What's your Africa strategy?

Guest post by: G Kofi Annan
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A retirement plan for African leaders, Mo Ibrahim - By G Kofi Annan

Many of us can agree that today, Africa plays a major role in the development of the global economy. The magazine covers and celebrity reports are a small part of how Africa has become a major player. A large part of my consulting work has to do with helping organizations develop an Africa-related strategy which both addresses the customer’s demands AND provides opportunities for Africans. Whether yours is a foreign or Africa-based company, today you MUST have a strategy which communicates your companies position on the Africa-related issues emerging daily. Any company or organization that has not begun to understand the role Africa’s development is playing in their market stands to become obsolete. In today’s world, NOT having the right Africa-related strategy is a sure sign of an organization’s ineffectiveness both domestically and globally.

Some organizations will simply implement a clichéd aid campaign as a response, but the smart ones will see the bigger picture and realize that Africa’s development is tied to their own long term goals and the goals of their customer. You can promote “Save Darfur” t-shirts but if the shirt is made in China, your company can quickly lose years of credibility with the customer.

It’s probably most important for Africa-based companies to develop an Africa-related strategy. With all the attention that various parts of the continent is getting, they too must adjust to the new found attention to remain relevant. In essence the world’s issues are playing out in their backyard. There are detailed reports of the Chinese push into the continent, and as Tom Barnett says, the Americans are landing. These and other foreign strategies will severely affect how Africans do business. It is important for Africa-based companies to re-think their production and competition strategies. While the age-old image of the starving African has long hindered the growth of many African industries, there are new opportunities which, if approached properly, could easily allow an Africa-based company to become a major player in the global market.

It’s times like this that are important to organizational growth. As a CEO, you can either stick your head in the sand and hope that the change is temporary, or adjust your organizational strategy to take advantage of the opportunities which are already affecting your customers. So what’s your Africa strategy?

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A retirement plan for African leaders, Mo Ibrahim - By G Kofi Annan

About the Author: G Kofi Annan

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G. Kofi Annan is a Ghanaian creative director and strategist (cultural trends, marketing, branding) who specializes in the emerging African market. He is the principal of Annansi LLC, a boutique consultancy which bridges the gap between the African market and the global community. Annansi LLC produces both Annansi Chronicles and Annansi Clothing Co., a premium streetwear apparel line. Kofi is an active board member of the African Film Commission, and has appeared and been quoted in influential media outlets including Reuters, FastCompany.com, Inc. Magazine, PSFK.com, i-D Magazine, The Source Magazine, Complex.com, VH1, and BET. He is currently researching a book on the relationship between Africa’s brand image and foreign investments.
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