Issue No. 5 www.Aspire-Africa.com
Committed To Promoting African Synergy
+
PROJECT
FOCUS
DUBE TRADE PORT
SOUTH AFRICA
ALS KENYA AFRICA’S EXPLODING TECH ECOSYSTEM
5 INSPIRING AFRICAN ONLINE STORES
ELECTRIFYING
AFRICA Mansoor Hamayun, CEO and Co-Founder, BBOXX Providing Innovative, Affordable, Clean Energy to Off-Grid Communities in the Developing World
GAMECHANGER How do you want to convey your success? What is behind African entrepreneurship? Who are the continent’s movers and shakers? What are the challenges they have successfully overcome? How are they making positive contributions towards collective growth and sustainability of the richest continent on Earth? What is the source of inspiration that drives them? These are some of the questions, successes and stories that we are aiming to showcase to our audience!
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Contents ARTICLES
FROM THE BLOG
18
INFRASTRUCTURE
Africa & The Cloud are Ready to Lead Banking & FinTech Services Transformation By: Justin Floyd
22
ENERGY
New Energy Boss Targets Access and Africa as World Bank Priorities
24
By: William Brent
ENERGY
Empowering Women in WA to Advance Energy Access Goals By: Peyton Fleming
28
32
TECH
Africa’s Exploding Tech Startup Ecosystem By: Jeff Desjardins
36
REAL ESTATE
Q&A: JLL Interview: Developing Future African Cities
5 Inspiring African Online Stores to Inspire You by Victoria Greene
By: African Real Estate Summit
REGULAR FEATURES Editorial EditorialNote Note
6
News NewsininBrief Brief
8
Appointments Appointments
14
Upcoming UpcomingEvents Events
4 Contents
86
PROJECT FOCUS
52
Dube TradePort
Contents COVER STORY
COVER
FEATURE
40
Mansoor Hamayun
Co-Founder/CEO BBOXX
Editorial Note UGANDA FUTURE ENERGY
70
News in Brief CAR FUTURE ENERGY
72
Appointments AFRICA REAL ESTATE SUMMIT
74
Upcoming Events 24th AFRICA OIL WEEK
76
FINNOVATION AFRICA
78
62
AFRICACOM
80
FLYING HIGH
FUTURE ENERGY NIGERIA
82
ALS Limited Kenya. An exclusive with company CEO, Shakeel Khan.
FUTURE ENERGY EAST AFRICA
84
COMPANY PROFILE
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0
5
Editor’s Note
H
ello, and welcome to the fifth edition of Aspire Africa. It seems like just yesterday that the first edition of this publication arrived, and it is a pleasure and a privilege to continue delivering the news surrounding the newest innovations from the continent.
This edition promises to be one of our best, offering some excellent pieces that get right to the heart of Africa’s continuing growth and the steps companies and individuals are taking to provide the best quality of life for its citizens. Inside you will find more information about the question of access to electricity, both the challenges faced and the technologies being harnessed to overcome them. Our cover feature looks at the astonishing strides solar provider BBOXX is making to do just that. In addition, you will read a thought-provoking article about the issues facing African women when it comes to energy usage and availability, and the incredible efforts being made to increase female participation in the decision-making process on electrification. We look also at Africa’s relationship with The Cloud through the eyes of technology firm RedCloud, the new priorities in the coming year for the World Bank, and the tech start-up ecosystem that is exploding across the continent. This is an edition packed with information about all areas of African business, including detailed previews of some of the most important conferences and exhibitions to look forward to in the coming months. As always, the team and I hope you enjoy this edition and our continuing journey into African commerce. We will be back in the winter to keep you updated on the people and companies making a difference across the African continent. Thank you for reading.
6 Editor’s Note
Publisher Sam Khan
Media Director Tabrez Khokhar
Associate Editor Sales Director Nicholas Paul Griffin Yasser Khokhar Contributors William Brent Peyton Fleming Victoria Greene Jeff Desjardins
Publication Layout Zahir Malik Web Production Raizwan Butt
UK Office 145-157 St. John Street, London, EC1V 4PW, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)20 7193 9001 Kenya Office Office C7, Elite View, Githunguri Road, Kileleshwa, Nairobi. Tel: +254 (0) 704 927 737 Subscription: www.aspire-africa.com Feedback: communications@aspire-africa.com Our Digital Presence >
© Aspire Africa 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed in the Aspire Africa publication are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. All reasonable care is taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but the editor and publishers cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles, advertising, photographs or illustrations. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome but cannot be returned without a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The editor is not responsible for material submitted for consideration.
#Fact China is Africa’s top trade partner, with Sino-African trade volumes now nearing $200 billion per year.
News
Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa to support first utilityscale solar PV Project in Lesotho and to reducing reliance on imported coal-generated power from South Africa, thereby promoting independence of power supply, achieving substantial savings in the national budget and abating regional CO2 emissions. The African Development Bank (AfDB)managed Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) approved a US$ 695,500 grant to NEO I SPV Pty Ltd., a subsidiary of OnePower Lesotho Pty Ltd., to support the preparation of a bankable business case for the development of the winning project of the 2016 Lesotho 20 MW solar PV tender, foreseen to become the first utility-scale solar PV project in Lesotho. RENEWABLE ENERGY
The power will feed into the national grid in Mafeteng Province. The project will contribute to a strategic phase-out of costly power imports from Mozambique
“The bank will support the structuring of the project and lead it to bankability. Our ambition is to turn it into a reference solar PV project for the SADC Region,” stated Ousseynou Nakoulima, AfDB’s Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. SEFA support is instrumental in leading the project to financial closure by funding technical and financial services, environmental and social impact assessment, lenders’ due diligence and risk allocation. In addition, the AfDB’s Africa Climate Technology Centre (ACTC) will cover the costs for legal services and project implementation support. The Project will contribute about 13% to Lesotho’s maximum
system demand of around 150 MW. By substituting 20 MW of costly imported power from Mozambique, it will decrease power retail prices in Lesotho. It will also entail greenhouse gas emission substitution effects as a result of reducing imports of thermally generated power from RSA. The project is aligned with the bank’s 10-Year Strategy focusing on inclusive/green growth through the delivery of energy access, the bank’s Energy Policy and the New Deal on Energy for Africa. On national level, the project is aligned with Lesotho National Electrification Master Plan (NEMP), the Lesotho Electricity Authority Act No.12 of 2002 and its National Rural Electrification Program (NREP) as well as with the Government of Lesotho Vision 2020 and its 5th Pillar “Poverty Reduction through Energy Access.”
Erin Energy announces the arrival of rig to Oyo Field, Nigeria OIL & GAS Erin Energy Corporation (Erin Energy or the Company) (NYSE MKT:ERN) (JSE:ERN) announced today the arrival of the Pacific Bora drilling rig to the Oyo field offshore Nigeria.
(Oyo-9) on the Oyo field in deepwater offshore Nigeria. The company expects to commence drilling of Oyo-9 in approximately 10 days and for the well to add an additional 6,000 to 7,000 barrels per day.
Erin Energy plans to use Pacific Bora to drill the Oyo-9 well
The Pacific Bora is a highly efficient sixth generation
8 News in Brief
double-hulled drillship. The company has the option to drill up to two additional wells. If exercised, the rig will be used to drill two of its offshore Nigeria exploration prospects in the prolific Miocene geological zone, which has been proven highly prolific in neighboring blocks.
#Fact Over 55% of Africa’s labour force work in food production, with vast areas of arable and pastoral lands supporting agricultural economies.
Seabury Solutions to deploy MRO IT Solution with Air Zimbabwe LOGISTICS Seabury Solutions, a subsidiary of Seabury Capital LLC and the market leader in providing IT solutions for the aviation industry, announced that Africabased Air Zimbabwe had signed contracts for Alkym® Management and Control System for Aircraft Maintenance, becoming the fourth Africa-based flag carrier to implement the company’s industry-leading Alkym solution.
With complete solutions to cater for CAMO and MRO service integrated with logistics, Alkym was able to meet the high demands from the selection process. “This first half of 2017 has demonstrated that Alkym continues to lead the industry in providing the top-of-the-market functionality across the aviation world,” said Seabury Solutions Senior Vice President John Barry. “While we are currently deploying Alkym in Europe, South America and the Caribbean, once again Africa will see our teams on site, proving time and again that cost effective solutions are required but
News Launch of Eutelsat’s Konnect Africa broadband service The Konnect Africa broadband venture set up by Eutelsat Communications has this month officially launched new-generation services, starting in Benin, Cameroon, Image: GTSouth Bank Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Uganda. LOGISTICS
must never compromise on functionality.” Air Zimbabwe has opted for 13 of 18 of the modules provided within Alkym. The configuration of the system and training of the personnel are currently under way, with system implementation set to begin with a two-week workshop to map out the process for the most effective deployment of the solution to meet Air Zimbabwe’s needs. Captain Ripton Muzenda, Air Zimbabwe CEO, under whose leadership the airline is expected to embark on an ambitious journey to reclaim its place in the skies, commented: “The control of our technical operations is the foundation of the building blocks we are putting in place. We want to bring Air Zimbabwe back to its glory days. Working with an industry leader in Seabury Solutions that transformation can begin. The software solution is proven and the people behind it understand the complexity of our operation.”
Konnect Africa’s innovative service offerings and products, including packaged offers inspired by ‘pay as you go’ models and Wi-Fi hotspot schemes, are fully aligned with the needs and preferences of end-users in these different markets. Konnect Africa is initially using capacity on Yahsat’s Al Yah 2 satellite (16 Ka-band spotbeams) with expansion supported by a further 18 spotbeams on the Al Yah 3 satellite that is scheduled for launch by the end of 2017 and aims to cover most of Sub-Saharan Africa by 2019.
