By: Standard Bank
Sela  Kasepa attended her first semester at Harvard University in August last year. Just months prior, the 21-year-old was mulling over her education, uncertain of her future plans. That changed after watching a CNN insert featuring the first Pan African Robotics competition founded by Dr. Sidy Ndao. Kasepa was captivated. That same evening she took a chance and sent a cold email to Dr. Ndao inquiring about robotics. Two days later, he responded with encouragement to pursue robotics. Sela found inspiration from the Pan African Robotics founder and her interaction with him made her believe that she too could create with her hands. This encounter set a trail for her journey as a robotics mentor.
<div id="attachment_289521" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-289521" class="wp-image-289521 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/robotics_team_in_dc_ZISD.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="482" />Zambia Institute of Sustainable Development: Standard Bank</div>
Kasepa never imagined one day she would take a mechanics class, let alone at the prestigious Harvard University. Kasepa completed her schooling with funding from the Zambia Institute of Sustainable Development (ZISD), acing her GCSEs with 10 distinctions in 10 subjects. She had excellent grades and big dreams, but two years after graduating grade twelve she had little else to show for it. Her passion for astrophysics fueled her ambition to study at a university that encouraged holistic learning &#8211; she took her first SAT tests on her own and thereafter sent applications to Ivy League Universities in the United States. Her first attempts were futile, with no scholarship offers.
During those difficult years of uncertainty, Peter Lungu, Executive Director of ZISD, reached out to Kasepa because of her interest in the SAT programme the non-profit institution offers. The small action pivoted into a mentorship relationship, with Lungu urging Kasepa to continue applying to her desired universities. After redoing her SATs with her mentor’s guidance, she attained a perfect score in Physics (800) and a 790 in Maths Level II.
On the final day of call for applications, Kasepa submitted her application to Harvard. Along with Stanford, MIT, Michigan State University, and University of California Berkeley, she was successful, with each admission offering scholarships.
Two semesters in, Kasepa signed up for an engineering robotics class. The joy of creating something that works rekindled her love for the functionality of machines. “It’s a time when you realize your hands are capable of doing so much,” she says.
A lunch chat with a Rwandese friend turned to development talk. She was fascinated by how Rwanda, a country with few natural resources, was making groundbreaking progress far ahead of her own country. Her friend’s comment that a country&#8217;s’ top resource is its people, struck a chord. “If we the people don’t take the reins to develop our country, no matter our resources, we cannot develop,” she says.
In the coming days, Kasepa spent hours online looking for a competition her country could participate in, until she eventually came across FIRST Global Robotics competition. Another cold email later, the organizers advised her to enlist Zambia. Even though she was above the age restriction to participate in the competition, she had the opportunity to mentor a Zambian team – if she could build one last minute. She picked up her phone to call Lungu to ask him to help prep a team to participate in the FIRST competition.
Lungu never expected to co-mentor a robotics team. He had never been versed in engineering or robotics. His role at ZISD was a vocational call after a long lucrative career as an auditor. When he was awakened in the middle of the night by Sela with news that Zambia could participate in the FIRST Global Robotics if they got a team together, he did not hesitate. While he already had access to the country’s most brilliant students, none of them had any knowledge of robotics before. The 2017 robotics challenge was about water. This required tools, equipment, preparation, and travel for the competition. This meant funds for the team.
Sela sent even more cold emails in search for sponsorship, much in vain. At a coffee with her professor Evelyn Hu, she made mention of her struggle, and was amazed when a few days later Hu connected her to sponsors for three of the team members plus a mentor. After rallying with the local team in Zambia, Peter Lungu liaised with Ethiopian airlines for a sharply discounted airfare so all seven members of the Zambia Robotics team could be present for the competition.
Sela says shifting from mentee to mentor gave her a moment&#8217;s pause. “It was scary on my part. This is something new. (You’re) mentoring people in a new area, I was nervous about that. I’m grateful to Mr. Lungu who helped me co-mentor the team.”
Unable to miss her classes, Kasepa watched the competition for her computer. She entrusted team captain Mwengwe Mpekansambo to take charge even after their machine broke down during trials. Working all night, the former head girl at Fatima Girls encouraged her six teammates to fix the problem. Makasa Mwamba, Mphande Phiri, Chewe Malupenga, Clivert Mande, Jireh Katebe, Ephraim Mulilo, Meek Simbule, Njavwa Kabandama, and Mary Ngoma all went from no knowledge on robotics to hands-on leading Zambia on her maiden competition to attain 32nd position out of 163, applying their various capacities from the makeshift robotics shop at ZISD center.
https://soundcloud.com/africacom/captaining-zambias-first-robotics-team#t=2:22
INTERVIEW WITH TEAM CAPTAIN MWENGWE MPEKANSAMBO
On the competition, Kasepa says: “For me, this is not just about competing. I want the idea to spread. Robotics is not just about building a robot; it is realizing we can do something with our hands.”
The world of robotics opened Sela’s mind to a world of possibilities. The global robotics competition in Mexico 2018 is in her sights and she wants to take the reins on the upcoming Zambian robotics team. Her goal for the team is to instill in them a sense of ownership and responsibility. She wants their endeavors to move beyond seeking sponsorship for competitions to being a self-sustainable team propelling innovation in the Southern African country. Her hopes are for mini-robotics competitions to spring around Zambia so that new talent can have a platform as well.
Sela Kasepa admits the journey has not been without its trials for her.  She has since been proactive in a competitive learning environment full of new challenges and rigorous study. Kasepa aspires to become an aerospace engineer, influenced by ZISD Founder Chiluwata Lungu, an aerospace engineer himself. When she worried about employment possibilities in Zambia if she chose to delve in the complex course, he opened her eyes to the multifaceted nature of engineering and the practicality of combustion and propulsion in different sectors of STEM.
The path she’s worked so hard to attain comes with its sacrifices. Intensive study, time zone difference, and her extracurricular activity such as being part of the Harvard robotics club, have made it difficult for Sela to always stay in touch with friends and family. During semester break, she only spent about six days at home in Kitwe and the rest of the four weeks working alongside her ZISD family in Lusaka to organize a robotics showcase for Zambian children.
Back at Harvard, the learning experience has exceeded her expectations and she admits she will need to attain work-life balance to maintain a social life.
“My classmates (at Harvard) are now my friends. The courses can be tough and when we work together to solve complex problems, a bond of friendship is formed… The open door policy at Harvard is also amazing. I can walk into any professor’s office and ask about their course. The professors are very passionate here.”
On what kept her going when she was ready to give up during her years out of school, she quotes a quote she saw on a friend’s social media. She lives by it. “Do not let reality change your dreams, change your reality with your dreams.”

