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Why should Venture Capitalists invest in SME's in Africa? - Click To Read Article
Africa is at the dawn of a new renaissance, if you want a high return on your capital, you should include Africa in your portfolio. I'm not only going to invest in Africa because I'm African, but because this is the right time to do so. In 15 years it will be too late, look at India and China, investors are coming and paying top capital for resources and businesses to find out that maybe they missed the boat years ago. Obviously, Africa being an emerging market has risks so...caveat emptor!
Meso Finance: the next area of financing for SMEs in Africa - Click To Read Article
There's been a lot of talk on micro-finance and it's impact with the base of pyramid market (BOP). Dr. Muhammad Yunus's non-profit Grameen bank was the first to commercialize micro-finance in Bangladesh, now everyone from Latin America, India and Africa are copying this model. Micro-finance works well and helps the impoverished and especially women sustain a living.
It is now time for meso financing for SME's in Africa - Click To Read Article
When I'm discussing Africa with others who are not familiar with African affairs, many wonder how and what kind of business opportunities there are in Africa? Sometimes I feel that I'm an advocate for African business in general. Many times I here, "oh I know so and so working for this NGO". I think to myself, that is nice, is that all you think of Africa one big begging pot looking for hand outs?
Startup: Rwanda - Business 2.0 article - Click To Read Article
Africa has had many trouble spots, I try not to dwell about past inhumanities on the continent. Rwanda has had its share of conflicts, now the country is an investors mecca. Rwanda also boasts one of the highest levels of Wifi penetration compared to the rest of the world.
Infrastructure investment opportunities in Africa - Click To Read Article
Many in development ask themselves, "how can Africa grow", or "how do we alleviate poverty in Africa"? The quick answer to all that is investment in some form of loans, aid and so on, and so forth. However, let's remember that great civilizations such as; Roman Empire, Greeks, Egyptians, and Incas grew by infrastructure. Infrastructure is key in linking people, places, things, and most important commerce. Commerce is the lifeblood in any civilization, this lifeblood enables farmers to grow crops and be able to transport their produce thousands of miles. Kenya is a good example of this, farmers are transporting flowers to be sold in the European market.
Africa needs comprehensive development package! - Click To Read Article
Synopsis of TED Global in Arusha, Tanzania.
Ideas to grow the informal sector in Africa - Click To Read Article
In every civilization there has always been two kinds of markets with some small variations of the markets. The formal market is comprised of educated and professional workers who usually work in cities, whereas the informal market are considered not to have a formal education, but are skilled workers who live and work in the rural areas, and they grow, make and produce societies goods. The informal market is where the real wealth lies in any society, but often times this wealth is dead wealth or unlocked wealth because the impoverished have no means to land title or financing.
Africa momentum for 2008 and beyond - Click To Read Article
2007 was a banner year for Africa, Africa enjoyed unprecedented growth in telecommunications, financials, and consumer products. No longer does Africa have to depend on the west for trade or aid. Africa now, more than ever has many opportunities for trade with other emerging markets.
Google hiring in developing markets and education reform - Click To Read Article
I just read an interesting Fortune article about Google hiring in India, and thought "wow that is a lot of money." Google has gone to the extreme to hire quality human capital for R&D operations in India. Perks for working at Google India include: taxi service, health care for parents, and etc.
URWEGO community banking - Rwanda - Click To Read Article
URWEGO offered its first loans in July 1997 to Rwanda's economically active poor. After 9 years of rapid growth, URWEGO has emerged as the premier Microfinance Institute (MFI). We use proven methodology in Rwanda and we serve 21,241 active clients and their families through access to credit and savings facilities as well as training.
African Tigers Re-Born - Click To Read Article
Think of Ghana. When the former Gold Coast gained independence in 1957, its prospects were bright. The new country was rich in cocoa and gold and its population was relatively well-educated. But a long series of coups and persistent corruption dashed those hopes. Ghana is still resource-rich, but it relies on foreign aid for 11% of gross domestic product, and 60% of the population still toils away in subsistence agriculture.
George Ayittey conversation about a Cheetah sustainable fund - Click To Read Article
I had a wonderful conversation with George Ayittey last friday about the recent TED conference in Arusha, Tanzania. I have profound respect for George because he is a old-school pragmatic thinker. Dr. Ayittey is trained as an Economist, but he doesn't talk like most Economists who talk about Africa such as Jeffrey Sachs or others.
Fortune article - African investments starting to pay off - Click To Read Article
Marc Gunther from Fortune magazine, has written an article about profitable investments in Africa. Marc notes that Africa has risks, but Africa has some of the best returns in the world.
Quintessential Quote: I saw, I make - Click To Read Article
About William Kamkwamba Windmill in Malawi.
Somalia, a 'failed state' that functions - Click To Read Article
Somalia with no government, functions using African ingenuity!
Where to invest in Africa - Click To Read Article
I was talking to an old friend of mine a couple days ago about business in Africa. During our short conversation about this subject she asked, "where are the investment opportunities and what sectors should one invest if they had minimal funds." I just realized she was being very serious and said, "there are all kinds of opportunities," but before I gave her anymore answers I suggested she Google Africa Open for Business and watch the video. I told her we can talk more in a few days about where to invest, but she had to watch the video.
It's noble for you celebrities to adopt African babies - Click To Read Article
People have been adopting African babies for years now, now the celebrities are trying to help out dear old Africa. While I applaud these celebrities and their noble efforts to help African babies find a better life in Western countries, maybe they should put their resources into other areas.
Outsourcing is not as easy with SLA's and metrics - Click To Read Article
Information technology enabled services (ITES) or BPO has enabled India, Philippines and other developing markets to grow and provide badly needed jobs in those markets. I used to consult in the outsourcing industry as a consultant for Cap Gemini. Entrepreneurs attempting to get into BPO need to be aware that it is extremely difficult to get and sometimes maintain a contract. Service line agreements (SLA's) are loaded with penalties and metrics that many Indian companies avoid bidding for the RFP.
Third World First - Boston Globe - Click To Read Article
Boston Globe has a great article about how the third world adopts and embraces technology that developed countries don't have yet.
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Nii Simmonds
(Visit Nii's Website)
Nii Simmonds is founder of NAFRICOM, a
non-profit trade association for IT
Software and Technology Services industry
for Africa and a blogger on African
development. Mr. Simmonds is also a
Co-founder of EmergingictGroup, a global
ICT research, training, and
advisory/consultancy. Under Mr. Simmonds
leadership, his organization NAFRICOM
organized the 1st annual 2003 Ghana
Outsourcing Conference.
Through his experience working with many
African oriented organizations in the
field of Information Technology,
development, and globalization, Mr.
Simmonds has become a leading speaker and
presenter on African development, ICT
policies, outsourcing/BPO market in Africa
and other emerging markets, social
entrepreneurship, technology education,
and Globalization. Professionally Mr.
Simmonds is a consultant specializing in
corporate finance, globalization, business
strategy, and outsourcing.
Mr. Simmonds has been acknowledged for his
research in globalization and offshore
market by Mckinsey, IBM Global Services,
AT Kearney, Keane, Wharton School,
Harvard, Government of Ghana, Ghana
embassy, Smeal College of Business,
Harvard Business School NeoIT, ITESA,
Summit Circuit, Bloomberg News, Wall
Street Journal, Avaya, Affiliated Computer
Services (ACS), Data Management
International and many others.
Mr. Simmonds got his B.S. in
Management/Finance from Smeal College of
Business at Pennsylvania State University
and a minor in Information Systems and
Statistical Analysis. Mr. Simmonds holds a
Business Process Outsourcing Master
Certificate from the Wharton School.
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