Image: Guardian NG
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0
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#Fact
News
The African continent has the largest reserves of precious metals, with over 40% of the gold reserves, over 60% of the cobalt, and 90% of the platinum reserves.
Voith tech to supply electricity for eight million Angolans The order volume for Voith amounted to more than EUR 100 million.
Image: Voice of Renewables
In the presence of 500 international guests from the political, industrial and social arenas, Angola’s Vice President Manuel Domingos Vicente officially opened the Cambambe 2 hydropower plant at the end of June 2017 on behalf of President José Eduardo dos Santos. Technology group Voith was the project’s key partner and was responsible for the supply and installation of the turbines, generators, control technology and associated electromechanical systems. ENERGY
The new Cambambe 2 hydropower plant has four generator-turbine units with a total installed capacity of 700 MW. In future, the plant on the River Kwanza will generate electricity for up to eight million of Angola’s residents and will therefore make a significant contribution to expanding the electricity generation capacities of this nation in southwestern Africa. The new hydropower facility was installed next to the existing Cambambe 1 plant, which has been in operation since 1962 and was extensively upgraded by Voith between 2008 and 2012. The technology group
Voith was able to increase the power plant output by around 40 percent to 260 MW, which is higher than the contractually agreed level. Due to its positive experience with this project, the state energy utility and plant operator Empresa Nacional de Electricidade de Angola (ENE) again opted to work with Voith to supply the electromechanical equipment for the new Cambambe 2 power plant. On the entire continent the technically feasible development potential of hydropower is estimated at more than 470 GW. However, the current installed capacity in Africa is only around 31 GW, giving Africa the world’s highest percentage of hydropower potential.
AgDevCo invests in Tanzanian poultry business Kingchick Poultry specialises in quality broiler chickens for the local market, supporting food security and offering high quality protein at lower prices to customers. FOOD & DRINK
AgDevCo’s investment allows Kingchick Poultry to modernise its existing infrastructure and expand its production. AgDevCo, a social impact agribusiness investor,
10 News in Brief
announced a $225,000 debt investment into a Tanzanian poultry business. The company, Kingchick Poultry, is scaling up its operations with the aim of establishing a food safe, quality controlled source of chicken for the Tanzanian market. Kingchick Poultry is a Tanzanian owned and run broiler producer, founded by Rose Sweya in 2010. Since 2010 the business
has enjoyed significant growth. Initially rearing 200 broilers per cycle, today Kingchick produces over 130,000 broilers per year. AgDevCo’s investment will support the business to grow production in the coming years through the modernisation and expansion of its facilities, as well as provide additional support to the governance and management of the business as it grows.
#Fact There are fewer people with internet connections in Africa than there are in just New York City.
News
Sibanye commences consultation on restructuring its gold operations MINING Sibanye announced that it will enter into consultation with relevant stakeholders in terms of section 189A (“Section 189A”) of the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995 (“LRA”), regarding restructuring of its gold operations pursuant to ongoing losses experienced at its Beatrix West and Cooke operations. The initiation of S189 consultations comes after numerous unsuccessful attempts to contain losses at these operations.
Losses experienced at these operations negatively affect group cash flow as
well as the sustainability and economic viability of other operations in the Southern Africa region, in this way, posing a threat to more sustainable employment across the region. Since listing in 2013, Sibanye has steadily grown as an employer, from 37,700 employees four years ago, to becoming one of the largest employers in the South African mining industry with 58,000 permanent employees. Approximately 7,400 Sibanye employees at all levels may be affected as a result of the proposed restructuring.
Through the Section 189A consultations, the company and affected stakeholders will consider alternatives to potential closure of the operations in an attempt to avoid or reduce retrenchments. Neal Froneman, Chief Executive Officer of Sibanye, commented: “The decision to commence with this restructuring process has not been taken lightly.”
Solarcentury partners with the EU and UNDP in powering remote communities in Eritrea Solarcentury has been selected to design and build two solar powered mini-grids using solar PV and lithium batteries to power the communities of Areza and Maidma in Eritrea. The €5.7million contract will showcase the use of solar hybrid power systems to provide grid quality power to 40,000 people and businesses remote from the grid and presents a model for rural electrification across Africa. RENEWABLE ENERGY
The overall project is funded by the EU through the ACP
EU Energy Facility (10th European Development Fund € 8,000,000), the Government of Eritrea (€1,893,429) and the United Nations Development Programme in Eritrea (€ 1,923,284). It will be managed by the Eritrean Ministry of Energy and Mines. Areza and Maidma have no grid power, so are currently served by small diesel generators which are environmentally damaging and economically costly to run, providing a limited and intermittent power supply. A representative of the Eritrean
Ministry of Energy and Mines said: “This project aims to improve the livelihoods of people living in rural towns and villages. It is hoped the project will be replicated in order to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in Eritrea and provide access to reliable power 24/7.” Dr Daniel Davies, Director of Hybrid Power Systems at Solarcentury, said: “Solar power and energy storage technologies are increasingly the most cost-effective way to deliver clean reliable power to areas remote from the grid.” Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 11
#Fact
News
Africa has the most extensive biomass burning in the world, yet only emits about 4% of the world’s total carbon dioxide emissions.
USTDA supports U.S. business opportunities in Kenya
generation mix. The study will allow the developers to identify U.S. equipment manufacturers and service providers that are wellpositioned to outfit the hydroelectric plants.
advancing Kenya’s power goals,” said Lida Fitts, USTDA’s Regional Director for SubSaharan Africa. “In addition to providing opportunities for the use of high quality U.S. equipment and expertise, the plants will also provide numerous benefits to the local community, such as job creation, and technical skills training for the youth,” said Paulo Gonçalves, Chief Executive Officer of Saigrene Energy Kenya Limited.
“USTDA is pleased to support this important study that will provide opportunities for U.S. industry to supply products and services, while
The U.S. engineering and environmental consultancy, Knight Piésold (Denver, CO), was selected to perform the feasibility study.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency signed a grant with Saigrene Energy Kenya Limited supporting the development of run-of-river hydroelectric plants at five sites in Kenya. ENERGY
The grant funds a feasibility study that will evaluate the viability of the sites for power generation and examines the best approach for connecting the sites to the national grid. The five plants would collectively add approximately 17 megawatts of renewable energy to Kenya’s
Accenture launches Liquid Studio in Johannesburg such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and cloud architectures.
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has launched a new Liquid Studio in Johannesburg as part of the company’s accelerated investment in innovation in South Africa. TECH
At the Liquid Studio, clients will work side-by-side with Accenture professionals to quickly turn ideas into innovative applications and solutions. The Liquid Studio is the first of several new Accenture initiatives in South Africa which include expanded investments in training, hiring and strategic relationships in an effort to drive innovation locally. 12 News in Brief
The capabilities of the Liquid Studio will be supplemented by Accenture’s alliance ecosystem, start-ups, and others. Image: Accenture
The Liquid Studio accelerates innovation by applying rapid development approaches including Agile methodologies and DevOps. This allows clients to reduce development time from months to days and shorten the time to business impact. Clients can also experiment with disruptive technologies
The Liquid Studio in Johannesburg will collaborate with Accenture Liquid Studios in Sydney, Singapore, Silicon Valley, Paris, Milan, London, Kronberg and other locations. It will also work together with Accenture Labs, where Accenture incubates and prototypes new concepts through applied R&D projects.
#Fact Tanzania is the world’s second largest producer of sisal, after Brazil.
News
Rendeavour announces affordable housing partnership in Ghana
Hello Paisa introduces more options for sending funds into Africa Technology is improving the way that money safely moves around our continent – and in an innovative move by Hello Paisa, consumers are now given extended options. FINTECH
Image: Joy Online REAL ESTATE Appolonia City , Accra’s new city development, will build 100 affordable homes as part of a partnership with the country’s leading mortgage provider, Ghana Home Loans.
The multi-million dollar project on six acres of land at Appolonia City will commence construction in the third quarter of 2017, with all 100 homes due for completion within 18 months. The project represents the first phase of a strategic partnership that aims to address the housing deficit in Ghana. The project will benefit from Appolonia City’s high-quality infrastructure, including tarred roads, ICT networking and integrated safety and security systems, as well as social
infrastructure, such as schools, clinics, open green space and shops – all at an affordable price, starting from $45,000. The partnership brings together Ghana Home Loans, which is backed by Abraaj Group, International Finance Corporation and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and Rendeavour, the developer of Appolonia City, which is a unique partnership between the chiefs, elders and community of the Appolonia stool in Ghana. Appolonia City recently launched a 10-year mortgage plan on serviced plots with Ghana Home Loans and has rolled out other home financing packages to facilitate home ownership in the country.
The leading international money transfer provider now allows consumers to send money to MTN Mobile Money Wallets in Ghana. Previously, users only had the option of sending money to selected banks, which the beneficiary needed to collect at a branch. Hello Paisa users sending money to Ghana now have a choice: they can send money to selected banks or an MTN Mobile Money Wallet. “This offers customers convenience and more options to send and receive their money,” says Yusuf Dadabhay, Head of Operations at Hello Paisa. To promote the new service, Hello Paisa and its partner, MFS Africa, are offering beneficiaries free airtime when money is sent to Ghana from South Africa for a limited period.