Powering Zambia’s First Robotics Team

This article was written and supplied to CNBC Africa by Chivas
Abigail Mbuzi is every much the new breed of entrepreneur emerging on the African continent, who use their business ideas to uplift and empower societies around them.
<div id="attachment_289204" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-289204" class="wp-image-289204 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/02-without-copy_SITE.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="512" />Abigail Mbuzi is every much the new breed of entrepreneur emerging on the African continent, who use their business ideas to uplift and empower societies around them.   </div>
The sheer tenacity to achieve, even in the midst of challenges is what exemplifies the attainment of success that lifts others and captures the quintessence of Chivas Regal’s Win the Right Way.
For Abigail Mbuzi, Founder of African Sunsets Events – a business that has grown to encompass marketing and promotions elements, this philosophy translates to driving the renascence of an entrepreneurial spirit in Zambia.
It is for this reason, that Chivas, Win the Right Way, season 2 presenter – the highly experienced Gugulethu Cele, met with Abigail over a glass of Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old Whiskey to discuss some her accomplishments.
African Sunsets Events Marketing and Promotions is fast becoming a multi-faceted media enterprise since birthing its first event; Brand Woman in 2013.
“The Brand Woman business and leadership conference was conceived during my travels to South Africa where I had a chance-meeting with Timothy Maurice Webster.  The few minutes I had coffee with him inspired me to put together my first business conference,” says Abigail.
Four years on, Abigail’s business has grown the annual personal branding and business conference to encompass both Brand Woman and Brand Man, as major events in Zambia’s business calendar.
Brand Woman and Brand Man is about people who are motivated and inspired to achieve and become all that they were destined to be and bringing them together.
“I use my platform to help my country’s economy and tourism sectors. The success of my business is not for me, but for the thousands of people that are touched by what we do in one way or the other,” says Abigail.
The annual conference brings collectively some of the world’s top speakers and influencers and deals with personal branding in the sphere of business. Furthermore, the conference also delves in positioning yourself to achieve the most success in your chosen career or area of business through personal branding.   African Sunsets has also evolved to encompass Mastercook Zambia – a reality cooking show that gives talented chefs a voice and a platform to showcase their skills.
Mastercook Zambia showcases the talents within Zambia’s culinary sector. Keeping parallel with Chivas Win the Right Way values of generosity and success going hand-in-hand, the cooking show searches for professional and amateur chefs even in the most rural parts of Zambia.
“All the sacrifices become worthwhile when people around you are uplifted as a result of the difficult choices you’ve had to make,” adds the tenacious businesswoman.
Abigail is testament that profit and purpose can in fact work together for the enrichment of the surrounding communities and redefine society’s perception of businesses. This essential balancing act, is something Chivas Regal has pertinently described ‘Winning the Right Way’.
&nbsp;

Having a Broad Perspective Drives Self-Made Success

This article was written and supplied to CNBC Africa by Chivas
<div id="attachment_131079" style="width: 1193px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-131079" class="wp-image-131079 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Chivas-The-venture-Hori-Adv-image2.jpg" alt="" width="1183" height="898" />Photo: Chivas</div>
Inspiring the development of small and medium-sized enterprises through innovation is the cornerstone of which, Tatiana Alves Pereira has established her entrepreneurial aspirations.
Tatiana Alves Pereira is the co-founder and Managing Partner of IdeiaLab, Lda, a social enterprise that operates as a business incubator, working with entrepreneurs to promote and drive development and the promotion of sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation in Mozambique.
As an incubator, IdeiaLab seeks to harness and accelerate the advancement of entrepreneurship thus strengthening Mozambique’s innovation ecosystem. This is at the heart of Alves Pereira’s philosophy. It is through this ideal, that seasoned business journalist, and Chivas, Win the Right Way, season 2 presenter, Gugulethu Cele, caught up with the vivacious Mozambique native over a glass of Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old Whiskey.
“Entrepreneurship has the potential to be the solution to most of our challenges. In addition to creating and growing sustainable businesses, entrepreneurship is about having the courage to take the first step in making a difference,” says Alves Pereira.
IdeiaLab catalyses this potential for the people of Mozambique by providing business mentorship and assisting aspiring entrepreneurs with business models and guidance.
Chivas, Win the Right Way season 2 is a television series on CNBC Africa that follows on the success of the first season in featuring Africa’s most inspiring social entrepreneurs who run their businesses based on profit with purpose. These entrepreneurs use their shared success to inspire other African entrepreneurs to be part of this ever-growing movement.
Alves Pereira’s roots are entrenched in enriching herself to have a greater impact in her community.
However, this journey has had its share of challenges as Alves Pereira shares that in recent times she’s had to make the tough decision to shut down one of her business operations.
“This is the reality of every business undertaking, success delayed does not mean success denied and I’ve had to learn that in my journey. This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make because I knew that it would not only impact me, but also those around me. Every successful business is built on the virtue of perseverance.”
Alves Pereira has channelled this experience as the momentum to pilot her business to collaborate on bigger initiatives that will ultimately position her to have a greater impact on the entrepreneurship landscape of Mozambique.
The fundamental principles of social entrepreneurship are making the business attractive to investors. For Alves Pereira, it’s about underpinning IdeiaLab’s capacity as an enterprise that demonstrates the social needs of its environment.
“Success is only worth it, if you can share it! We look forward to being at the forefront of incubating a culture of entrepreneurial development, sustainability and innovation.”
Alves Pereira’s consistent endeavour towards incorporating the principles of innovation to galvanise the development of her community resonates with Chivas’ dictum of winning the right way.

When the height of success empowers others to achieve

This article was written and supplied to CNBC Africa by AfricaCom 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-287277" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AfricaCom2017-200x300.png" alt="" width="200" height="300" />
<a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/">AfricaCom</a> 2017 packs a punch with global speaker line-up
In less than a month anyone who’s anyone in African telecoms and technology will be in Cape Town at AfricaCom 2017 from 7-9 November. The continent’s single largest and most influential technology, media and telecoms (TMT) event, promises opportunities to witness future tech trends, network with the industry elite, and learn from a line-up of global thought leaders providing inspiring content.
Delegates will be able to hear Herman Singh, Group Chief Digital Officer of MTN, share his thoughts on how Africa can capitalise on the potential of disruptive technology, or the fourth wave of the mobile industry, as he puts it. M-commerce, he believes, will be far more “disruptive” than PC-based e-commerce ever was.
“The combination of identity, location and ‘transactability’ is far more disruptive than e-commerce ever was on PCs. You don’t carry a PC into a shop; your phone, you do,” he says.
Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, will describe how innovative mobile network operators can bridge the digital divide and connect the next billion. (Safricom is the pioneer of Mpesa, the world’s most developed mobile payment system).
If you’re looking to discover what support mobile operators need, mobile companies Millicom, Safaricom and Orange will offer expert guidance on how the mobile network operator role is evolving in response to a rapidly shifting digital landscape.
<a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/">AfricaCom</a> 2017 packs a punch with global speaker line-up
In less than a month anyone who’s anyone in African telecoms and technology will be in Cape Town at AfricaCom 2017 from 7-9 November. The continent’s single largest and most influential technology, media and telecoms (TMT) event, promises opportunities to witness future tech trends, network with the industry elite, and learn from a line-up of global thought leaders providing inspiring content.
Delegates will be able to hear Herman Singh, Group Chief Digital Officer of MTN, share his thoughts on how Africa can capitalise on the potential of disruptive technology, or the fourth wave of the mobile industry, as he puts it. M-commerce, he believes, will be far more “disruptive” than PC-based e-commerce ever was.
“The combination of identity, location and ‘transactability’ is far more disruptive than e-commerce ever was on PCs. You don’t carry a PC into a shop; your phone, you do,” he says.
Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, will describe how innovative mobile network operators can bridge the digital divide and connect the next billion. (Safricom is the pioneer of Mpesa, the world’s most developed mobile payment system).
If you’re looking to discover what support mobile operators need, mobile companies Millicom, Safaricom and Orange will offer expert guidance on how the mobile network operator role is evolving in response to a rapidly shifting digital landscape.
AfricaCom 2017 will provide three days of thought-provoking content and essential learning opportunities, including a chance to map Africa’s journey towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution with Luke Mckend, Country Director of Google South Africa.
Industry 4.0 will make manufacturing more efficient and productive. By optimising factories, it will directly improve yield. On the product side, it will also extract greater value from data for usage-based design and mass customisation, which in turn will open the way to new markets. On many levels, it will completely change the business model to an outcome-based approach.
Key to any future development will be the policies that enable or curtail progress. A keynote panel hosted by Shola Taylor, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Learn will explore how creating an enabling environment will support digital transformation in Africa. Also, up for discussion are the critical features of such an enabling environment; developing ICT policy to facilitate and accelerate the spread of Internet connectivity and aligning public policy and private sector development in the ICT space.
Commerce is mobile’s fourth wave: Vodacom, TechCentral,will provide three days of thought-provoking content and essential learning opportunities, including a chance to map Africa’s journey towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution with Luke Mckend, Country Director of Google South Africa.
Industry 4.0 will make manufacturing more efficient and productive. By optimising factories, it will directly improve yield. On the product side, it will also extract greater value from data for usage-based design and mass customisation, which in turn will open the way to new markets. On many levels, it will completely change the business model to an outcome-based approach.
Key to any future development will be the policies that enable or curtail progress. A keynote panel hosted by Shola Taylor, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Learn will explore how creating an enabling environment will support digital transformation in Africa. Also, up for discussion are the critical features of such an enabling environment; developing ICT policy to facilitate and accelerate the spread of Internet connectivity and aligning public policy and private sector development in the ICT space.
Unathi Mtya, CIO of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, will also facilitate a panel discussion (Nov 09, 09:30), unpacking how digital disruption is dislodging established business models and creating new opportunities for African start-ups and tech entrepreneurs. The panel will also tackle the critical importance of entrepreneurship in fuelling Africa’s digital economy and what start-ups can offer large corporates and vice versa.
Delegates can also access two days of informative IoT content and receive expert guidance from the likes of MTN, Barclays, SqwidNet and Deloitte.
Adding even more value to the delegate experience will be opportunities to learn about the role of public broadcasting in a digital age at the TV Connect Africa Conference where delegates will receive strategic insights from John Momoh (OON), Chairman and CEO of the Channels Media Group.
And what is work without play? Delegates will be able to party at the AFEST, AfricaCom’s live music concert and informal networking event at Shimmy Beach Club on 7 November. This is a party not to be missed.  A host of leading local and international artists, including AKA, Black Motion and Mr Silk, will entertain guests. Access to the AFEST is included in all delegate packages.
One delegate pass opens access to 16 conference tracks filled with premium content designed to keep you one step ahead of the competition in an uncertain age of digital disruption and transformation.
To register for a free visitor pass to  <a href="https://secure11.eventadv.com/africacom/?utm_source=AfricaCom%20Home%20Page%20EAS%20REG%20link&amp;utm_medium=Home%20Page%20EAS%20REG%20link&amp;utm_campaign=AfricaCom%20Home%20PAGE&amp;utm_term=Home%20Page%20EAS%20REG%20link&amp;utm_content=Home%20Page%20EAS%20REG%20link&amp;_ga=2.201027374.1843439784.1499777652-1431542068.1464264247">AfricaCom 2017</a> – please also see <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/">https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/</a> for more information and the agenda.
For media: to download images from the launch event, please follow this link to <a href="http://realtimeimages.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/20th-Anniversary-AfricaCom/C0000R6UA75FqI6I">AfricaCom 2017 Launch Photo Booth</a>] Password is: AfricaCom2017.

