Category: Business

Business insights, company profiles and industry analysis covering African markets, leadership, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

A temporary rise in African Emissions is justified on the way to energy prosperity

Africa faces a dual challenge: the world’s lowest per-capita emissions and the highest levels of energy poverty. In this opinion piece, Louis Strydom argues for a lean-carbon pathway—allowing a temporary, tightly controlled rise in emissions to rapidly expand reliable power while accelerating the shift to renewables. Instead of false choices between “no fossil fuels” and “gas everywhere,” he proposes fuel-flexible plants, declining fossil use, and strict carbon covenants to stabilise weak grids, replace costly diesel generation, and enable faster renewable deployment. With development financiers slowly embracing transitional projects, Africa can peak emissions early, avoid long-term fossil lock-in, and finally unlock growth without derailing global climate goals.

Strauss & Co collaboration with strong results for rare and important art from across East Africa

Strauss & Co’s inaugural collaboration with Nairobi’s Circle Art Agency delivered outstanding results, marking a milestone for East African modern and contemporary art. Rare works by Tanzanian modernists Sam Ntiro and K.F. Msangi led the auction, with Msangi’s Baobab Under the Red Moon (1968) achieving a remarkable KES 3,522,000 (US$27,271). The sale totalled KES 29,666,980 (US$229,727) from 52 lots, boasting an 80% sell-through rate and over 70% of lots exceeding high estimates. With strong participation from 19 countries and nearly half of bidders new to Art Auction East Africa | Strauss & Co, the event highlights the rising global demand for East African art and reinforces the region’s growing secondary market.

Why skills development isn’t just a numbers game 

South Africa’s unemployment crisis cannot be solved by skills development alone. As Jessica Hawkey of redAcademy explains, real impact requires creating sustainable, long-term jobs, aligning training with actual industry demand, and building pathways that lead young people into meaningful work—especially in the tech sector where theoretical training falls short. Only by linking skills, employment opportunities, and business value can South Africa drive lasting economic change.

Developing, Promoting and Measuring SEO-Driven Articles for PR — with a Focus on Africa

This article explores how to develop, promote, and measure the effectiveness of SEO-driven articles that also serve public relations (PR) goals. It outlines practical steps for keyword research, content creation, technical optimisation, promotion, and performance tracking, with a special focus on Africa, where localisation, mobile-first design, language diversity, and cultural context are key.

Why investing in your people is a crucial step to improving customer service

In today’s fast-evolving customer service landscape, balancing technology with human capability is key to achieving exceptional customer experience (CX). As AI and automation take over repetitive tasks, human service agents must develop both technical and emotional skills to handle complex, empathy-driven interactions. Investing in employee training, emotional intelligence (EQ), and communication channel mastery empowers teams to deliver superior, personalized service. Businesses that prioritize people development not only improve resolution times and customer loyalty but also boost employee engagement and retention. Ultimately, the most successful customer-centric organizations are those that combine digital efficiency with genuine human connection.

Memorability and ROI: Why Premium Domains Like USScience.com, UKScience.com, and AustraliaScience.com Can Pay for Themselves

Premium domain names like USScience.com, UKScience.com, and AustraliaScience.com are strategic digital assets that boost brand memorability, SEO performance, and marketing ROI. This analysis evaluates their linguistic recall, global appeal, and market potential, demonstrating how investing in short, memorable, and relevant science-themed domains can generate significant return on investment. Discover the comparative memorability scores, brand potential, and projected ROI payback periods for these high-value domains. Available for purchase via Sedo Marketplace.

Tapestry Collection by Hilton to Make Stylish Debut in Sub-Saharan Africa

Hilton has announced the debut of its lifestyle brand, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, in Sub-Saharan Africa, with new properties in South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda. The Sterling Hotel in KwaZulu-Natal, Ava Hotel Nairobi in Lavington, and Zaria Court Kigali will mark a major milestone in Hilton’s African expansion, reflecting the company’s plan to triple its presence across the continent. Each hotel embodies local character, modern design, and the signature hospitality of Hilton, reinforcing the brand’s growth in Africa’s thriving tourism and business travel markets.

Malengo Secures $12.9 Million from The Shapiro Foundation to Expand International Education Pathways & Financial Security

Malengo, a non-profit organization empowering young people in East Africa through international education, has secured $12.9 million in impact funding from The Shapiro Foundation to expand vocational training and university programs for low-income students and refugees in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. Founded by Cornell University Professor Johannes Haushofer, Malengo enables educational migration to Germany, helping students move from living on $1.40 a day to earning over $40,000 annually. The investment will scale Malengo’s income share agreement (ISA) model, creating sustainable education and financial pathways that reduce poverty and boost community development.