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 13
Appointments Africa50 appoints Rupali Gupta as Head of Investor Relations Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform capitalized by the African Development Bank, 23 African countries, and two African Central Banks, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rupali Gupta as Head of Investor Relations. A citizen of India, Rupali will lead fundraising and development of investor relations with public and private partners and shareholders worldwide. She brings substantial experience to this role, having used her
in-depth understanding of investor preferences and institutional relationships to raise over US$2 billion for four emerging market funds. She is one of India’s recognized experts in her field. During her 19-year career, Rupali developed wideranging expertise in private banking, corporate treasury operations, investor relations, and fund raising. Before joining Africa50, she served as Director of the Investor Management Group at IDFC Alternatives, one of the largest
Image: Africa50
multi-asset class investors in India. Prior to joining IDFC, she held positions with True North (formerly India Value Fund Advisors) and Morgan Stanley India. She started her career at Kotak Securities in Mumbai. She holds a Masters in Management Studies.
Cell C appoints Nihmal Marrie as Chief Digital Officer Cell C announced the appointment of Nihmal Marrie as Chief Digital Officer of the company. Marrie joins Cell C to steer the digital transformation of Cell C and execute an aggressive strategic focus in the digitization of the business. Marrie joins Cell C from the Liberty Group, where he served as Divisional Director: Digital and Customer Value Proposition. In this position, he drove the build of and managed dHub (Digital Hub), which was created to generate innovative digital solutions for the retail business within Liberty. Also within Liberty, Marrie has worked with big data, analytics and market segmentation and how they contribute to overall business strategy.
Image: CellC
Before joining Liberty, Marrie was Head of Business Development for Old Mutual Mass Market, where he focussed on the development and implementation of new growth initiatives and strategic partnerships.
He has also co-run his own consultancy, Surya Consulting, which provided strategic consulting services to large organisations and investment advice to smaller companies. Marrie holds a Bachelor of Business Science from the University of Cape Town, with Honours in Finance and Accounting. Marrie took up his new position at Cell C on 1 August, 2017. 14 Appointments
Appointments Cisco appoints David Meads Vice President for Middle East and Africa
Image: Cisco
Cisco announced the appointment of David Meads as Vice President for its Middle East and Africa operations. In the current era of digital disruption, Meads, in this newly created role, will oversee the execution of Cisco’s strategy in these two regions, ensuring the technology leader maintains its momentum at the forefront of digital transformation efforts.
As digital adoption gathers pace in the Middle East and Africa, the new geographical set up under Meads will allow for greater synergies, relevancy and sharing of best practices across the two regions. A veteran business leader, David Meads has rich sales leadership and general management credentials. He has held various leadership positions within Cisco, including a three year stint as Managing Director for South Africa, based in Johannesburg.
Sibanye appoints Ken Kluksdahl as CEO, US region Sibanye Gold is pleased to announce the appointment of Ken Kluksdahl as Chief Operating Officer: US Region. Ken, who originally hails from Montana, will play an integral part of the US Regional executive led by Chris Bateman. Ken has over 30 years’ experience in operational mining roles at a number of global mining companies including Homestake Mining, Rio Tinto and more recently,
AngloGold Ashanti. Ken served as SVP: Projects for AngloGold Ashanti, North America between 2010 and 2011 and then, prior to joining Sibanye, for six years as AngloGold Ashanti SVP: Colombia. ”We welcome Ken to Sibanye’s US Region executive team and look forward to his contribution. Ken brings a wealth of knowledge in strategic operational leadership, project management and
Image: Courtesy of LinkedIn Image: LinkedIn
continuous improvement and I am confident that he will ensure continued gains in productivity at the Stillwater Operations,” said Chris Bateman, Sibanye Executive Vice President: US Region.
Charmaine Riggins named President of LORD Corporation EMEA LORD Corporation, a global leader in vibration and motion control technologies, sensing systems, adhesives and coatings, announced that Charmaine Riggins has been named president of the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Region. Since joining LORD in 1995 as senior engineer for the company’s Structural Adhesives & Coatings division, Riggins has served in positions of increasing responsibility in the areas of technology, marketing, finance, sales, operations, and a previous international assignment in Europe. Prior to her new role, she served as vice president of the EMEA region. Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 15
From The Blog
AFRICA AND THE CLOUD ARE
READY TO LEAD THE
TRANSFORMATION OF BANKING AND
FINTECH SERVICES FOR THE WORLD By: Justin Floyd | RedCloud Technologies
18 Africa and The Cloud by Justin Floyd
It is estimated that only 2% of 180 million people pay any tax and the regulators are proactively support banking and new digitized financial services.
V
ast opportunities for digital finance and payments in The Cloud.
Africa has been the poster child for innovation and improvisation by using technology to transform financial services. M-Pesa, a mobile phone based money transfer, financing and microfinancing service, was first launched in Kenya 2007 then Tanzania in 2008. Many of the founding team at RedCloud Technologies were behind the design and development of M-Pesa and over the last five years RedCloud have been building what is the world’s first intelligent distributed banking platform to bring digital finance to a much wider audience. On a global level, an estimated two out of nine billion people remain unbanked and 90 percent of all small financial transactions are still made in cash versus online or digitally. Small businesses need to send efficient lowvalue payments across different payment networks, on-demand, in real time, at a fraction of the cost of traditional rails.
FinTech
There is an enormous lost revenue opportunity in terms of cash management across nearly every country in the world. Cash displacement and not replacement is becoming a top priority for much of the banking system. n Nigeria alone for example, it is estimated that only 2% of 180 million people pay any tax and the regulators are proactively support banking and new digitized financial services. With the right technologies and distributed banking infrastructure, banks can find a way to meet this need.
Distributed Banking Technology through the cloud can help reach new customers Intelligent banking means smart distribution. The assets already exist in terms of vast retail and distribution networks. Large companies like P&G and Coca Cola have strong distribution networks, agents and infrastructure. Intelligent banking technology can work closely with these existing retail and distribution networks to reach new customers.
In particular, the engines of growth, the micro enterprises, need to have the capacity to transfer cash securely, and require loans or basic financial services. Yet they remain underserved by the current financial system.
The opportunity for banks is to leverage these existing distribution networks to help customers build digital cash through secure cash in and out.
Opportunities for digital finance and banking in Africa
RedCloud is working with a number of major banks in other countries, alongside some of the world’s biggest distributors, to realize this opportunity. Aspire Africa ¡ Issue 5.0 19
Intelligent banking technology can work closely with existing retail and distribution networks to reach new customers.
Banking and digital disruption Many ‘fintech’ start-ups are trying to move into the banking space. To succeed, they will need to provide workable, adaptable solutions or platform. The risk for fintech companies more broadly is that by simply adding layers to the core banking systems they are not really attacking the entire banking infrastructure.
Read Anywhere. Anytime.
Given the extraordinarily high core banking platform costs, banks can find it difficult to adapt to new technology. At RedCloud, we enable banks to step up to reach vast areas of untapped markets, to help entrepreneurs and businesses to better manage their finances, to better serve their customers and to make a profit. This is the challenge and the opportunity today. We at RedCloud look forward to being a part of this banking revolution. ASPIRE
Justin Floyd
Image: RedCloud Justin is the CEO of RedCloud Technologies. RedCloud builds technology for banks in emerging economies – particularly in Africa, South America and Asia – to help countries replace the vast amount of cash transactions with easy to use digital transactions.
20 Africa and The Cloud by Justin Floyd
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From The Blog
NEW ENERGY BOSS TARGETS ACCESS AND
AFRICA
AS WORLD BANK PRIORITIES By: William Brent | Power4All
R
iccardo Puliti, the newly appointed head of energy and extractives at the World Bank in charge of investing $8 billion a year, says that Africa and India will be the bank’s main focus, and he will pursue an all-ofthe-above approach, with a major focus on natural gas and renewables, while coal will remain off limits. In comments during an interview with Columbia University and at a World Bank event recently, the former private sector banker stated a desire to reach a 100% renewable energy future, one that is subsidy free and that balances climate solutions with energy security and affordability.
22 New energy boss targets access and Africa as World Bank priorities by William Brent
Only 35% of Africans have access to electricity.
He stressed the need to avoid relying solely on public finance to “make the impact we want to make”, but to fully leverage the private sector by offering a turnkey package that derisks projects in emerging markets. Puliti cited the bank’s Scaling Solar and Energy Transition initiatives as good examples of public-private partnership, as well as a $3 billion private sector window within IDA18 that offers loan guarantees and first-loss facilities to private investors willing to co-invest with the bank. Noting that only 35% of Africans have access to electricity, Puliti said that “for me, this is something totally unacceptable,” adding that in many ways intervention in Africa will define the World Bank, which has “a lot of responsibility to make sure that access to electricity is a problem of the past.” “It’s important to have a sense of urgency that access to energy is a basic human right,” he said, claiming that investment in energy access by the bank has increased five-fold from fiscal year 2013 to 2015. He did not provide an actual figure, but the bank has spent only a tiny fraction of its energy investment on energy access and decentralized solutions as of 2014. Despite noting the fact that only two utilities in Africa are able to cover their operating expenses, Puliti expressed strong support for centralized transmission grids, but also recognized a role for distributed solutions such as mini-grids. “You have to use all the instruments in your weaponry,” he said. Puliti acknowledged, however, that the bank was “like a big, big ship” and that “turning of the ship is not as quick as some would like.” Unlike centralized utilities, the distributed energy sector faces huge gaps in financing despite having vibrant private sector involvement.