AfricaCom 2017 illuminates in an uncertain age of digital disruption and transformation

By: Standard Bank
What can we learn from the past, how do we find meaning in the present, and what awaits us in the future? These three questions provide the bedrock of the first ever Nigerian exhibition at the Venice Biennale, otherwise known as “The Olympics of Art”.
Since 1895 the world’s oldest cultural biennale has risen to become one of the most prestigious art exhibitions. Eight African countries are represented at the prestigious showcase this year: Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria makes its solo debut this year. Though superbly rich in artistic and cultural talent, the country hasn&#8217;t had nearly enough representation on the international art scene. Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State and commissioner of the Nigerian Pavilion, says that “opportunities like the Biennale offer a platform to establish national pride and develop a more positive narrative for the country.“
Curated by Adenrele Sonariwo and Emmanuel Iduma, the Nigerian exhibition at the 57th Venice Biennale, titled How about now?, features a rich multi-layered journey showcasing the country’s past, present and future, with an emphasis on the present, or as preferred by the artists, “the now”.
Mixing videos, conceptual art, installations, and performances, the exhibition showcases exceptional pieces by award-winning visual artist, writer and photographer <a href="http://www.victorehi.com/">Victor Ehikhamenor</a>, acclaimed writer, poet and mixed-media storyteller <a href="http://www.pejualatise.com/">Peju Alatise</a>, as well as performance artist, <a href="http://www.qudusonikeku.com/">Qudus Onikeku</a>. The combined genius of these three artists creates a contemporary, as well as far-reaching exhibition, that tells a fresh African narrative, while presenting Nigeria as part of the global art community.
Biography of the Forgotten BY VICTOR EHIKHAMENOR
Paying homage to the unsung and unrecorded pioneers of Nigerian art, Victor Ehikhamenor’s “Biography of the Forgotten” amalgamates bronze, mirrors, thread and acrylic to create a pure masterpiece.
In this installation, he tinkers with both the dilemma and material form of history while paying homage to the historical Igun Street in the heart of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Benin-historical-kingdom-West-Africa">ancient Benin Kingdom</a>. He sources hundreds of Benin bronze heads from the World Heritage Site that still maintains its guild structure to this day, addressing a fragmented history.
Against large canvases, Ehikhamenor alternatively places mirrors and the bronze heads, which bear metonymic weight, as symbols of colonial encounter &#8211; the former often exchanged for commodities as valuable as humans, and the latter plundered. In addressing the now, “Biography of the Forgotten” reenergizes historical time and material, reviving the past in an effort to bring meaning to the present.
Flying Girls BY PEJU ALATISE
Using metal, fiberglass, plaster of Paris, resins, and cellulose black matte paint as primary mediums, Peju Alatise uses her storytelling skills to create a fantastical masterpiece. Based on a book that Alatise is set to publish, the piece describes Sim, a little Yoruba girl who lives in two alternate worlds.
In one world she is a nine-year old girl who is rented out as a domestic servant working in Lagos, and the other world Sim lives in a dream world where she can fly at will. Alatise describes “Flying Girls” as a body of work dedicated to girls in Nigeria that offers them a little safe place for them to be children.
Right here Right now BY QUDUS ONIKEKU
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbYyzhBAus[/embedyt]
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHUcXhMwXxA[/embedyt]
Harmoniously combining elements of modern and African dance, contemporary choreography, and aspects of age-old Yoruba spirituality and philosophy, Qudus Onikeku presents his artistry in three sections:
Of Contemplation, Of Poetry, and Of Engagement.
His dance film brings into clear focus the tensions between the various senses of time, and how an audience can be triggered to remember. It draws from his recent and ongoing work to infuse dance with the energy of Yoruba spirituality, with emphasis on the significance of self, the commune, and the divine in imagining the role of aesthetics, beauty, and art.
Onikeku says: “I’m not interested in the present, I’m interested in the now, the present is concerned with the past, but the now is so powerful that it doesn’t have time to think about the past, it’s grabbing at the future. That’s when dance becomes so interesting; it’s constantly inventing the now.”

