Africa Business, Author at AfricaBusiness.com

Global Startup Awards Africa 2024 is OPEN

8Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Startups

Global Startup Awards Africa 2024 is OPEN

Calling all African innovators, startups, and ecosystem enablers dedicated to solving critical global challenges. The Global Startup Awards Africa (GSA Africa) 2024, Edition 11, is now open for entries, with Ethiopia announced as the host for the African Finale in October 2024, the stage is set for a transformative journey towards unlocking Africa's true potential and shaping a future for generations to come. Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2024 categories include GreenTech, HealthTech, Mobility and Logistics, AgriTech, FinTech, and Women in Tech. Notably, this year sees the introduction of the Youth Startup category, with Africa being the youngest continent globally, boasting 60% of its population under 25 years old, we're proud to introduce...

8Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Fintechs are aiding financial inclusion across sub-Saharan Africa

By Nikki Kettles, Executive of Licences and Payments Regulation at Mukuru As the Southern African Development Community sees growth in fintech operators, it will become easier and safer for people to send money back home, writes Nikki Kettles, Executive of Licences and Payments Regulation at Mukuru. With half of Africans migrating to other countries on the continent to work, and then having to send money home, fintech is playing a leading role in driving financial inclusion, while offering a safe solution at a reasonable cost; and dominating the provision of cross-border remittances. Many migrants living in South Africa trying to send money home have historically experienced several challenges, including unreasonable costs. Other aspects that impacted the historical experience were the ...

Five Reasons Morocco Should Be Top Of Your Travel Bucket List

8Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Africa Travel, Morocco News

Five Reasons Morocco Should Be Top Of Your Travel Bucket List

Morocco is fast becoming a sought-after destination on the continent. This diverse country, with its blend of ancient traditions and modern allure, offers travellers distinct experiences in its major cities, making it immensely popular. From diverse landscapes and desert adventures to vibrant souks, hammams and historical sights, Morocco has it all. While reaching this North African gem from South Africa can be a bit tricky, Air France provides the quickest, most convenient, and one of the most affordable routes with a brief stop in Paris. As Morocco gains popularity among tourists, the airline highlights five reasons why it should be a top choice for any traveller’s bucket list. Unique Charm of Major Towns Morocco is a melting pot of African, Berber, Arab, and French influences, crea...

6Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Main, Medicine

When the perceived cure becomes poison: Urgent action required to address the illicit trade of counterfeit antimalarial drugs in Africa, responsible for 158 000 deaths annually

According to the World Health Organization, the sale of counterfeit medication is the world’s most lucrative illicit trade. Sadly, Africa has become home to an estimated 42% of the world’s cases of trade in counterfeit medications, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable and desperate of populations living in low- or middle-income countries. Counterfeit malaria medication is estimated to be directly attributable to the deaths of between 64 000 and 158 000 Africans every year. According to the latest stats from the Journal of Vector Borne Diseases, the antimalarial market in some African countries comprises 88.4% fake drugs. In East and West Africa, for example, food substances (among other ingredients) have been used in place of active pharmaceutical components. These additives c...

6Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Business

How to take advantage of retail trends in 2024

By Peter Ludi, Business Development Executive at redPanda Software Perhaps the single most effective thing retailers can do in 2024 and beyond is to acknowledge that aspirations and consultative conversations have overtaken reality. If a retailer wishes to take advantage of the latest and greatest trends for this year and next, it would do well to keep its feet firmly planted on the ground while working with a good partner to achieve its technology aspirations. What does this mean? We all know that the future is ambient technology that is always on and always ready to make the customer and employee experience better, but which is not intrusive. In this world the omnichannel is dead. Except that we are not in that world yet and most retailers are nowhere near proclaiming they’ve evolved p...

That EV Hypercar with a Tailpipe… Sounds Alright!

4Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

That EV Hypercar with a Tailpipe… Sounds Alright!

The Ararkis Sandstorm, a rare edition electric Hypercar with South African roots, blew through an online cloud of controversy last week when the internet erupted over the ‘tailpipes' found on the car’s rear end. The Ararkis Automobili team was quick to point out that it is external speakers not exhaust pipes. “The design elements resembling exhaust pipes serve as sound exits for our Quantum Harmonix system,” said Emily Parker, head of PR. “This goes beyond basic sound replication, using acoustic technology to authentically reproduce the dynamic experience of a V12 engine within an electric powertrain.” The company claims that the innovation of the Quantum Harmonix system was a potential game-changer for EV enthusiasts who miss the roar of a gas-powered engine. Ararkis Automobili, hel...

29Feb

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Tech

Why Narrowing the Distance to your Organisation’s Desired Data Maturity starts with your People

Lee Wearne, Data Strategist at Insight Consulting In an era defined by information and innovation, where there’s more competition than ever before, businesses all understand the importance and value of data. However, collecting and storing data is one thing, but positioning it as a strategic business asset that can fuel effective and intelligent decision-making requires a high level of organisational data maturity. Data maturity is best described as a measure of how well an organisation uses its data to achieve its goals. When you start measuring an organisation’s data maturity you set a benchmark that can be used for comparison during future tests. The objective, then, is to ensure that an organisation’s data maturity is moving in the right direction, and if it is not, to make the nece...

Disrupting the Adtech landscape: South African scale-up leads the revolution

29Feb

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

Disrupting the Adtech landscape: South African scale-up leads the revolution

Flow, the leading innovator in automated social media advertising solutions, has transitioned from a disruptor in the real estate sector to a global pioneer in data-powered Adtech. As data is considered more valuable than oil, utilising it successfully is essential in any digital marketing strategy. Co-Founders and CEOs of Flow, Dan Levy and Gil Sperling have extensive experience in Adtech and over the last four years, have diversified Flow’s offering to reach a variety of businesses including financial services, retail, e-commerce, MLMs, and more, beyond South Africa’s borders, gaining an established presence in over 20 regions. Before launching Flow, Sperling and Levy were CEOs of Popimedia, Africa's largest Adtech and performance marketing company, which they sold to Publicis, the thi...

29Feb

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Business

The synergy of business and IT will be key to harnessing Africa’s full potential

By Upuli De Abrew, Director at Insight Consulting The African continent is poised for economic growth, rapid urbanisation and increasing incomes with its population expected to reach about 1.7-billion people by 2030, making it crucial for businesses to fast-track data strategies if they are to remain competitive and benefit from these developments. A major challenge in achieving these goals is that data and its associated processes have historically been seen as an IT function; while the IT department might have the knowledge and technical expertise to execute data strategies, many fail to deliver a return on investment as the initial process of defining the 'what' of the data strategy is not business-led. Often, data strategies that are led by IT departments focus on the 'how' – the te...

26Feb

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

I’m Handing Over My Keys – Not My Supporters’ Card

By Pieter Twine, General Manager: MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet Pieter Twine, GM at MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, will be retiring on 29 February. On his parting, he has put together an opinion piece about the impact of the MySchool program since its inception in 1997 (including having raised over R1 billion for more than 8,500 schools and NGO beneficiaries in South Africa). As I prepare to retire from my role as General Manager of the MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet program, the genesis of which is in a program that was established in 1997, I can’t help but be amazed at the impact we as a team have been able to make in everyday South Africans’ lives over the last 27 years. MySchool was started as a solution to help parents raise funds more easily and sustainably for schools and such was its p...