Energy communities that are not connected to the grid.” Puliti said natural gas will play a pivotal transitional role over the next 15 years as the world moves from coal to renewables. However, the bank has committed to 30 GW of renewables by 2020, he said, with the goal of mobilizing $25 billion. Half a billion dollars was already in the pipeline for Sub-Saharan Africa over the next 15 months, he said. A large focus of that investment and growth is also Asia, especially six target countries – India, China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. The bank has already assigned $1 billion to India for solar, Puliti said, mainly PV that includes utility-scale and mini-grids. He called India a “big challenge”, although he pointed to the restructuring of the Delhi utility, which he called a success that the bank hoped to build on. The Delhi project began 15 years ago, and has needed more than $600 million in investment, and the utility still runs as at a loss. Puliti said the bank hoped to help African utilities become better performing as well, although he noted that corruption persists as a major barrier. Countries successful in addressing energy access with new solutions “have been able to go beyond the political cycle”. He said the “direct link between fear of losing elections and how energy systems are designed” needs to be addressed to move beyond short-term vision on energy. ASPIRE William Brent William is a director at Power for All, a campaign to accelerate adoption of decentralized renewable energy and to end energy poverty before 2030.
Puliti offered some hope, saying: “We believe very much in off-grid as the best way to reach Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 23
From The Blog
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN WEST AFRICA TO ADVANCE ENERGY ACCESS GOALS By: Peyton Fleming | Se4ALL
I
n many parts of Africa, a decision on who gets electricity and who doesn’t is oftentimes decided simply by your gender. In Zanzibar, for example, a study shows a maledominated decision-making process on electrification resulted in connections going to mosques and a fish market, where men gathered, rather than a village mill where women toil for hours every day pounding maize and grain.
24 Empowering Women in West Africa to Advance Energy Access Goals by Peyton Fleming
West African countries have launched a firstof-its-kind effort to make gender inclusion and women’s empowerment a requirement.
Now, in West Africa, a region where males dominate most cultural and social customs, countries have launched a first-of-itskind effort to make gender inclusion and women’s empowerment a requirement for a broad swath of energy related siting and implementation decisions, including the hotbutton topic of electricity access. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently approved a policy directive requiring the 15 countries to include gender assessments in evaluating and approving energy infrastructure projects. The effort, led by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), received strong support from government leaders at a meeting last month in Ghana. Each country will now pursue national legislation to implement the ECOWAS Directive. At first blush, West Africa seems an unlikely place for such groundbreaking work. This is a region where precious few women hold public office, own property or even attend public meetings. It’s also a region where hundreds of millions currently lack electricity and where the impact is especially profound on women and children. Instead, and especially in rural areas, women spend most of their days collecting firewood and water for drinking and burning high-polluting charcoal and kerosene for cooking and lighting. “In rural areas, women and girls bear an undue burden from the lack of energy access,” said Dr. Ellen Morris, president of Sustainable Energy Solutions and a Columbia University professor who has done extensive research on energy and gender issues in West Africa. “By spending so much time on meeting daily household needs, it also removes them from the workforce and limits their economic opportunities.” Morris is helping spearhead West Africa’s
Development
effort to boost women’s participation in energy sector decisions – from renewable energy options for individual households, to large-scale energy infrastructure projects that could bring grid electricity to millions. “The directive commits the region, all 15 countries, to take action. It’s a huge breakthrough,” said Morris, who helped organize the Ghana meeting that was hosted by ECREEE, the Clean Energy Solutions Center and several other groups. What this looks like on the ground in West Africa is this: Burkina Faso, where after listening to women’s perspectives, more than 1,000 energy efficient stoves were installed in women-run beer breweries, leading to reduced firewood use and significantly higher profits. Mahama Kappiah, ECREEE’s executive director, is optimistic the regional project will speed efforts to bring modern energy to hundreds of millions of people in West Africa who lack electricity. “Addressing barriers that hinder women from venturing into the energy sector cannot be overemphasized if universal energy access is to be realized,” said Kappiah, who has been instrumental in getting broad ECOWAS support for the women’s empowerment effort. To appreciate the enormity of the undertaking, it helps to take stock of the deplorable energy access landscape in West Africa and the urgency for transforming it. Consider first the dearth of energy access across West Africa, which stifles economic opportunities and creates profound health risks for women and children. West African countries have among the lowest energy access rates in the world. In countries like Mali, Liberia and Sierra Leone, less than 5 percent of the populations have access to modern and clean energy fuels for cooking and lighting. Most of the nearly 175,000 West Africans who die each year from their exposure to Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 25
Many government leaders in the region are committed to bringing clean energy sources to urban and rural areas.
dirty dangerous cooking fuels are women and children. Consider next the urgency and possibilities for reversing these trends. Many government leaders in the region are committed to bringing clean energy sources to urban and rural areas, whether with natural gas pipelines or distributed renewable energy, such as solar, which is getting cheaper every day. But how are energy-related decisions being made by governments and communities? And how will those decisions be impacted if women have a stronger voice? Research and case studies across Africa and other parts of the world make clear that empowering women changes decisions – and usually for the better, especially when it comes to women and children. Research also shows that gender inequality and economic poverty are closely intertwined – tackling the former means improving the latter. Consider this case in Tanzania, cited by Power for All, where 83 percent of women with solar lanterns reported increased control over financial decisions while 63 percent felt more respected in the community. Or an example in Lao PDR (formerly Laos), where in response to disproportionately low grid connections among female-headed households, a gender-inclusive initiative with female-friendly lending techniques boosted connection rates by over 90 percent. There is also strong evidence showing that as more women are connected to modern energy services, entire communities will benefit, especially children and women. A recent study from Brazil showed that in rural areas with access to electricity, girls are 59 percent more likely to complete their primary education. Studies in South Africa, Nicaragua and Tanzania also show that all forms of energy access – from simple solar lanterns to
full-scale electricity – result in higher selfesteem and substantially more employment opportunities outside the home. The growing popularity of household solar systems in places like Africa and India is also creating a virtuous cycle: as more women are able to charge lights and cell phones at home with solar power, they have an opportunity to pursue economic activities, such as selling solar systems to other households. Among those seizing this opportunity is Solar Sister, whose 2,400 women entrepreneurs have brought solar lighting, mobile connectivity and clean cooking to 800,000 people in Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. The opportunities for replicating such efforts are enormous. As Rachel Kyte , CEO and Special Representative of the UN SecretaryGeneral for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), told several-dozen gender diversity and energy access experts at a PeopleCentered Accelerator kickoff meeting in late June in Iceland, “We need to think differently about how we deliver affordable, reliable and clean energy services to those that are most marginalized. Women must be at the table.”
Peyton Fleming
Peyton is lead writer at Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), a global initiative to achieve universal energy access, improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy. Prior to joining SEforALL, he was the communications director at the nonprofit sustainability group Ceres and was a journalist at numerous U.S. newspapers, writing on business and environmental issues.
26 Empowering Women in West Africa to Advance Energy Access Goals by Peyton Fleming
Q&A: Real Estate African Real Estate Summit Presents
THE
JLL INTERVIEW
Driven by strong fundamentals, the real estate sector is bound to grow.� Simon Ardonceau (MRICS), Head of Strategic Consulting, Sub-Saharan Africa, JLL.
28 African Real Estate Summit - Developing Future African Cities
Q&A: Real Estate
E
Image: JLL
Exclusive interview with Simon Ardonceau (MRICS), Head of Strategic Consulting, Sub-Saharan Africa, JLL, a speaker at the upcoming African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit in Johannesburg in October. JLL is also the content sponsor for the event. African Real Estate Summit (ARES): Let’s start with some background about JLL and particularly your activities and current projects in South Africa, and the rest of the continent?
Simon Ardonceau, Head of Strategic Consulting, Sub-Saharan Africa, JLL
Simon Ardonceau: JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. A Fortune 500 company, JLL helps real estate owners, occupiers and investors achieve their business ambitions. In 2016, JLL had revenue of $6.8 billion and fee revenue of $5.8 billion and, on behalf of clients, managed 4.4 billion square feet, or 409 million square meters, and completed sales acquisitions and finance transactions of approximately $136 billion. At the end of the first quarter of 2017, JLL had nearly 300 corporate offices, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 78,000. As of March 31, 2017, LaSalle Investment Management had $58.0 billion of real estate under asset management.
Our offerings span the entire CRE spectrum. See attached capability statement for the region and our offerings.
ARES: Any specific projects that you are involved in that you are particularly excited about at the moment? SA: This year, JLL Strategic Consulting team has been undertaking a number of assignments across the Sub-Saharan Africa region including the following: • • •
JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. In Sub-Saharan Africa JLL has over 130 professionals working out of South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria servicing the entire region.
• • •
Feasibility study for a large master plan in Kenya Feasibility study for a large master plan in Tanzania Feasibility study for a mixed-use development in Nigeria Highest & Best Use study in Ghana Market entry strategy for a South African investor Market entry strategy for a European investor Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 29
My message would be to encourage real estate developers to assess thoroughly the markets they operate in to come up with projects that fit local needs and aspirations.” Simon Ardonceau
ARES: What in your view are the main challenges to the real estate & infrastructure sectors in South Africa (and Africa)? SA: • • •
Market opacity Professionalism Access to funding
ARES: And the opportunities? SA: The main opportunities in the real estate sector include the following: • • • •
Sustained economic growth Favourable demographics Emergence of a middle class Rapid urbanisation
ARES: What is your vision for this sector? SA: Driven by strong fundamentals such as the ones mentioned above, the real estate sector is bound to grow.
ARES: JLL is the content sponsor at upcoming African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit in Johannesburg what will be your message at the event? SA: My message would be to encourage real estate developers to assess thoroughly the markets they operate in to come up with projects that fit local needs and aspirations.
The African Real Estate and Infrastructure Summit is an international platform that brings together the full spectrum of the African real estate sector.