How About Now? Nigeria’s solo debut at the Venice Biennale

By: Land Rover
The All-New Range Rover Velar brings a new dimension of glamour, modernity and elegance to the Range Rover family. Designed to fill the white space between the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport, the Velar offers levels of luxury, refinement and all-terrain capability never before seen in the mid-size SUV segment. This is a new type of Range Rover for a new type of customer.
Created from a clean sheet using Jaguar Land Rover’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture, the Velar represents the next chapter of the Range Rover success story. Velar is defined by a visually reductive approach and meticulous attention to precision in every detail, which evolves Range Rover DNA and previews the next generation of Range Rover vehicles.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-286868" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Range-Rover_Velar_Land-Rover-SA.jpg" alt="" width="2048" height="1482" />
Velar’s design is beautifully balanced, from its powerful proportions to its continuous waist line through to the taut tapered lines of the rear. The generous wheelbase contributes significantly to its elegance while helping to provide a spacious interior.
Velar is now the compelling, stand-out design in the class, showcasing perfectly optimised volume, powerful, taut surfaces and a stunning silhouette, says Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover.
The large alloy wheels  in particular the range of 22-inch designs  optimise the vehicle’s stunning silhouette, while further enhancing Velar’s dramatic presence.
Advanced technology is pivotal to the contemporary design: the full-LED headlights are the most-slender ever to appear on a production Land Rover vehicle. The flush deployable door handles emphasise Velar’s reductive, sculptured form, and contribute to the low drag coefficient of only 0.32  this is the most aerodynamically-efficient Land Rover ever produced.
Look inside Velar’s interior and you will see elegant simplicity, sophistication and refinement.  An unwavering belief in reductionism has been fully employed, with switches being kept to an absolute minimum to help create a calm sanctuary.
Design enabling technology has been engaged fully to create the new Touch Pro Duo infotainment system which is the centrepiece of Velar’s interior. Touch Pro Duo features two 10-inch high-definition touchscreens integrated seamlessly behind secret-until-lit surfaces. These slim, intuitive displays work in harmony with the cabin architecture while adding an overall sense of modernity congruent with the vehicle’s exterior design. All of this is equalled by the Velar’s practicality: luggage compartment volume is an impressive 673-litres (558-litres with a spare wheel).
Unique in the segment, the Velar offers a sustainable, premium textile seat material as an alternative to leather. The Dapple Grey material was developed together with Kvadrat, Europe’s leading manufacturer of high-quality design textiles, and is complemented with suede cloth inserts in Ebony or Light Oyster.
The light, stiff, aluminium-intensive body, together with double-wishbone front- and Integral Link rear suspension provides the perfect basis for agile handling, superior ride comfort and outstanding refinement. It also delivers exceptional levels of crash protection, and the Velar has been developed to meet the most demanding crash test regulations worldwide.
Combined with a comprehensive restraints system that includes six airbags, and a suite of advanced driver assistance systems including Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist and an Adaptive Speed Limiter, the Velar integrates the latest safety technology.
The Velar features a sophisticated all-wheel drive system, four-corner air suspension, class-leading ground clearance of 251mm (213mm with coil springs), class-leading wading depth of 650mm (600mm with coil springs) and Land Rover’s unmatched suite of traction technologies including Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control. The Velar, like all Range Rovers, offers world-class all-terrain capability.
Exceptional performance and efficiency comes from the range of six petrol and diesel powertrains, all matched to smooth-shifting ZF eight-speed automatic transmissions and all-wheel drive with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics.
Clean, refined four-cylinder Ingenium diesels are offered in 132kW (180PS) and 177kW (240PS) variants, noted for their low 142g/km CO2 emissions and high 500Nm torque output respectively. These engines are joined by the new, highly-advanced four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine which delivers 184kW (250PS) and enables acceleration from 0-100km/h in just 6.7 seconds. An even more powerful, 221kW (300PS) version of this engine will join the Velar range in early 2018.
The V6 diesel combines an extraordinary 700Nm of torque for effortless acceleration and off-road capability with CO2 emissions of only 167g/km. The 280kW (380PS) supercharged V6 petrol engine combines exhilarating performance with a unique soundtrack and enables the Velar to reach 100km/h in only 5.7 seconds, before reaching an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h.
The Velar and Velar R-Dynamic core range comprises Standard, S, SE and HSE specifications. Customers can also specify Black and Luxury Exterior Packs for an even more distinguished appearance.
Designed and engineered at Jaguar Land Rover’s development centres in the UK, Velar will be produced at the company’s Solihull production facility, UK. It goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2017 in South Africa. Full details and pricing will be released closer to launch.

Land Rover presents the all-new Range Rover Velar

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This content was supplied to CNBC Africa by AfricaCom
The FREE to attend <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/ahub">AHUB</a> programme is designed to highlight the critical role of entrepreneurship in fuelling Africa’s digital economy and connect African tech start-ups and scale-ups to investors.
AHUB highlights include:
1) Meet 20 of the most promising digital start-ups in Africa – the World Bank’s XL Africa programme participants.  <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/agenda/3?stream=1#empowering-the-architects-of-africas-digital-future-fuelling-innovation-creativity-and-entrepreneurship">Find out more</a>.
2) Hear Facebook’s perspective on empowering the architects of Africa’s digital future: fuelling innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.  <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/agenda/3?stream=1#empowering-the-architects-of-africas-digital-future-fuelling-innovation-creativity-and-entrepreneurship">Find out more</a>.
3) Find out why tech start-ups should partner with African MNOs at our ‘when innovation and entrepreneurship meet scale and reach’ discussion at the AHUB.  <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/agenda/1">Find out more</a>.
4) Receive feedback from Andy Volk, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Ecosystem at Google on how corporates and tech leaders are supporting African start &#8211; ups.  <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/speakers/andy-volk">Find out more</a>. 
Would you like to attend the AHUB?
Complete this short registration form to attend: <a href="https://goo.gl/mh475i">https://goo.gl/mh475i</a>
Interested in taking part in the AHUB meeting service?
The AHUB meeting service offers two key ways to meet your target audience, through a one on one basis arranged in advance and on site at the show; and through a speed networking function pre-registered but held at the show within the AHUB space. An extremely effective way to leverage time and effort across Africa’s largest technology show.
Cut right to core of why you need to be there – meeting your target audience group. Ultimately there are two reasons to get involved:
&#8211; Meet the VCs and Funds looking to invest in Africa’s technology landscape
&#8211; Meet significant innovators and entrepreneurs that will scale in Africa’s TMT sector
AHUB START-UP REGISTRATION: <a href="https://get.knect365.com/africacom-ahub-application/?_ga=2.27357692.159768990.1507023051-1826445331.1467279154">https://get.knect365.com/africacom-ahub-application/?_ga=2.27357692.159768990.1507023051-1826445331.1467279154</a>
If you require any further information or want to find out more about the AfricaCom and the AHUB please visit the website  <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/">https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/</a>.

The AHUB at AfricaCom – Unleashing the power of Africa’s tech start-up ecosystem

South Africa’s Eskom has asked consultancy firms McKinsey and Trillian to pay it back 1.6 billion rand ($117 million), saying that an internal inquiry had found that the state power utility’s decisions to make the payments were unlawful.
“The interim findings from Eskom investigations into the circumstances surrounding payments made to both the companies point to certain decisions by Eskom, and resultant payments, as being unlawful,” Eskom said on Thursday.
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The utility said in a statement it has written to both companies requesting their cooperation in returning the money.
McKinsey, the world’s largest management consultancy, said it was reasssured by initial findings of the Eskom inquiry that showed the consultancy did not authorise any payments to Trillian.
Trillian was not immediately available for comment.
A third of the money was paid to Trillian, a company at the time connected to the Guptas, a trio of Indian businessmen who South Africa’s anti-graft watchdog has alleged used their links with President Jacob Zuma to win government contracts.
The Guptas have denied any wrongdoing, saying they are pawns a plot against Zuma, who has also denied any wrongdoing.
McKinsey is under parliamentary investigation in South Africa for fraud over a $130 million contract to advise Eskom.
A U.S. risk management firm advised Eskom last year to withhold tens of millions of dollars in payments for advice from McKinsey, because the global consultancy’s “very unusual” payment model allowed it to charge fees in excess of market rates.
($1 = 13.6195 rand)
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Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Alexander Smith and Edmund Blair
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South Africa’s Eskom asks McKinsey, Trillian to return $117MN

