Africa Business, Author at AfricaBusiness.com

13Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Higher Data Penetration Creates New Opportunities in South Africa

BOSTON, Dec., 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloud services, mobile advertising and mobile apps will be some of the highest growth segments in the South African market, contributing half a billion dollars in new revenue from 2012-2017, according to a new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com). South Africa Telecom Market Forecast analyzes the South African telecom market in some detail, highlighting several key areas of growth now that traditional voice services revenue is flattening. The report focuses on three main areas of growth – mobile apps, enterprise cloud services and mobile advertising – and their influence on the South African market. Download an excerpt or purchase the report here. "South Africa is a key market in the AME region not only because of its size, level ...

13Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News

African Medical Device Market: Facts and Figures 2012

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: African Medical Device Market: Facts and Figures 2012 Why look at Africa? With a population of over a billion people, Africa represents a vast potential market. The political and economic picture is improving in many areas, as conflicts are brought under control, and governments show a new willingness to use export revenues to boost healthcare. Levels of external aid remain strong. While this can be a double-edged sword for the economy of the country in question, a large number of development projects are ongoing. Virtually the entire continent is wholly reliant on imports, which rose by an average of 7.5% per year in the 2006-10 period. The least-develop...

13Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Morocco News

“Circum Central Atlantic, Northwest Africa and Mediterranean: Your Net-based Source for E&P Opportunities”

Oil & Gas Marrakech Conference and Exhibition will be held in the Marrakech Congress Palace, Morocco. As one of the most important technical events in Morocco, it is an ideal opportunity to focus on the progress of the oil and gas industry across this region, an area known for its diversity, opportunity and capacity for growth. Northwest Africa in general and Morocco in particular are on the eve of a very ambitious exploration drilling programs tapping on both conventional and non-conventional hydrocarbon potential. This will provide exciting time for the forthcoming years to all actors of the Oil and Gas industry in the region. The petroleum industry in Morocco has reached a new maturity. New frontiers are being opened, a new modern database is being acquired and new play concepts h...

13Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy, South Africa News

Africa Energy Indaba 2013

Africa Energy Indaba 2013 Dates: 19-21 February 2013 Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg Website: www.energyindaba.co.za The Africa Energy Indaba, adopted by the World Energy Council (WEC) as the African regional event of the WEC, receives global recognition as the foremost event for energy professionals from across the globe and is rapidly gaining momentum as the energy business forum in Africa. Presented by the South African National Energy Association (SANEA) in association with the World Energy Council, and supported by the African Union and the NEPAD Planning & Coordinating Agency, the forum has achieved the highest level of endorsement and support and as such is without doubt the leading energy event in Africa. Africa is a continent of contrasts. It is the fastest...

13Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Energy, Green Energy, South Africa News

How will South African industry deal with tariff hikes and carbon taxes?

African Utility Week to assist Large Power Users to face energy obstacles The proverbial axe is falling on ‘business as usual` as every industry in South Africa, from mining to manufacturing to retail, is cringing at the thought of rising energy tariffs and the impending implementation of a carbon tax. Stemming the tide of rising tariffs On the receiving end of tariff hikes, industry is dealing with three significant elements, namely the cost of electricity, uncertainty around sufficient electricity supply and carbon emission management. According to Shaun Nel, Project Director & Advisor, Energy Intensive Users Group of Southern Africa (EIUG), “the current request by Eskom to raise electricity prices by 16% per annum over 5 years will have a significantly negative ...

13Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, South Africa News

African Banking innovation sees AfDB approving multi-currency line of credit of USD 300m

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa The African Development Bank has extended the equivalent of USD 300 million to FirstRand Bank Limited to support projects across Africa This week an announcement from Tunis, Tunisia, revealed that the African Development Bank has approved a seven-year multi-currency line of credit for an amount equivalent to USD 300 million to FirstRand Bank Limited (FRB) of South Africa to finance a wide range of projects in local currencies and across Africa. And most African countries are characterized by low discretionary rates of domestic savings. As a result, the intermediation capacity of the financial sectors is limited, leading to the gap currently being filled with borrowings denominated in foreign currency. However, this introduces a currency mismatch in the fi...

12Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy, South Africa News

JinkoSolar to Supply 81 MW WBHO-Building Energy in South Africa

SHANGHAI, Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ("JinkoSolar" or the "Company") (NYSE: JKS), a leading global solar power product manufacturer, today announced that it has signed a contract with fix price to supply WBHO-Building Energy (Pty) Ltd. ("WBHO-BE") with 81 MW of photovoltaic (PV) modules for the solar PV park project in Gamagara Local Municipality, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The project will be developed, designed, constructed and commissioned by WBHO- BE and is, so far, the largest project in African Continent and one of the first approved under the South African government's Renewable Energy Program. JinkoSolar will deliver a total of 344,540 PV high quality solar panels for the project, which is expected to generate...

4Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy

SunPower Corporation to Supply Toshiba with 20.1 Percent Efficiency Solar Panel for Japanese Market

New 20.1 Percent Efficiency Module Continues Toshiba’s High Efficiency Leadership in Japanese Residential Market SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR) today announced that it will supply Toshiba with its new world-record efficiency solar panel beginning in December, extending Toshiba’s solar efficiency leadership in the Japanese residential market. SunPower’s new E20/250NE solar panel features a 20.1 percent efficiency rating delivering 250 watts per 72-cell module, and will be marketed exclusively by Toshiba in the Japanese homes segment. The module features the all-back contact Maxeon™ solar cell designed and manufactured by SunPower Corporation which offers world-record efficiency. Since SunPower first partnered with Toshiba in 2010, it has de...

3Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News

Airtel and Ericsson making history in African network transformation

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa Airtel has completed the largest network transformation in African Telecoms history - and is partnering with Ericsson for the comprehensive upgrade of a network to deliver superior service. Otherwise known as Bharti Airtel, the leading telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, recently said that it has undertaken an end-to-end network transformation program across its mobile operations in 16 African countries. The program, which is the largest of its kind on the African continent, in partnership with Ericsson involved a comprehensive upgrade and expansion of network elements on all of Airtel’s African operations, including switching, radio, network management, data, charging, and consumer-services platforms and sys...

27Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, South Africa News

The call to make Cape Town a ‘Smart City’ is getting serious

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa Further calls to make Cape Town a 'Smart City' continue to increase. One of the people in the forefront of these calls is Chris Whelan, CEO of business think-tank Accelerate Cape Town. Whelan says, “Developing a ‘smart city’, where information and communication technology (ICT) is leveraged to provide excellent service and which significantly contributes to a business environment conducive to both foreign and domestic investment, is an important part of positioning Cape Town as Africa’s global city, a city of innovation and inspiration.” According to Whelan, enabling technology exploitation in education, healthcare, transport, and safety and security all contribute to the development of a ‘smart city’. “One of the most exciting steps the city is taking...