ARES: What are you most looking forward to at the event? SA: I am looking forward to connecting with real estate developers, master planners and government officials in charge of urbanism. ASPIRE
Find out more:
30 African Real Estate Summit - Developing Future African Cities
Developing Future African Cities 25 – 26 October 2017
Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
BENEFITS OF ATTENDING • Forge new business partnerships on the African continent. • Understand city masterplans and transit orientated development projects and align your company’s strategy. • Gain a competitive advantage in the market by understanding the challenges and opportunities of rapid urbanisation. • Connect with investment promotional agencies to discuss real estate opportunities in their country.
www.african-real-estate-summit.com
Register before 31 August and save R2,750 on your delegate pass Please contact Stephan Herman on T: +27 21 700 3598 or E: stephan.herman@spintelligent.com
From The Blog
AFRICA’S EXPLODING
TECH STARTUP ECOSYSTEM
By: Jeff Desjardins | Visual Capitalist
32 Africa’s Exploding Tech Startup Ecosystem by Jeff Desjardins
Africa is home to the fastest growing cities, and more than half of the world’s population growth will take place on the continent over the coming decades.
I
n terms of economic potential and growth, Africa has never been more important on the world stage.
Africa is home to the fastest growing cities, and more than half of the world’s population growth will take place on the continent over the coming decades. By 2050, cities like Lagos and Kinshasa will be global megacities, each holding well over 30 million inhabitants. Africa is also at the start of a technological
Tech
renaissance. It was recently reported by WeAreSocial that 7 of 10 of the world’s fastest growing internet populations are in Africa – the beginning of a trend that will likely re-shape entire economies as new companies leapfrog established technology, ideas, and infrastructure. That said, much of that opportunity lies in the future. As of today, internet penetration is just 29% throughout Africa, meaning that the majority of growth and network effects are still to come.
A NEW STARTUP ECOSYSTEM EMERGES Today’s infographic from GSMA shows the 300+ hubs that have emerged in the African tech startup ecosystem. Many of these plan to take advantage of the aforementioned growth potential, including the 360 million smartphone owners expected on the continent by 2025. Investors are recognizing the potential as well. Last year, it was estimated that African startups raised a record-breaking total of $366.8 million in investment. Here’s that distribution sorted by country: Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 33
Tech
Africa Internet Group became the first unicorn on the continent after receiving investments from Goldman Sachs, Rocket Internet, AXA Group and Orange.
In what sectors did most of the action happen? According to a separate report by Disrupt Africa, the fintech sector received the most funding in 2016, but the agri-tech sector saw the biggest percentage growth as compared to the previous year. Other sectors that got substantial amounts of attention include solar, health, e-commerce, entertainment, and e-learning.
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES Every startup ecosystem is different, and hubs in Africa are no exception. In particular, the continent has a unique wrinkle that also presents a huge opportunity: according to the African Development Bank, about 55% of sub-Saharan Africa’s economic activity is informal.
Last year, Africa Internet Group became the first unicorn on the continent after receiving investments from Goldman Sachs, Rocket Internet, AXA Group, Orange, and others. It’s also certain to be just one of many born on the African Savannah. ASPIRE
Jeff Desjardins
“The [informal economy] is a massive commercial space without such services as business enterprise software, small business banking, affordable third-party logistics or internet access. Expect VC-backed startups to attempt scalable applications for nearly every corner of Africa’s informal economy.” - Jake Bright, World Economic Forum.
34 Africa’s Exploding Tech Startup Ecosystem by Jeff Desjardins
Jeff is a founder and editor of Visual Capitalist, a media website that creates and curates visual content on investing and business.
From The Blog
By: Victoria Greene
36 5 Inspiring African Online Stores to Inspire You by Victoria Greene
In 2015, the South African B2C ecommerce turnover grew by 26% to $1.4 billion USD.
D
espite the limitations of limited internet connectivity and infrastructure, African business is breaking through, overcoming the obstacles in its way, and establishing itself online.
Online This is particularly the case for African fashion enterprises and marketplaces that make Western goods available to African audiences. This article will explore 4 exciting African online businesses that might just inspire you to set up your own.
KISUA
Kisua is a unique fashion brand that aims to showcase the continent’s most talented designers, shipping across Africa, America and Europe. This exciting brand has been plugged by the likes of Beyoncé, and for good reason. Kisua seeks to rectify the fact that most well-known fashion designers are from Western cities like Paris, Milan, New York and London. These metropolises have solid infrastructure that makes it far easier for talented designers to get recognition for their work. Samuel Mensah, Kisua’s founder, set out to get a slice of the action for Africa’s homegrown talent, and so far, so good. The Kisua store has a great, professional-
looking design that’s easy to navigate and caters to a wide range of payment types across multiple markets. We expect Kisua to go from strength to strength as the world now has greater access to African prints, patterns and styles.
DRESS ME OUTLET Olatorera Oniru bravely left a solid career in banking and tech to establish Dress Me Outlet. This site, based in Lagos, sells up to 95% of its products to customers in Nigeria. Nigeria, still recovering from its recession after a steep drop in oil prices, has offered Oniru an opportunity to cater to Nigerians in Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 37
Online
The growth of Africa’s digital marketplace is likely better than the mature markets of the developed world.
need of cheaper clothing, as imported goods have become less affordable. Despite fierce competition from online marketplaces Jumia and Konga, Dress Me Outlet has asserted itself with a large market share in Nigeria, and considerable sales elsewhere, by offering free shipping and competitive pricing. Dress Me Outlet is an example to us all: by finding and solving a gap in a market, online businesses are far more likely to exceed, despite tough competition.
CAPE COFFEE BEANS Cape Coffee Beans, owned by South African businessman Phaedon Gourtsoyannis, is an example of why passion for your product offering is so important for success in the world of ecommerce. This coffee store supplies an impressive array of coffee to cater for different brewing methods, making it a one-stop shop for any coffee enthusiast. Phaedon employs brand storytelling to great effect, explaining his passion for coffee in detail on his ‘About’ page. This evokes an emotional connection between his business and his target audience, which will make coffee connoisseurs more likely to make a purchase. On top of this, Phaedon has pages on his online store dedicated to educating his customers on how to make great-tasting coffee, the science behind grinding beans and brewing coffee, and why he refuses to sell pre-ground coffee. (Hint: pre-ground loses its freshness and flavor rapidly.) Providing page visitors with valuable content is a sure-fire way to boost your chances of making a sale.
SEEDS FOR AFRICA Seeds for Africa is a South African privately owned company, formed in 2011. This online store provides an impressive catalogue of over 2600 indigenous African and exotic plant seeds.
This brand discovered a gap in the market, as the internet was awash with mundane seed offerings. Seed of Africa looks to stock only interesting, rare and high quality seed products at competitive prices.
38 5 Inspiring African Online Stores to Inspire You by Victoria Greene
At $500 million in online sales per year, Nigeria is the leader of e-commerce throughout Africa.
Online
This business is a great example of omnichannel selling, as Seeds of Africa also sell through eBay, bidorbuy.co.za, and AfricaSeeds.com. As such, it seamlessly caters to customers across Africa, the USA, Europe and the UK. This strategy gets the business more exposure and boosts chances of making sales considerably. In addition, Seeds of Africa offers postsales services to its customers. For example, customer representatives offer advice and guidance upon request, with the aim of improving people’s gardening experience and assisting them to get the best results from their products. Providing customers with advice after making a purchase may be instrumental in this online store’s success – it increases the chances of customers making repeat purchases and leaving positive reviews and feedback. On low-ticket items, repeat business is important, and positive reviews are particularly useful when selling on online marketplaces.
VINYL CAFE Vinyl Cafe is a boutique online record store, based in South Africa. This store is designed to connect people with records they love across the continent. With an interesting array of records coming in constantly, this store has made a name for itself on social media, with a five star rating on its Facebook profile. Vinyl cafe is run on the ecommerce building platform Shopify, which has significantly lowered the barriers to entry for ecommerce in Africa. This SaaS service integrates with PayFast, SA’s secure online payment gateway. This makes it a great choice for budding African online entrepreneurs, and this is a sign of things to come as more and more shops make the transition to online operations. Which of these online stores inspired you the most? Are you planning to get your own store up and running to become part of Africa’s blossoming ecommerce industry? Let us know by getting in touch with us on: communications@aspire-africa.com. ASPIRE Victoria Greene
| Brand Marketing Consultant and Freelance Writer.
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 39
Cover Feature
Cover Feature
Cover Feature
ELECTRIFYING AFRICA
MANSOOR HAMAYUN BBOXX is one of the world’s most successful venture-backed companies, developing innovative solutions for providing affordable, clean energy to off-grid communities in the developing world. By: Nicholas Paul Griffin
Sacha Poignonnec co-CEO Africa Internet Group
BBOXX is one of the world’s most successful
VC-backed companies providing affordable, clean energy to off-grid communities.
B
BOXX designs, manufactures, distributes and finances innovative plug & play solar systems to improve energy access in off-grid areas. More than 100,000 BBOXX products have been sold in more than 35 countries, improving the lives of over 500,000 people. Aspire Africa recently took the opportunity to speak with co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mansoor Hamayun, at his London offices to discuss the innovation, success and vision behind BBOXX.