This article was supplied to CNBC Africa by Standard Bank
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You’ve likely heard of business “going green.” From installing solar panels on rooftops, utilising recycling bins, and switching off lights after hours, there are a number of ways both employers and employees can adjust their behaviour to operate in an environmentally responsible way.
But that’s just one part of building a sustainable business. Along with environmental well-being, it’s also about social impact and economic viability. This could include skills training for employees, and improving the quality of life in the communities in which you operate in.
Sustainability at What Cost?
There’s often a misconception that sustainability initiatives are expensive and will erode profits. On the contrary, it has shown to be beneficial for business owners from the bottom-line up.
Using the example of Egyptian agri-business SEKEM, that used biodynamic agricultural methods to start Egypt’s first organic farm in the middle of the desert forty years ago, a Harvard Business Review article titled ‘Making Sustainability Profitable’ offers three approaches for companies to ensure their environmental efforts pay off financially:
<ul>
<li>Many, like Sekem, took a long-term view, investing in initially more-expensive methods of sustainable operation that eventually led to dramatically lower costs and higher yields.</li>
<li>Others have taken a ‘bootstrap’ approach to conservation: they started with small changes to their processes that generated substantial cost savings, which they then used to fund advanced technologies that made production even more efficient.</li>
<li>Some have spread their sustainability efforts to the operations of their customers and suppliers, in the process devising new business models that competitors find hard to emulate.</li>
</ul>
You don’t need to incur high costs upfront, but rather adopt a model that works with your available resources, and adapt it to your sector.
That’s exactly what AccorHotels set out to do when they launched their internal sustainability management system, dubbed Charter 21, which recommends over 60 actions hotels can take to reduce their environmental footprint.
The French hotel chain group that operates in over a dozen African countries, commissioned two independent studies to assess the financial return on a number of their sustainability initiatives. The first study focused on the corporate social responsibility expectations of the hotels’ B-to- B customers, while the second provided a statistical analysis of the influence of several sustainable development indicators on profitability and guest satisfaction. Both revealed that the more a hotel invests in initiatives that reduce their environmental footprint, the more positive its paybacks are, both in terms of (1) reducing costs of water and energy for example, and (2) Increasing revenues partly due to enhanced reputation and guest satisfaction.
Other key takeaways:
<ul>
<li>Sustainability should not be viewed as a cost to the business.</li>
<li>Highly visible sustainability initiatives can be a very effective way to differentiate a company in the minds of customers and strengthen customer relationships.</li>
<li>Formal programmes that include specific, measurable objectives and a framework for managing progress towards achieving them are critical to making sustainability a core part of doing business.</li>
</ul>
Another core part is getting the buy-in from staff members. One of the key actions of AccorHotels’ Charter 21 is training employees in environmentally friendly practices.
Fostering a Culture of Sustainability
By encouraging employees to follow sustainable practices, it could soon become a norm that has a lasting impact in the workplace and in their private homes. Think about something as simple as using energy-saving bulbs at office desk lamps, or utilising reusable glass instead of plastic cups at the water cooler. Consider the possible knock-on effect if this results in a conscious behavioural change where the employee now turns the household water geyser off when not in use, or ploughs biodegradable kitchen scraps back into the garden instead of disposing as waste.
It’s this way of sustainable thinking that lead a turtle conservationist at Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium to start an eco-rooftop garden. Initially meant to feed the facilities’ green sea turtles, it soon evolved into a lush garden of waterwise indigenous plants and herbs that is shared among employees. Not a drop of water is wasted here, with the vegetation being nurtured by the condensation from nearby air conditioners. The sustainable rooftop garden now also functions as an oasis for employees during break time complete with recycled artwork, and a worm farm that feeds off lunch scraps which in turn becomes fertilizer that can be ploughed back into the garden.
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Nurturing Community-Based (Business) Partnerships
Sustainability relates to the future of your company and the broader community. Consider the impact of procuring goods and services from local businesses, or spreading your sustainability efforts to the behaviour of your suppliers and customers.
Kenya-based ICOSEED (Integrated Community Organisation for Sustainable Empowerment and Education for Development) have successfully nurtured a mutually-beneficial relationship with local farmers. Winner of the 2017 SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Awards, they buy banana stems from farmers, process it into balls of fibre, and then use them to produce (biodegradable) products such as bags and table mats. They even take it a step further by giving the by-product (slurry) back to the farmers to use for biogas or compost. ICOSEED factors in all three key tenets of sustainability in that they’ve accounted for environmental well-being by producing environmentally friendly products and promoting the use of slurry for compost and biogas digesters; social impact by providing job opportunities for stem transporters and extractors along with an alternative source of income for hundreds of farmers; and economic value.
The company now plans to Increase the number of farmers supplying banana stems from 400 to 9,000 by 2018, scale up the production capacity of banana fibre by buying new machinery, diversify the product range, and establish two new production sites in key banana growing areas.
ICOSEED has adopted a sustainability model that works with their available resources. They’re now able to reap the rewards by funding the advanced technologies that will increase their production efficiency, while also spreading their sustainability efforts to the operations of their suppliers. They encapsulate the ideal of a sustainable business, where environmental well-being, social impact and economic viability are obtained, demonstrating that sustainability indeed does make good business sense.

Why Sustainability Makes Good Business Sense

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This article was written and supplied to CNBC Africa by AfricaCom 
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Anyone who&#8217;s anyone in African telecoms and technology will be at <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/">AfricaCom 2017</a>. You should be too. Three days of thought-provoking content and amazing tech. It&#8217;s the place to get deals done.
GET YOUR FREE AFRICACOM VISITOR TICKET AND JOIN THE BIGGEST GATHERING OF TELECOMS &amp; TECHNOLOGY ENTHUSIASTS ON THE CONTINENT.
CLAIM YOUR FREE VISITOR TICKET HERE: <a href="https://goo.gl/6WbLwj">https://goo.gl/6WbLwj</a>
100’s of expert speakers sharing visionary insights, cutting edge technologies from 450 exhibitors, the hottest networking events the industry has to offer, plus a brand new Innovation Hall packed with future tech trends and the newest digital products.
WHY YOU CAN&#8217;T AFFORD TO MISS AFRICACOM 2017
<ul>
<li>Discover the latest technologies from 450 exhibitors</li>
<li>Take away expert advice from 400+ influential speakers</li>
<li>Meet 1000&#8217;s of professionals from across the TMT industry</li>
</ul>
If you would like to find out more about AfricaCom please visit the website: <a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/your-2017-visitor-pass">https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/your-2017-visitor-pass</a>

