Southern African and Italian business leaders have signed a landmark CEO Manifesto aimed at accelerating Africa’s next phase of economic growth. Announced at the 12th TEHA CEO Dialogue in Johannesburg alongside the G20 summit, the agreement brings together over 150 CEOs and policymakers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Italy. The Manifesto outlines ten strategic priorities focused on energy investment, infrastructure development, SME financing, digital transformation, talent mobility, regulatory stability, and women’s economic empowerment. Backed by the African Development Bank Group and The European House – Ambrosetti, the initiative positions the private sector as a driving force behind sustainable, inclusive growth across the continent. This strengthened Italy–Africa partnership aims to unlock Africa’s economic potential through coordinated investment, innovation, and long-term collaboration.
Category: Business
Business
The evolving role of AI in business process outsourcing
The integration of AI into Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) has evolved from early excitement about its transformative potential to a more pragmatic approach focused on specific, high-impact use cases. While AI was initially viewed as a potential job disruptor, its role has proven to be an enabler rather than a replacement for human agents. AI’s greatest value in BPO is in automating repetitive, low-value tasks, like after-call summaries, which enhances operational efficiency and improves customer experience. However, the rapid adoption of AI has also revealed challenges, such as data privacy concerns, limitations in large language models (LLMs), and the importance of human oversight. Going forward, successful AI implementation in BPO will require a balance between innovation and caution, with a focus on enhancing human capabilities while addressing ethical and regulatory considerations in data management.
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.
The Economics of Trust: Comoros and the UN’s Digital Trade Model
Comoros is leveraging UNCTAD’s ASYCUDA, deployed across 100-plus economies, to turn customs digitalization into macro-level gains, with export and import transactions up since 2020 and customs revenues rising despite headwinds. By aligning with international standards and preparing for an EU-funded expansion of its Single Window, the island economy is positioning itself to participate more effectively in AfCFTA trade corridors and to convert paperwork into policy-grade data.
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.
How Africa’s gaming sector can power impactful development
Africa’s gaming sector is emerging as a powerful driver of social and economic development. Valued at $1.8 billion in 2024, the industry is not only growing rapidly but also funding education, infrastructure, and community projects across the continent. According to Alex Mabunda, Group CEO of Ntiyiso Consulting Group, Africa’s lotteries and gaming operations can evolve beyond entertainment to become a “fifth estate” of development—fueling innovation, responsible gaming, and inclusive growth through the African Lotteries & Gaming Association (ALGA). By harmonizing regulation, promoting integrity, and reinvesting revenues strategically, the gaming industry can help tackle poverty, unemployment, and inequality, shaping a more unified and prosperous Africa.
Bridging Infrastructure Gaps: Tech and Distribution in Africa’s Gaming Ecosystem
Africa’s gaming industry is on the brink of transformation. With its youthful population, mobile-first culture, and creative energy, the continent is emerging as a key player in global gaming. Yet two critical challenges—technological infrastructure and game distribution—continue to hold back progress. In this article, Chris Meredith, SVP of Business Development (EMEA) at Xsolla, explores how addressing Africa’s internet connectivity gaps, limited payment integration, and developer support systems can unlock sustainable growth. By improving local payment solutions, empowering creators, and investing in digital infrastructure, Africa can redefine the future of gaming and become a global innovation hub.