The Developing World “BBOXX started some six years ago,” Mr Hamayun explains, “as a company out of Imperial College, where we recognised the problem that four billion people don’t have access to electricity, and to us that was an unacceptable reality.” The company’s three co-founders met whilst studying Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Imperial. They had all travelled in the developing world and recognised the challenges posed to community and business development by the unreliable electrical supply. Considering electricity to be a fundamental requirement for an acceptable quality of life, they began the business with the aim of developing a business model and technology capable of providing this essential service. The company is now fully vertically-integrated, controlling every part of the customer experience, with market-leading products and appliances and a SMART Solar platform 42 Mansoor Hamayun · Co-Founder/CEO, BBOXX
that brings machine-learning and customer experience optimisation to rural Africa. “The vision of BBOXX is a very simple one, that is to give the on-grid experience in the offgrid world. So, we want to be able to electrify people, to have the same sort of functionality that we enjoy here in the west, to be able to be delivered across the developing world.” The company achieves this by harnessing Africa’s incredible ability to leap-frog technology. Africa was one of the first continents to embrace mobile technology as a primary form of infrastructure. “Mobile Money has also leap-frogged traditional forms of cash and banking systems, and we are just part of that bigger trend. Distributed energy, solar-panelling in individual houses, which is becoming a big thing in the west, is now becoming a normal thing in Africa.”
The vision of BBOXX is a very simple one, that is to give the on-grid experience in the off-grid world.” Mansoor Hamayun
Cover Feature
(L-R) Christopher Baker-Brian (CTO), Mansoor Hamayun (CEO), Laurent Van Houcke (C0O)
BBOXX Smart Solar Home System
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 43
Our main markets in Africa are Rwanda and Kenya. We install between 200 and 400 new households per day.�
Mansoor Hamayun
We are part of the digital payments and distributed solar revolution.” Mansoor Hamayun
Renewable Energy
BBOXX engineers installing solar roof panels “So, we are part of that revolution around digital payments, around distributed solar and also our ability to take advantage of the fact that millions and millions of people want electricity but don’t have it, and we are there to provide that service.”
Solar Home System At face value, BBOXX’s flagship product is a very simple construction. A small solar panel and battery is installed into each household, allowing people to power their everyday household appliances. “The key innovation really lies in what’s inside the box, which is remote monitoring
and remote control. So we can remotely see every single system—where it is, how it’s behaving—and we can even predict some problems months before it actually takes place.” This allows the company to provide a proactive service to its rural customers. The key challenge in distributed solar is to deal with distributed problems, meaning having knowledge of a problem before it arises becomes a vital part of the service. “Our main markets in Africa are Rwanda and Kenya,” Mr Hanayun explains. “We install between 200 and 400 new households per day. One of the biggest challenges that we have is distribution and marketing.” Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 45
BBOXX has over 40+ retail outlets in Rwanda and Kenya.
Without an existing fundamental infrastructure for the product, the company must be responsible for creating it. The company’s 40+ retail outlets in Rwanda and Kenya allow this to happen, with the number growing rapidly. Another key consideration is an HR package. “We’re normally the first formal employers in the regions that we enter, so a large part of our effort in starting a new territory is spent on training and equipping people with modern IT tools to make them productive members of both BBOXX and their communities.” The impact on these communities is tremendous and instantly visible. People
A BBOXX customer is located in a rural, offgrid area, earning a living by farming.
are moving seamlessly from burning jet fuel and kerosene to having modern electricity, allowing them to charge phones easily and cheaply for themselves and their communities. A BBOXX customer is typically located in rural, off-grid areas, earning a living by farming coffee or vanilla bean on small plots of land. Some, especially around the Great Lakes, are fishermen who catch tilapia and nile perch. The economic impact on these customers is clear. Where people are working on average household budgets of around $14 a month for their energy needs, BBOXX is able to come in at a price point that is less than $7, offering immediate savings for many customers.
The BBOXX team demonstrating how to use the BBOXX Smart Solar Home System
46 Mansoor Hamayun · Co-Founder/CEO, BBOXX
We’re normally the first formal employers in the regions that we enter, a large part of our effort in starting a new territory is spent on training people.” Mansoor Hamayun
Cover Feature
Family enjoying the benefits of installing the BBOXX Smart Solar Home System
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 47
$2.4 Million has been saved by BBOXX curstomers on energy expenses to date.
Just under 4GWhrs of energy has been generated by BBOXX customers.
“It’s about being connected. If they get more electricity, their ability to do more things in life is greatly enhanced. They have constant communication. They have safety in their homes. They can access the internet now for the first time, they can watch TV at home.”
“We have been very lucky to be able to build our partnerships. Our bigger partners include Engie, which is the world’s largest utility. We also have a very close partnership with the Rwandan government in regards to the off-grid electrification programs.”
The level of participation of these customers in the wider society, in Mr Hamayun’s opinion, increases massively when they are on-grid.
Other relationships have been formed with farming groups, helping reach rural customers in the developing world. The company also has over 450 employees working on its payroll, and over a thousand agents working alongside it.
That’s why he believes that access to electricity is a fundamental human right, enabling people to live truly fulfilling lives.
“We have a close partnership with a few universities that we do research partnership with, and also for recruitment purpose.
Looking Forward
Ultramodern Office Complex, Eaton Place, situated in the plush suburb of Gigiri in Nairobi
48 Mansoor Hamayun · Co-Founder/CEO, BBOXX
It’s about being connected. If they get more electricity, their ability to do more things in life is greatly enhanced.�
Mansoor Hamayun
www.bboxx.co.uk
So, this has really been the result of many partnerships coming together.” BBOXX is continually recognised for its success and has been honoured with several awards, including the Santander Breakthrough 50 Business Excellence in Energy Innovation, and was named 4th out of 54 applicants for the National Geographic Terra Watt Prize in 2014. So what does the future hold for BBOXX? “Scale,” Mr Hamayun says, “that’s really what we want. Today, we have 200-400 installations a day—we want to grow that 10x over the next twenty-four months. That’s a huge challenge.” The company will be looking to take the regional business in East Africa and turn it into a global enterprise. There are still a lot of people both inside and outside Africa that do not have access to electricity. “Some countries like Nigeria, DRC, Angola are very under-served markets, and those
are markets that we see huge opportunities in. There are many challenges, but the opportunities we think are far bigger than the challenges that they present.” Mr Hamayun admits that in order to close the energy gap in Africa, people must be innovative in finding solutions, as the product that will succeed in fully electrifying Africa does not yet exist. “If you think you have something, try it,” he advises. “I think data is the key. Solving the energy problem in Africa really means solving the data problem—who is your customer? What do they need? How much can they afford? How can you grow with them?” These are the questions that underlie any potential future energy solution. It is not a simple product problem, Mr Hamayun says, but a problem that requires innovative outof-the-box thinking to provide a real-world change. ASPIRE
Click below to watch our Exclusive Interview with Mansoor Hamayun
50 Mansoor Hamayun · Co-Founder/CEO, BBOXX
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 51
PROJECT FOCUS
DUBE TRA
STIMULATING ECONO
SOUTH A
ADEPORT
OMIC DEVELOPMENT
AFRICA By: Nicholas Paul Griffin
Dube TradePort is KwaZulu Natal’s largest infrastructural project and is considered one of South Africa’s top 10 investment opportunities.
D
ube TradePort Corporation is a government-owned entity and operator of the Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a 3000-hectare greenfield industrial development 30km north of the important coastal city of Durban on South Africa’s eastern seaboard designed to re-establish the manufacturing sector in the region. With its purpose-built facilities and cutting-edge infrastructure and services, the SEZ is one of the top ten investment and flagship economic development opportunities in South Africa, playing a major part in attracting both local and foreign direct investment.
Special Economic Zone The key objectives of the SEZ are to promote and enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector and encourage the beneficiation of available resources within the region. The aim is to aid the stimulation of economic development, the growth of exports and improvement of the global competitiveness of South African goods. These objectives are achieved by attracting increased levels of both Foreign Direct Investment and investment by the local business sector, as well as the active promotion of integration between existing local industry and international industry leaders. These partnerships play a considerable role in increasing local value-added production and enhancing the calibre of the clusters located in the precinct, which positions suppliers on the global stage, giving them a competitive advantage. 54 Dube TradePort - South Africa
Statue of
John Dube The development is home to King Shaka International Airport and forms the heart of the Durban Aerotropolis, situated north of the City of Durban and driving the development of the Dube TradeZone.
Dube TradePort is the only facility in Africa combining an international airport, dedicated cargo terminal, warehousing, offices, retail, hotels and agriculture.
Infrastructure
Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone (SEZ), is a 3000-hectare greenfield industrial development 30km north of the important coastal city of Durban, South Africa
Dube TradePort - Aerial of Precinct Dube TradeZone offers prime and fullyserviced industrial real estate adjacent to the airport, designed to cater to industries such as electronics manufacturing and assembly and medical and pharmaceutical production and distribution.
The space also caters for aerospace and aviation-linked manufacturing and related services, clothing and textiles, warehousing and storage, freight-forwarding and aviation services, as well as logistics and distribution services. Aspire Africa ¡ Issue 5.0 55
Dube TradePort distinguishes itself by offering investors continuous support, whether through research and development, training or guiding investors through various regulatory frameworks that may apply. The ease with which business can be done enhances efficiencies for operators within targeted sectors. Dube TradePort also promotes regional development, stimulates the creation of new employment opportunities and enhances current skills and technology transfer levels.
