Author Archives: Josephine Wawira

Messing with nature is risky business!

For a long time now, economy and the conservation of biodiversity seemed to be two different worlds. Not many CEOs or financial managers were able to explain how their company’s impact contributed to the loss of species, deforestation or the acidification of oceans. But times have changed. Today, trailblazing entrepreneurs understand that they don’t have […]

Kenya Plastics Pact launches to tackle plastics waste in the country

An ambitious, new collaborative initiative to tackle plastics waste and pollution has today launched in Kenya. The Kenya Plastics Pact (KPP) will bring together stakeholders across the plastics value chain to create a circular economy for plastics. The Pact brings together businesses, governments, researchers, NGOs, civil society, informal waste sector players, and other stakeholders across […]

Towards a circular economy for plastics, where it does not become waste

Plastic, plastic, plastic everywhere! Not a place you can turn to without being greeted by the sight of plastic. Plastic is a doubled edged sword. It is very much a part of our lives, being a packaging material for many of the products we consume and also being a primary or secondary raw material for […]

Kenya is in Transition to a Circular Economy: KEPSA Report Shows

Sustainable Inclusive Business, the knowledge centre under the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) Foundation, in partnership with TheRockGroup, a sustainable consultancy firm, has published an industry report on Kenya’s efforts to transition to a more sustainable and circular economy. It was launched at the Africa Business Week by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency on Thursday May […]

Why a Plastics Pact is recipe for better environmental management practices

The year is 2016, outside a busy supermarket in one of Nairobi’s estates. Shoppers flow in and out carrying their groceries and other shopping items with plastic carrier bags. These are the order of the day, but their pollution to the environment is devastating. A year later in 2017, the Kenyan government would enact the […]

Managing the end-of-life of products to accelerate a circular economy in Kenya

Studies have shown that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. Marine life will be at risk if we do not act to mitigate the improper disposal of plastic. As the world continues struggling with proper waste management, different solutions have been suggested and adopted to manage the end-of-life of […]

Ngaren: The Museum Designed to Revolutionize Travel to Kenya, Post Covid-19

Dr. Richard Leakey on Ngaren Site

Dr. Richard Leakey’s plans for a new museum dedicated to the story of humankind aims to revolutionize travel to Kenya in the post pandemic world. Ngaren: The Museum of Humankind, being built in Kenya’s Rift Valley, a region synonymous with human origins, is the culmination of Dr. Leakey’s life’s work – whose fossil discoveries have […]

How fintechs are making Africa a leading global Innovation Hub

Image by i_am_zews

In a continent where over 60% of the adult population is unbanked and the financial sector is considerably underdeveloped, fintech has been a welcomed revolution that is seen to be boosting Africa’s financial infrastructure. With a growing population, an increasing rate of mobile and internet penetration, combined with a substantial need for financial inclusion, Africa […]

How Black Friday is giving Africa’s economy a lift

It is quite phenomenal how in recent years, both ecommerce players and retailers have used Black Friday to sweep thrifty shoppers off their feet. So much that the shopping event is no longer restricted to a single-day shopping spree but has rather taken over the entire month to become Black November. If you drove around […]

Tearing down barriers for the growth of African rural e-commerce

A man rides a bicycle on a market road in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Image by Oxford Media Library

By Josephine Wawira The rise and growth of e-commerce in the world and primarily in Africa has created a lot of business opportunities, not only in urban but also in rural areas. The good news is that there is undoubtedly increased connectivity, reaching even the previously inaccessible remote villages across the continent and connecting them […]

Logistics challenges facing eCommerce in Africa

A truck stuck in mud in Buikwe, Uganda - Adam Jan Figel

According to Euromonitor, the world’s fastest-growing economies by 2030 will be in Africa. This consequently makes the continent the next big e-commerce market. And as this positive narrative continues to place Africa as a top investment destination, the need for advanced logistics systems has become inevitable. The growth of e-commerce will significantly depend on the […]

Can e-commerce be Africa’s economic goldmine?

Image by Maxx-Studio

Digital economy in Africa is snowballing, and in the process it’s creating new jobs and opportunities for digital entrepreneurs to explore a larger web market. Though e-commerce represents only 0.6% of all the transactions done in Africa, as compared to 12% in the USA and 20% in China; the budding nature of the industry does […]

Online Marketplaces Could Create 3 Million Jobs in Africa by 2025

African Business News

Online marketplaces such as Jumia, Souq, Uber, and Travelstart could create around 3 million new jobs by 2025 across Africa. These digital platforms, which match buyers and providers of goods and services, could also raise incomes and boost inclusive economic growth with minimal disruption to existing businesses and workforce norms. These are among the findings […]

Growth of African Tourism as industry remains resilient

Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili

The festive season in Africa also marks the highest season in the tourism industry, as demand for getaway destinations in the continent surges. According to a Hospitality Report Africa – 2018/19, IATA’s most popular airline destinations in Africa in terms of traffic are South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Tanzania […]

Africa’s Travel & Tourism Top 2018 Highlights

Africa’s travel and tourism industry continued to record impressive growth in the past year. The continent hit a 63 million high in international tourist arrivals in 2017, as compared to 58 M in 2016 (+ 9% vs 2016); according to a Hospitality Report published in December 2018. The growth record is slightly above the global […]

The Opportunity Cost of Doing Business for SMEs in Africa

Doing Business in Africa. Image by Andrey Popov

Fintechs are Easing Access to Credit for Small and Medium Enterprises. The African economy has gathered momentum over the years, with an estimated increase of 3.8% of the real output growth in 2017. As the largest economies gradually strengthen, the 2018/2019 performance should reach 4.1% according to the African Development Bank. This economic growth and […]