Network, Learn and Innovate @ AfricaCom 2017

This article was written and supplied to CNBC Africa by Chivas 
Inspiring the development of small and medium-Sized enterprises through innovation is the cornerstone of which, Tatiana Alves Pereira has established her entrepreneurial aspirations.
Tatiana is the co-founder and Managing Partner of IdeiaLab, Lda, a social enterprise that operates as a business incubator, working with entrepreneurs to promote and drive development and the promotion of sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation in Mozambique.
As an incubator, IdeiaLab seeks to harness and accelerate the advancement of entrepreneurship thus strengthening Mozambique’s innovation ecosystem. This is at the heart of Tatiana’s philosophy. It is through this ideal, that seasoned Business Journalist, and Chivas, #WinTheRightWay, season 2 presenter, Gugulethu Cele, caught up with the vivacious Mozambique native over a glass of Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old Whiskey.
“Entrepreneurship has the potential to be the solution to most of our challenges. In addition to creating and growing sustainable businesses, entrepreneurship is about having the courage to take the first step in making a difference,” says Tatiana.
IdeiaLab catalyses this potential for the people of Mozambique through making available, business mentorship and assisting aspiring entrepreneurs with business models and providing guidance.
Chivas, #WinTheRightWay season 2 is a television series on CNBC Africa that follows on the success of the first season in featuring Africa’s most inspiring social entrepreneurs who run their businesses based on profit with purpose. These entrepreneurs use their shared success to inspire other African entrepreneurs to be part of this ever-growing movement.
Tatiana’s roots are entrenched in enriching herself to have a greater impact in her community.
However, this journey has had its share of challenges as Tatiana shares that in recent times she’s had to make the tough decision to shut down one of her business operations.
“This is the reality of every business undertaking, success delayed does not mean success denied and I’ve had to learn that in my journey. This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make because I knew that it would not only impact me, but also those around me. Every successful business is built on the virtue of perseverance.”
Tatiana has channelled this experience as the momentum to pilot her business to collaborate on bigger initiatives that will ultimately position her to have a greater impact on the entrepreneurship landscape of Mozambique.
The fundamental principles of social entrepreneurship are making the business attractive to investors. For Tatiana, it’s about underpinning IdeiaLab’s capacity as an enterprise that demonstrates the social needs of its environment.
“Success is only worth it, if you can share it! We look forward to being at the forefront of incubating a culture of entrepreneurial development, sustainability and innovation.”
Tatiana’s consistent endeavour towards incorporating the principles of innovation to galvanise the development of her community resonates with Chivas’ dictum of winning the right way.
Chivas, Win the Right Way continues to profile African social entrepreneurs and airs on CNBC Africa and on DStv on channel 410. The premiere of season 2 will be on Wednesday 4th October at 21h15 CAT, 22h00 WAT and 24h00 EAT.

When the height of success, empowers others to achieve

This content was supplied to CNBC Africa by AfricaCom
<a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/?utm_source=CNBC%20NA1&amp;utm_medium=Homepage&amp;utm_campaign=20th%20Anniversary">AfricaCom</a>, Africa’s largest technology, telecoms and media event celebrates its 20th anniversary in November this year, and promises delegates and exhibitors three days of thought-provoking content and cutting-edge technology and a glimpse into what the future holds in terms of digital and its impact on life as we know it.
<a href="https://secure11.eventadv.com/africacom/?_ga=2.2997493.47320750.1505722000-1826445331.1467279154&amp;utm_source=CNBC%20NA1&amp;utm_medium=FREE%20VISITOR&amp;utm_campaign=20th%20Anniversary">Claim your FREE visitor pass here</a>.
Taking place from 7-9 November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa, organiser KNect365 has introduced a host of innovations of its own to celebrate this auspicious occasion &#8211; a brand-new and happening Technology Arena that will provide a glimpse of the potential the future holds for forward-thinkers – whether it is in the Fintech space, or E-Health, education, energy, agri-tech or more.
<a href="https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/technology-arena?utm_source=CNBC%20NA1&amp;utm_medium=Tech%20Arena&amp;utm_campaign=20th%20Anniversary">The Technology Arena</a> will also house an exciting array of new tech (over 100 exhibitors), some of which, will be interactive and on display in demo pods, along with many other novel developments that will debut at the show.  Included in this exciting space is another fresh feature, AfricaCom 20/20.  This is a brand-new show floor item dedicated to accelerating Africa’s digital transformation and is the centrepiece of the new arena.
Underpinning the event, is a business-critical agenda and, as always, world class speakers, alongside over 400 exhibitors. But AfricaCom is more than an exhibition and a conference.  It is now a staging ground for re-imagining and re-defining how we, as Africans and humans, will communicate and transact with one another.
“2017 is a landmark for AfricaCom. Over the past two decades, we have grown from being a purely telecommunications-focused event, to a broader, digital communications show now hosting the foremost group of influencers involved in every aspect of the African digital ecosystem,” explained Tom Cuthell, Portfolio Director of KNect365, the organiser of the event.
“As the digi-sphere continues to expand and impact every aspect of our personal and professional lives, AfricaCom has grown in scope to create a broad platform for everybody involved in powering the digital economy in Africa.”
The importance of this event is unquestionable.  Over the past two decades, it has provided a stage for robust debate, as well as identifying the needs for Africa’s growth and the solutions and subsequent policy making that has seen the continent leapfrog the desktop era, straight into mobile.
‘Digital’ is now intrinsic in our daily DNA, tomorrow and the day after.  As such, AfricaCom’s bringing together of front-end developers and backend engine drivers, into one place, is an essential service to the custodians of not just Africa’s future, but the planet’s, as we embrace the merging of man and machine in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
About AfricaCom 2017
AfricaCom is part of the Connecting Africa series of events that expose delegates, the media and the savvy, to the latest advancements and opportunities in technology and the digital ecosystem. Taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 7 &#8211; 9 November 2017, AfricaCom is now in its 20th year.   AfricaCom is Africa’s largest technology, media and telecommunications conference &amp; exhibition.  The conference programme covers the most strategic issues affecting companies in Africa’s digital market &#8211; services, efficiency, profitability, customer experience, partnerships, policy and more – and features several co-located events: LTE, TVC &amp; Mission Critical Africa.
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AfricaCom 2017 – Celebrating 20 years of Africa’s telecoms and technology journey