Business and Trade Hub As a business entity of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government, Dube TradePort Corporation has developed the SEZ as 56 Dube TradePort - South Africa
the province’s biggest infrastructural project, forming a business and trade hub geared around promoting foreign and local investment. In close proximity to Dube TradeZone is Dube Cargo Terminal, a state-of-the-art cargo facility, purpose-built as the most secure in Africa. Digital tracking ensures that all cargo flowing through the facility is secure, with all regulatory bodies located onsite. Owned and operated solely by Dube TradePort Corporation, the terminal boasts an impressive 0% cargo loss since its inception in early 2010, and has received approval from both the South African Revenue Services and Civil Aviation Authority. Also part of the SEZ is Dube AgriZone, providing world-class facilities and technical
Dube TradePort master plan
support for propagating, growing, packing and distributing high-value perishables and horticultural products through an efficient supply chain. Dube AgriZone is Africa’s first integrated perishables supply chain and the most technologically advanced future farming platform on the continent, hosting the largest climate-controlled glass-covered growing area in Africa. In the heart of Dube TradePort is Dube City, an ultra-modern urban ‘green’ hub that follows sustainable development principles, making provision for premium office, retail, hospitality and leisure space immediately adjacent to the airport. Dube City is home to Dube TradePort Corporation’s Head Office, known as 29°
South. This impressive building demonstrates the organisation’s high commitment to caring for the environment. All the zones within the precinct are supported by Dube iConnect, a dedicated IT and telecommunications provider of locallyhosted cloud services, supporting direct connection to high-speed international gateways through commercial partnerships with Tier 1 service providers with onsite presence. Dube iConnect’s Data Centre, with infrastructure offering advanced virtualisation platforms, incorporates Cisco UCS blade architecture and EMC storage, providing resellers with an infrastructure service platform on which they are able to offer hosted solutions to the market.
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 57
The latest in fibre-optic telecoms and high-tech data centres, coupled with a complete air services program, has boosted air connectivity into King Shaka International Airport significantly.
King Shaka International Airport
Dube TradePort has attracted 2.7 billion Rand in private sector investment in the first phase of the Dube TradeZone development.
Attracting Investment After becoming operational in 2010, the Dube TradeZone precinct faced two major hurdles: attracting investment into the precinct and driving air services into King Shaka International Airport, which at the time was used by only one international airline. The provision of world-class logistics infrastructure and industrial real-estate, coupled with a massive investment in bulk infrastructure such as upgraded roads and services, is vital in attracting investment in Dube TradePort and Durban in general. The latest in fibre-optic telecoms and hightech data centres, coupled with a complete air services program, has boosted air connectivity into King Shaka International Airport significantly. Along with one-stop passengers, goods can now be delivered to over 700 international destinations through regional and international carriers flying into Durban, signalling to the world that South Africa and Dube TradePort are committed to creating an open investment climate. The expansion of air services into the rest of sub-Saharan Africa will play a critical role in the development of the region, as these services open access to new markets, stimulating intra-African trade and directly contributing to the socioeconomic prosperity of local communities. Access drives economic growth through investment potential in manufacturing and tourism, local enterprises entering into profitable partnerships throughout the region that enable technology transfer, job creation and skills transfer.
Infrastructure To-date, Dube TradePort has attracted 2.7 billion Rand in private sector investment in the first phase of the Dube TradeZone development, as well as attracting high-profile multinational and local enterprises involved in a number of sectors. Some of the major names joining the project are ;Samsung Electronics SA, DB Schenker, Amsted Reelin, Tufbag, Rossi SA, Pilosio, Laser Junction, Retractaline, Air Chefs, Gift of the Givers Foundation, iDube Cold Storage and Yangtze Optics Africa, helping create 4,738 jobs in the precinct. Air services are driven by the Route Development Committee, a group that is jointly chaired by Dube TradePort and Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, and has been directly involved in the attraction of flights to eleven international destinations. This has increased passenger volumes through King Shaka International Airport to 5.2 million, representing a 24% increase in international passenger numbers and a 5% increase in domestic passenger numbers in the last financial year.
Inclusive Economy The intention behind the establishment of Dube TradePort is to drive economic growth and development within South Africa. With an annual average spend of 400 million Rand on infrastructure, the corporation has already had a significant impact on national growth. As a government-owned entity, the corporation integrates both the drive of commercialisation and government work, with both functions serving the bottom line of economic growth and boosting the development of South Africa and its people. Aspire Africa ¡ Issue 5.0 59
www.dubetradeport.co.za
Dube Cargo Terminal and TradeHouse The organisation has embarked upon a journey to ensure that opportunities available within Dube TradePort are equally accessible to a vast array of stakeholders, from small businesses to local developers and investors. Dube TradePort Corporation aims to impact on the creation of an inclusive economy, through programmes focusing on the development of Black Industrialists and property developers as well as other procurement imperatives. From an air services perspective, the precinct offers a direct service to the major European hub of Istanbul, the major African Hub in Addis 60 Dube TradePort - South Africa
Ababa, and further direct service to the Middle Eastern hub of Doha. The corporation is currently looking to attract a carrier to provide King Shaka International Airport with direct air connectivity into the United Kingdom, as well as adding a service into central African states such as Kigali. Alongside these projects, work is continuing on the second phase of two of the SEZ precincts, Dube TradeZone and Dube AgriZone, as well as further work on a number of developments within the Dube City precinct, which houses offices and retail facilities. ASPIRE
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 61
ALS Limited
62 ALS Limited · Kenya
AVIATION
FLYING
HIGH An Exclusive with ALS CEO,
Shakeel Khan By: Nicholas Paul Griffin
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 63
Strategically located in Nairobi, ALS’ Kenyan base allows it to gain access to many markets within Africa.
Shakeel Khan CEO, ALS
K
enyan airline ALS commenced operations in 1985, starting with just one Cessna C-150, which was initially leased out to a flying school. Over the years the company has seen steady growth, and is today considered an industry leader. ALS offers a range of customised and comprehensive aviation solutions that benefit airlines, humanitarian operations, oil/ resource exploration, and VIP clientele. The team comprises of professional, qualified, and experienced staff committed to providing an unparalleled aviation service. Strategically located in Nairobi, the airline’s Kenyan base allows it to gain access to many markets within Africa. There is currently a great need for airlines like ALS to provide capacity for air travel both regionally and domestically. “One big dream, a lot of faith, unmatched 64 ALS Limited · Kenya
determination and one pilot,” says company CEO Shakeel Khan. “That is all we needed to make it work. We have had to overcome a lot of challenges and hurdles to get to where we are today.”
Pioneering Aircraft Leasing “ALS is a pioneer in its segment,” says Mr Khan. “We were the first operator to introduce the Caravan C208 in Kenya, and now there are over 200 C208’s operating in the country. We were also one of the first operators to introduce the Beechcraft 1900—a twin engine, pressurized aircraft.” ALS was just the second operator to introduce the Dash 8 into Kenya, and first to introduce the E135/E145 jet, making it a market leader of its time. The company’s dynamic team has used its expertise to help the organisation succeed and become what it is today.
One big dream, a lot of faith, unmatched determination and one pilot. ALS is a pioneer in its segment.” Shakeel Khan
AVIATION
ALS Terminal in Nairobi, Kenya
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 65
ALS offers a range of customized and comprehensive aviation solutions for the benefit of Humanitarian Operations.
ALS has recently completed its IOSA certification process becoming a part of the elite list in international aviation.
ALS Fleet - Dash-8
ALS Fleet - Embraer ERJ-145
66 ALS Limited ¡ Kenya
Our vision is to be amongst the leading providers of customised aviation solutions worldwide.” Shakeel Khan
In earlier years, the airline introduced local pilot training, a field previously dominated by foreign operators. ALS is the only airline aside from Kenya Airways to be IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certified, making it part of the elite list in international aviation. “ALS’ mission is to provide quality aviation services,” explains Mr Khan, “while adhering to the highest certification, safety, and security standards. Our vision is to be amongst the leading providers of customised aviation solutions worldwide.”
AVIATION
The company is proud to have successfully passed the audits and supplier qualification requirements of global organisations such as the World Food Programme (UNWFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Rwanda Air and Woodside Energy.
Diversified Company Mr Khan is full of praise for the company team, which he admits contributes greatly to the previous success and continued growth of ALS. The company’s staff consists of staff members from a diversity of backgrounds.
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 67
ALS has successfully passed the audits and supplier qualification requirements of global organisations such as the World Food Programme (UNWFP) “The fact that ALS is a diversified company owning shares in various companies such as Safarilink, Scenic Air and Heliservices, all based in Kenya, also ensures that we grow not only in our segment but other related segments as well, such as safari tours, scheduled flights and helicopter services amongst others.”
“We were the first operator to provide scheduled flights between Nairobi and Lokichoggio, during our 5-year partnership with our national carrier, Kenya Airways. As we own our own aircraft maintenance organization (AMO), we also provide maintenance services, not only for our aircraft but also aircrafts owned by other operators.”
ALS also provides Aircraft Crew Maintenance Insurance (ACMI) leases also know as a wet lease, as well as dry leases within the region. In addition, the company is able to provide specialised and VIP charters upon request.
The company has developed a large network of international operations over the years, building a reputation for excellence in safety, operational reliability, engineering and maintenance, and customer service.
68 ALS Limited · Kenya
ALS also provides Aircraft Crew Maintenance Insurance (ACMI) leases also know as a wet lease, as well as dry leases.
www.als.co.ke
ALS owns its own aircraft maintenance organization (AMO) and also provides maintenance services to other operators ALS recently acquired a Bombardier (Dash 8-200) and the complete fleet includes an Embraer 145, Embraer 135, Bombardier (Dash 8-100), Beechcraft 1900 and a King Air B200 aircraft. The company also holds a joint venture with a Kuwaiti group for the operation of Embraer jet aircraft. After several years of sustained success, Mr Khan is clear that the company is continuing to head in the right direction: “In the near future we are planning on expanding our fleet by acquiring the Dash Q400, which is a 70 seater turboprop.” ASPIRE
ALS Team
Aspire Africa · Issue 5.0 69
Event Preview
FUTURE ENERGY UGANDA 2017 13 - 14 Sept, Kampala, Uganda future-energy-uganda.com Future Energy Uganda is a strategic conference taking place over two days and is supported by the Ministry of State for Power in Uganda. It features key stakeholders from Uganda’s entire power value chain. The conference will provide a meeting platform for project developers, finance houses and multilateral investors, construction and planning companies as well as technology providers from Uganda, the region and from the rest of the world. The event will demonstrate the proactive nature of Uganda to develop the energy sector efficiently. This forum has an important role in the transformation of Uganda into a dynamic global hub for business, investment, and incentives that will hope to encourage the progress of new partnerships for economic growth and sustainable development in the country. 70 Future Energy Uganda 2017 · Uganda
CONFERENCE Discover what Uganda’s growth areas are and learn how you can get involved in transforming Uganda’s energy sector and to achieve future targets, while remaining competitive on a regional and continental level. NETWORKING FUNCTION Attendees enjoy drinks at the end of a busy day of learning and networking. Exchanging business cards with peers and booking appointments, the networking function is the perfect end to a successful day. Energy Week 2017 Future Energy Uganda will be held during the same week as the Ugandan Ministry’s Energy Week.
