Discover how to conduct profitable business in Africa without losing your money or your reputation.
Dear Fellow Professional,
You have arrived at this site because you want to know how to conduct profitable business in Africa. Congratulations on recognising that this continent offers the world’s last big business opportunities. With a population of over 750 million and a current average growth rate of 6% a year, continued growth is inevitable and can happen quickly across the region. We can help you to profit from this growth by giving you the critical commercial information that you need.
For small business owners and those that concentrate on niche markets, Africa offers the classic capitalist opportunity: if you are willing to accept the risks, you can reap large profits.
In the past, the emphasis of African investment agencies was to attract big money from oil, mining and construction companies. Yet, it is the mid-size business sector which is the real “engine of growth” for African economies. And it is this sector that provides a wealth of business opportunities for foreign firms like yours.
According to US trade officials, these following business sectors offer strong growth potential: telecommunications, information technology, software, agribusiness, power generation, health care, financial services, training, commodities, environmental technologies and general infrastructure.
Conducting business in Africa can be risky. To reduce your risks, you need to:
 Confirm whether you need an African partner to secure a deal
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| Determine the actual size of the market for your products or services |
| Understand the real costs of doing business in Africa |
| Be forewarned about privatisation of state assets |
| Pierce the corporate veil to identify politically exposed persons (PEP) |
| Implement strategies to counter business fraud in African countries |
| Establish the reputation of local companies before committing yourself |
| Identify suitable employees to manage your African operations |
| Gauge the influence of organised crime on prospective joint ventures |
| Win new business from government departments and parastatals |
| Uncover sales and marketing plans of your rivals in any African country |
Africa often receives more than its fair share of bad press. Regular reports and news articles make constant references to crime, corruption, conflicts and coups. The media often transmit images of poverty, famine, disease and even vicious attacks by wild animals. The impression is that the continent's governments and people often appear unwilling to change.
Of course, doing business in Africa can be risky and sometimes dangerous. But by conducting enhanced due diligence (click here to find out how) on companies and individuals, you can minimise the risks and maximise your profits. In fact, recent research by UNECA has shown that in Africa the return on your inward investment is:
- 4 times that of the G8 countries
- 6 times that of Latin America
According to US Census data, in the export category alone, US businesses trading with African companies pulled in over US $ 9 billion in 2004 alone. Other trading partners with Africa include Japan, China, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Brazil, India and Russia.
A New Awakening in Africa
A silent revolution has been underway since the start of the Millennium. A team of us has recently completed a comprehensive study of Africa’s 53 countries and our findings show:
- New economic reforms that have replaced old state-centralised systems to create free markets
- Tax regimes revamped to save you money
- New investment promotion agencies created to simplify investing
- Investment protection schemes designed to protect your interests
- Foreign exchange controls abolished to ease the repatriation of your earnings
- Labour laws revised to enable easy hiring and the effective management of your workforce
- Tax holidays offered to encourage long-term investment strategies
Africa is growing. No other continent offers so many untapped opportunities. No other continent desperately needs economic growth, wealth creation and sustainable employment that your foreign company can provide. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong and there is a thirst for knowledge and improvement.
Imagine having your own Corporate Intelligence (CI) department with over 30 years of intelligence experience in Africa
What would it be worth to you to have rapid access to actionable and timely intelligence about any company and any individual, anywhere in Africa? (click here to request such information now).
My name is Benedict N. Weaver. An Oxford graduate with a Masters in Modern History, I am also Board certified in security management (CPP™) and currently completing my certification in competitive intelligence (CIP™). After living and working in many African countries, I noticed the large number of business opportunities that existed. While large economies and big businesses may offer you one kind of opportunity in terms of numbers and variety of propositions, the smaller countries with their diverse needs offer many interesting opportunities.
To explore the possibilities of doing business in Africa, I founded Zero Foundation (click here for our company profile) in 1991. A corporate intelligence firm headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, we help foreign firms to conduct profitable business throughout the African continent. Given our location and experience in Africa, you won’t need to hire expensive researchers. And you won’t need to search for snippets of information from company credit reports or newspaper articles.
The fifty-three countries of Africa feature numerous dynamic and developing markets. The US Administration and Congress, amongst others, have passed new legislation to promote business amongst African nations committed to economic and political reform. Britain’s Commission for Africa has promoted ideas that will help African exports to compete on the international market. And, in the War on Terror, many African countries have agreed to fight Islamist extremism.
Consider the benefits of dealing with this vibrant continent that has:
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 a population of over 750 million
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| oil reserves that exceed those of Saudi Arabia and Central Asia combined |
| vast mineral resources including the world’s only supplies of the four top rare metals |
| an economically mobile and growing consumer market |
| an insatiable demand for training and education |
| the fastest growing telecommunications sector in the world |
| recently entered the Space Age with its first Afronaut |
| vast untouched wilderness and long pristine beaches |
The opportunities for realising huge profits exist. And you need good intelligence to recognise these opportunities whilst keeping abreast of developments in a volatile and foreign trading environment.
Here’s how our services will save you time, money, uncertainty and aggravation
Zero Foundation offers a range of professional services to help you conduct business in Africa with confidence.
Testimonial: "A really useful tool whenever we need to know more about a competitor or joint venture partner in Africa. No one else conducts a due diligence enquiry with such thoroughness and speed."
Barry Watters: AIM Ltd, UK |
Testimonial: "By screening all our applicants, we reduced our staff turnover by at least 200%."
Carel Barnard: Media 24, South Africa |
| Testimonial: "The best training programme for security managers in Africa. Sharp, informed and interactive." Chidyamoto Chamunorwa Benjamin: Bank of Botswana, Botswana |
| Testimonial: "Given the increased risks to our executives travelling in Africa, we always make use of these services." Leon Olivier: Old Mutual, South Africa |
Testimonial: "Using specialist research and investigative resources, Zero Foundation helped us with a sensitive matter. The intelligence provided was critical to our success."
Sammy Lee: NWTMT, Hong Kong |
Today, your competitors are exploring many new opportunities in Africa.
Tomorrow, new markets will have been identified, investment decisions made and future earnings realised.
Start developing your own competitive advantage in Africa now!
To your success,
Benedict N. Weaver MA (Oxon) CPP
Chief Knowledge Officer
Voice: |
+27 (0) 21 712 3024 |
Mobile: |
+27 (0) 82 922 0512 |
Fax: |
+27 (0) 21 712 6897 |
E-mail: |
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