This release was supplied to CNBC Africa by RMB 
One of the most important findings of Rand Merchant Bank’s (RMB) seventh edition of <a href="http://www.rmb.co.za/globalmarkets/where-to-invest-in-africa-2018-edition/">Where to Invest in Africa</a> is that the African continent could find itself hovering on the brink of disaster if it continues to depend on its current economic fundamentals and does not usher in economic diversification. Where to Invest in Africa 2018 highlights those countries which have understood the need to adapt to the prolonged slowdown in commodity prices and sluggish levels of production growth – and those which haven’t.
Where to Invest in Africa 2018 is “Money Talks” and this edition “follows the money” on the African continent to evaluate aspects crucial to each country’s economic performance.  The report focuses on the main sources of dollar revenues in Africa which allows it to measure the most important income generators and identify investment opportunities.
“Over the past three years, some African governments have had to implement deep and painful budget cuts, announce multiple currency devaluations and adopt hawkish monetary policy stances &#8211; all as a result of a significant drop in traditional revenues,” says RMB Africa analyst and co-author of Where to Invest in Africa 2018 Celeste Fauconnier.
“Some countries have been more nimble and effective than others in managing shortfalls,” says Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana, also RMB Africa analyst and an author of the report. “But major policy dilemmas have ensued, forcing governments to balance economically prudent solutions with what is politically palatable.”
“The last three years have sounded an alarm, amplifying what is now a dire need for the economies of Africa to shift their focus from traditional sources of income to other viable alternatives,” says Neville Mandimika, RMB Africa analyst and contributor to Where to Invest in Africa 2018
“These years have exposed a number of African nations to severe economic stress – especially that of liquidity shortages. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix to infuse into a context as complex as this, and traditional forms of revenue will remain a reality for many years to come,” says Ronak Gopaldas, RMB Africa analyst and co-author.
In this edition of <a href="http://www.rmb.co.za/globalmarkets/where-to-invest-in-africa-2018-edition/">Where to Invest in Africa 2018</a>, RMB’s Investment Attractiveness Index, which balances economic activity against the relative ease of doing business, illustrates how subdued levels of economic activity have diluted several scores on the index when compared to last year, resulting in some interesting movements within the Top 10.
Notable omissions from the Top 10 this year are Nigeria and Algeria, which have fallen from numbers six and 10 to numbers 13 and 15 respectively. Ethiopia and Rwanda, on the other hand, have climbed three and four places respectively.
But probably the most notable change is that South Africa has fallen from first place for the first time since the inception of the report, ceding its place to Egypt which is now Africa’s most attractive investment destination.
Egypt displaced South Africa largely because of its superior economic activity score and sluggish growth rates in South Africa, which have deteriorated markedly over the past seven years. South Africa also faces mounting concerns over issues of institutional strength and governance though in South Africa’s favour are its currency, equity and capital markets which are still a cut above the rest, with many other African nations facing liquidity constraints.
Morocco retained its third position for a third consecutive year having benefitted from a greatly enhanced operating environment since the “Arab Spring” which began in 2010. Surprisingly, Ethiopia, a country dogged by socio-political instability, displaced Ghana to take fourth spot mostly because of its rapid economic growth, having brushed past Kenya as the largest economy in East Africa. Ghana’s slide to fifth position was mostly due to perceptions of worsening corruption and weaker economic freedom.
Kenya holds firm in the Top 10 at number six. Despite being surpassed by Ethiopia, investors are still attracted by Kenya’s diverse economic structure, pro-market policies and brisk consumer spending growth. A host of business-friendly reforms aimed at rooting out corruption and steady economic growth helped Tanzania climb by two places to number seven. Rwanda re-entered the Top 10 having spent two years on the periphery, helped by being one of the fastest reforming economies in the world, high real growth rates and its continuing attempt to diversify its economy.
At number nine, Tunisia has made great strides in advancing political transition while an improved business climate has been achieved by structural reforms, greater security and social stability. Cote d’Ivoire slipped two places to take up the tenth position. Although its business environment scoring is still relatively low, its government has made significant strides in inviting investment into the country leading to a strong increase in foreign direct investment over the years resulting in one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.
For the first time, Nigeria does not feature in the Top 10, with its short-term investment appeal having been eroded by recessionary conditions. Uganda is steadily closing in on the Top 10 though market activity is likely to remain subdued after a tumultuous 2016 marred by election-related uncertainty, a debilitating drought and high commercial lending rates. Though Botswana, Mauritius and Namibia are widely rated as investment grade economies, they do not feature in the Top 10 mostly because of the relatively small sizes of their markets – market size has been a key consideration in the report’s methodology.
Where to Invest in Africa 2018 also includes 191 jurisdictions around the world, and measures Africa’s performance relative to other country groupings. The unfortunate reality is that African countries are still at the lower end of the global-performance spectrum, which continues to be dominated by the US, UK, Australia and Germany.
<ul>
<li>Article written by RMB</li>
</ul>

Africa could find itself hovering on the brink of disaster if it doesn’t make these changes 

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This content piece was supplied to CNBC Africa by Standard Bank
After scouring the store for a new pair of sneakers, Paballo Molahlehi finally lands on the one that catches her attention. She stares at it excitedly, swooning over the fresh pair of purple Reeboks. “It’s precisely the one I was looking for, I knew I was going to find it here” she nods as she adds the shoes to her shopping basket. Thrilled with her latest addition to her growing sneaker collection, she navigates her way to the pay point. Molahlehi is doing all this while reclining comfortably on her couch, enjoying the convenience of online shopping. “I stopped going in-store after discovering online shopping. It makes more sense because my purchases get delivered to me for free, and I usually get discounts.”
Molahlehi is among Africa’s growing middle class who have money to spend and whose shopping habits have changed. With the surge of internet penetration on the continent, many Africans are easing into the habit of shopping online. According to a McKinsey’s Lions go digital report, online shopping could account for up to 10% of retails sales (with a value of around US $75 billion) by 2025, as more Africans gain access to the internet.
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Created using <a style="color: #30a0ea;" href="http://www.visme.co/make-infographics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visme</a>. An easy-to-use Infographic Maker.
The increasing access to the internet is seeing a rapid emergence of e-commerce sites eager to tap into the continent’s growing online consumerism. The likes of Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa are at the forefront of this evolution. Companies such as Jumia, a Lagos-based online retailer, are dipping their finger in almost all major markets on the continent, cutting themselves an enviable piece of every pie. Jumia is also among Africa’s best-funded e-commerce sites, having raised US $150 million in funding in 2014.
As more people take to the internet to do their shopping, the demand for devices such as smartphones also increases. The 2017 Accenture Digital Consumer Survey finds that in countries such as South Africa, smartphone acquisition increased from 52% in 2016 and 63% in 2017. Some of the more technologically advanced nations like Kenya and Nigeria boast a smartphone uptake of more than 44% and 30% respectively. Across the continent, the number of smartphone users saw a nearly twofold increase, reaching more than 226 million. This spike in smartphone penetration is steering a digital revolution on the continent, exposing users to the endless opportunities the internet provides.
Here are some of the top e-commerce platforms in Africa that are reaping the benefits of the booming internet penetration on the continent.
JUMIA
With a mission statement and ethos for connecting African consumers and entrepreneurs to do better business together, Jumia is blazing the trail of e-commerce sites in Africa.
The company is creating a platform where small, medium and large African companies link with their potential market, thus creating a new-age ecosystem that bypasses the middle man.
Launched in 2012 in Nigeria, the site has solidified a footprint in over 23 African countries, with a network of over half a million sellers since its inception. Jumia has managed to create a stellar reputation for being a hub for products and services spanning across the retail, food and hospitality, talent recruitment, concierge and the hotel and catering industries. Apart from servicing the needs of consumers and businesses, Jumia has also been upskilling and aiding employment for many Africans who are qualified in areas such as Engineering, IT and online marketing and web development.
TAKEALOT
South Africa’s Takealot is the go-to online retailer for the shopper that seeks a convenient and simplified online buying and user experience. The site has been around for over a decade, having been established in the year 2002. Its broad catalogue and variety of products in entertainment gives it an impressionable edge. Customers can shop anything from books to games, computers and TVs.
Part of what makes Takealot an e-commerce success story is that the online retailer strives to provide its customers with the very latest products in the market, coupled with up-to-date product specification.
In April 2017, Takealot scored a significant investment of over US $69 million from Naspers, one of Africa’s biggest digital companies. This came after the online retailer received US $100 million investment from investment firm Tiger Global Management in 2014. Naspers boasts a 53,5% stake in Takealot, while Tiger Global owns about 34%.
KILIMALL
Kenya’s largest online shopping mall, Kilimall is relatively new in the e-commerce space but has remarkably managed to create an inter-continental mark since its launch in 2014. The site, now established in other countries such as Nigeria and Uganda, has a retail customer base that continues to boom.
Kilimall is known for providing electronics such as phones, computers and gadgets, stocking top brands such Samsung, Huawei, Lenovo, and Phillips. The site also offers other products such as home appliances, clothes, books, health and beauty products, and more. All its services are accompanied by a 7-day free return policy on their premium range of goods, making it an attractive choice for consumers.
KONGA
Konga has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2012 as a Lagos-only e-commerce site that specialised in baby and beauty care. The online platform has morphed into a major online retailer, often dubbed “The Amazon of Africa.” In 2015, Konga joined forces with leading Nigerian banks to launch KongaPay, a safe and convenient online payment method to tackle the issue of trust in Africa when it came to online payments.
The online marketplace was one of the first in Africa to create a system of payment that was integrated with world banks – an innovation that uses click system that eliminated the sharing of sensitive information during payments.
With a backing from the South African media giant, Naspers, Konga is now a major player in the e-commerce space. In 2014, Naspers, which has a 50% stake in Konga, invested US $50 million in the online store.
BIDORBUY
Established in 1999, South Africa’s online store Bidorbuy is one of the oldest online marketplaces in Africa. What makes the site unique is that buyers don’t only get to purchase what they want, but they can also make a bid for products, functioning as an online auction. The site provides a platform to facilitate trade between buyers and sellers. Previously owned items such as antiques and collectables are some of the most popular on Bidorbuy, making up 40% of all items sold. Other second-hand products shoppers prefer include high-end DSLR cameras and lenses, laptops, books, as well as video games.
Over the years, Bidorbuy has made several acquisitions of South African online businesses. These include popular sites such as online jobs portal, Jobs.co.za and e-commerce company uAfrica.com.
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Africa’s e-commerce boom is giving rise to a sophisticated African digital consumer

