 August 2010 With its favourable tax regime and other business-friendly policies, Mauritius has over the years managed to attract a host of companies that use the island as a base for their foreign operations.
Mobile operators Nigeria’s biggest advertising spenders Published by Jaco Maritz on 10 August 2010 Nigeria’s telecommunications industry was the country’s biggest spender on above-the-line advertising during 2009 with a total spend of N15.096 billion (US$100.4 million).
Doing business in Africa the Coca-Cola way Published by Jaco Maritz on 3 August 2010 Foreign companies interested in doing business in Africa can learn a lot by looking at how The Coca-Cola Company is operating on the continent.