Essence Festival Durban is celebrating black excellence across business, technology, arts and culture. The festival is centered around economic empowerment and will inspire patrons by showcasing Bishop TD Jakes, MTN Joyous Celebration, Rev Al Sharprton, Dr Judy Dlamini, Fred Khumalo, Gcina Mhlophe, Jill Scott and many more under the theme Firing Africa with Inspiration.
The six-day festival offers free daily empowerment workshops, seminars and exhibitions across various sectors at the Durban ICC and Exhibition centre. Go to Computicket for more information about the Saturday All Star, and Sunday Gospel Experience concerts. For information on the festival log onto  <a href="http://www.essencefestivaldurban.com">www.essencefestivaldurban.com</a>

Essence Festival Durban: Celebrating black excellence

Home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world, Africa has an abundance of attractive investment opportunities. Emerging market and developing economies are anticipated to grow 4.1% – far faster than advanced economies, according to the recently released <a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/26800/9781464810244.pdf?sequence=14&amp;isAllowed=y">Global Economics Prospect</a> report, who also cite Ethiopia, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal as some of the fastest growing economies on the continent, and in the world.
Tapping into the opportunities that come from that growth – whether as an individual or entrepreneur – will likely leave you in search of a dedicated financial services provider. But how do you go about finding a stable partner? We suggest asking these 3 key questions:
<h3>What’s their strength &amp; expertise?</h3>
You need to assess whether they can provide the required products adapted to Africa’s need, and if they have the financing to support your development if you’re coming to them as an individual or entrepreneur.
What asset class do they work with and what segment do they service?
Do they offer equity, mezzanine, or debt finance?
The answer to these will help you decide if it’s the right fit for your business. It’s imperative that you feel confident in the stability and sophistication of their systems to manage any requirements your business might have. Assess the strength of their balance sheet – the stronger it is, the more likely they’re able to take on your project.
<h3>Where are they located?</h3>
Glocalization is key. You want a partner who has a global outlook, but with local expertise. Assess their footprint in Africa – and find out how expansive their presence on the ground is in the country you’re interested in. This extends to regional presence too if you’re looking to engage in cross-border transactions.
Do they have an extensive network of bank branches and ATMs for you to access across the country or countries you plan to operate in?
That physical presence means they’re likely to have a better understanding of the local landscape – with 54 countries in Africa, each environment is unique, and you want a partner who is able to help you navigate through it.
<h3>How accessible are they?</h3>
Embracing the digital revolution is no longer an option for financial services providers, with online banking playing a critical role in delivering innovative products within the globalised business environment. While not all banks have adopted a digital first mindset, most offer basic electronic facilities that allow you to access your accounts online, whether personal or business.
But what about more advanced business needs –  are the systems efficient enough to bank manage complex transactions like managing liquidity across a range of local and foreign currency bank accounts?

Finding the right banking partner in Africa

Since the year 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has given eligible African countries duty and quota free access to the United States’ markets. This has created an opportunity for African businesses, big or small to meet, trade with new markets and improve the quality of their products. Over the years, it has been described as a catalyst for democracy and a criterion for African countries that want to partake in the AGOA agreement.
The 16th edition of AGOA Forum sought to explore how countries can continue to maximise the benefits AGOA provides. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the National Organization Committee of the AGOA Forum in Togo, led by Mrs. Dede Ahoéfa Ekoue, the Lomé edition of the event was a great success. Togolese Prime Minister Komi Klassou described the forum as an “opportunity for Sub-Saharan Africa to review the different challenges and point out the challenges of achieving accelerated and inclusive growth”.
<blockquote>To learn more about the 16th edition of AGOA Forum watch&#8230;</blockquote>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F0NTiSkLrv4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> 
“The key matter of the forum is how do we leverage trade for the economic good of our people and see the best way to maximise the opportunities of AGOA?,”  added Togolese Minister for Trade Bernadette Legzim-Balouki.
According to the Togolese trade minister, the volume of trade between the US and Africa has dipped in the past few years.  According to <a href="https://agoa.info/data/total-trade.html">AGOA’s website</a>, combined two-way goods trade in 2015 was valued at $36 billion and $50 billion in 2014.
Intra-African integration which reportedly stands at 13 percent is said to contribute to Africa’s low contribution to global trade.  According to some delegates at the conference,   the removal of certain barriers to aid connectivity will go a long way in improving Africa’s contribution to global trade.
“Togo has 8 million inhabitants, a small market. But ECOWAS is a market of 300 million. We can consolidate and boost exports, “ says  Balouki
Togo is a West African country working to achieve this. With massive investments in its infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, the small West African country is positioning itself to become a transport hub in West Africa.  Togo’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Ninsao Gnofam calls it a place of transit.
With a modern airport and the construction of another 300 kilometre runway, owning one of the deepest Sea Ports in Africa and a number of inter-connecting road projects, Togo is gradually becoming a transport hub for the import and export of goods in out of Africa.
“We can welcome ships carrying 20,000 containers,” says Ninsao
Togo was granted a textile visa which allows the country export apparels to the United States of America. While this is a laudable achievement, Togo does not own a textile mill.  Togo’s cottons are milled outside the continent and imported into the country. Senior Bureau Official At The Bureau Of African Affairs, Peter Ballerin says AGOA allows for eligible countries to export textiles milled outside the country. But how much can countries such as Togo benefit from such provisions. This emphasises the need for African countries to revive textile manufacturing in order to reap full benefits AGOA provides,.
Togo is also rich in agriculture and has the potential to boost its economy through the export of agriculture produce. According to the US Ambassador to Togo David Gilmour, “Togo has a lot of productive land but there are barriers that must be addressed, barriers such as land rights, business climate issues, telecoms service and increase in competitiveness”.
That said, Togo is an excellent investment destination, he adds.
Togo is working to improve the ease of doing business in the country. It takes just two days to register a business in there.  Togo however is one country out of many eligible African countries under AGOA.  Delegates at the conference believe a lot more needs to be done especially when one considers the fact that the AGOA agreement may not be extended beyond 2025.
Fred Oladeinde, Chairman of the Civil Society Network Secretariat sums it up better, “millions of Dollars and lives have been invested to get us this far. We need to use our time wisely to achieve our goals and objectives of crafting competitive policies, implement cost effective initiatives in developing infrastructure and linkages that bring the level of investment and technology required to build industries and create jobs”
While Togo’s economic recovery has allowed the country emerge as a dynamic player in the region with the Lomé Ports,  home to regional  Airline, Asky and Pan African Bank, Ecobank, Togo is introducing reforms which it hopes will increase its growth rate from 6 per cent recorded in 2015. Togo’s aim is to trade with the rest of Africa and the world. The underlying objective is to ensure every citizen takes part in this journey towards economic stability.
For Africa, the time to act is now as 2025 is just a few years away.
<ul>
<li>This article was written by Onyi Sunday.</li>
</ul>

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