ALIGN YOUR BRAND WITH UGANDA’S ENERGY SECTOR
13 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2017
Serena Hotel, Kampala, Uganda Uganda aims to grow installed capacity from 868MW to 4100MW by 2030. This is your opportunity to showcase your capabilities to project managers Secure face time with key decision makers in the Ugandan energy sector, including utilities and government
PART OF UGANDA’S 17TH
ENERGY WEEK
With the support of
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development
Secure your place today. Please contact Jason Zeelie E: jason.zeelie@spintelligent.com I T: + 27 21 700 3557
Also visit www.future-energy-uganda.com
Event Preview
FUTURE ENERGY CENTRAL AFRICA 2 - 3 Oct, Yaounde, Cameroon future-energy-centralafrica.com Formerly iPAD Cameroon – Future Energy Central Africa’s goal is to become the regional platform for power and utility development, welcoming private developers, IPPs, and investors within the region, to facilitate regional grid extension, pricing and infrastructure development.
government officials from every member of the CEMAC region and representatives of investments and financial institutions. Alongside the conference will take place a closed forum for utilities CEO.
The conference will be expanding its focus to the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) to include Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea.
Supporting your businesses and market entry is core to our activities. Enter Central Africa’s “wild heart” and get access to the energy stakeholders!
This exclusive platform is a unique chance for delegates to identify potential business opportunities in response to an increasing power demand from the consumer and industry, enjoying rich and diversified energy resources. The conference will involve 72 Future Energy Central Africa 2017 · Cameroon
Why Central Africa?
The Regional Integration could save up to 33 billion per annum. The region posseses the highest hydro potential in Africa and 60% of the continent resources. DRC, CAR and Gabon have a large mining sector which is highly dependant on electricity.
BRAND YOUR BUSINESS IN CENTRAL AFRICA
BE PART OF CENTRAL AFRICA’S GROWING POWER & ENERGY SECTOR Discover regional projects in the pipeline and how you can help solve its challenges. Showcasing: Gabon, Cameroon, The Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville).
2 – 3 OCTOBER 2017 Hilton Hotel , Yaoundé, Cameroon Previously
With the support of
Phone: +27 21 700 3560 Email: future-energy@spintelligent.com
Also visit www.future-energy-centralafrica.com
Event Preview
AFRICA REAL ESTATE AND
INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMIT 25 - 26 Oct, Johannesburg, South Africa african-real-estate-summit.com The African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit is an international platform that brings together the full spectrum of the African real estate and infrastructure sectors. The African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit is an exclusive high-level conference which sees over 150 key decision makers, in both private and public sectors, open dialogue and discuss Africa’s rapid urbanisation challenges and the development of future African cities. The award winning unique 2-day interactive conference focuses on four key pillars, namely: • • • •
Urban Development Mobility & Technology Housing Finance & Investment
The innovative conference layout allows for delegate and exhibitor interaction during the conference and increases the overall summit experience. The Summit was voted Africa’s best Confex (half conference/half exhibition) in 2017 by the AAXO ROAR Awards. The African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on 25 - 26 October 2017. The summit sees leading African cities showcase their urban development plans and discuss the challenges and opportunities of their urbanisation. The event format is conference and exhibition, continuing under the theme “Developing Future Cities.” How do we improve the quality of life for African citizens in urban areas? Why is the link between urbanisation and economic development in Africa weaker than elsewhere?
74 Africa Real Estate and Infrastructure Summit 2017 · South Africa
Developing Future African Cities 25 – 26 October 2017
Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
BENEFITS OF ATTENDING • Forge new business partnerships on the African continent. • Understand city masterplans and transit orientated development projects and align your company’s strategy. • Gain a competitive advantage in the market by understanding the challenges and opportunities of rapid urbanisation. • Connect with investment promotional agencies to discuss real estate opportunities in their country.
www.african-real-estate-summit.com
Register before 31 August and save R2,750 on your delegate pass Please contact Stephan Herman on T: +27 21 700 3598 or E: stephan.herman@spintelligent.com
Event Preview
AFRICA OIL WEEK
24th
AFRICA UPSTREAM 23 - 27 Oct, Cape Town, South Africa africa-oilweek.com The 24th Africa Oil Week 2017 Conference & Exhibition provides the most trusted platform worldwide; bringing together governments, national oil companies, corporate players, independents and financiers with support from service and supply operators shaping Africa’s oil, gas and energy future. The conference portrays five days of contentrich senior level executive insights, finance and investor outlook, exposure of Africa-wide state and/or private acreage opportunities, transaction and/or new venture assets and potential. Exposure of Africa-wide state and/or private acreage opportunities, exploration and production developments, industry strategies and portfolio, wand an overview of Africa’s hydrocarbon future; regarded for its high level participation, intimate networking and on-site deal-flow. 76 24th Africa Oil Week 2017 · South Africa
Annually, more than 1,250 corporate and influential leaders and thinkers from every continent attend the flagship Africa Oil Week that attracts a key oil and gas audience to Cape Town, offering a content driven program, quality industry exhibition and five star networking opportunities.
Key Highlights •
•
• •
Longest-running and most prominent event held worldwide in and on the African Continent for its fast-growing oil, gas-LNG and energy industry news and business partnerships. First-class networking and social interface with multiple opportunities for all to create and cement relationships that will shape the future for oil and gas in Africa. Deal-driven industry Exhibition. Sizeable in-room investor & finance potential.
Organised By:
EARLY BIR D RATES END 16 th AUGU ST
The leading conference and networking forum for exploration strategy and deal-making
24th Africa Ustream 17th Africa Independents Forum 80th PetroAfricanus Dinner in Africa 9th Global Women Petroleum & Energy Luncheon 5th Africa Local Content 5th Young Professionals Oil, Gas & Energy in Africa
23th - 27th October 2017 |
Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa
www.africa-oilweek.com Lead Sponsor
Titaium Sponsor
Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
Contact: Sonika Greyvenstein sonika.greyvenstein@ite-events.com
Amanda Wellbeloved Harry Harrison-Sumter Amanda.Wellbeloved@ite-events.com harry.sumter@ite-events.com
London: +44 207 596 5065 Johannesburg: +27 11 880 7052
Event Preview
FINNOVATION FINTECH AFRICA SERIES 3 Nov, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ethicolive.com/fintech_ethiopia/ Finnovation Africa: Ethiopia 2017 will be held at the Radisson Blu Addis Ababa on the 3rd of November 2017 and will tackle the most pressing questions for the progress of FinTech and the positive and profitable transformation of banking in Africa. Providing a platform for all stakeholders to engage in creating the future of financial services on the continent – from established banking powerhouses to FinTech start-ups. The event will gather all players in the African FinTech ecosystem, including: Government policymakers, leading banks & financial institutions, MNOs, legacy and neo payment players, international & regional investors, and the tech start-up community on the continent who will come together at Finnovation Africa 2017 in Ethiopia with the purpose of driving positive FinTech impacts for Africa.
Finnovation Africa: Ethiopia 2017 will focus on the following major issues: • • • • • • • •
The Digital Transformation of Banking Mobile Money Payments Innovation Open Banking/APIs in Africa Finclusion & Islamic Finance Blockchain & Bitcoin Realities in Africa CyberSecurity
As well as featuring sessions with a highly innovative format such as Inside the Investor’s Mind, Interviews with a Global Finnovator and an African Pioneer, Founder’s PainPoints, and The Wolves’ Den pitchfest. Tap into the high-growth Africa FinTech opportunity by becoming a part of the Finnovation Africa Series: Ethiopia 2017.
78 Africa Real Estate and Infrastructure Summit 2017 · South Africa
Finnovation FinTech Africa Series
Finclusion | Payments Innovation | Blockchain | Islamic Finance | Digital Transformation of Banking 3rd November 2017, Radisson Blu Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Finnovation Africa: Ethiopia 2017 Keynote Speakers
CEO, Chain2Trade, INC. & Founder, FinFuture & Financial IT
�roup Chief Crea�on O�cer Barclays Africa Group
Yasaman Hadjibashi
Mountaga Diop Founder & CEO BelCash
CEO Ethiopia Commodity Exchange
Aaron Fu
Ken Njoroge
Murad Qubbaj Associate Director, Business Channels Development Pio‐Tech
Ameya Upadhyay Principal, Investments Omidyar Network
Chris Principe
Managing Partner, Africa NEST.vc
CEO Cellulant
Ermias Eshetu
FinTech and the Positive Transformation of Banking in Africa
Media Partner
Powered By
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Showcase Live!
THE WOL�ES� DEN Supported By
Impact Media Partner Sophie McLean : sophiemclean@ethicolive.com : +91 124 418 2794/95
Radio Broadcast Partner
Driving FinTech Impacts for Africa: Ethiopia 2017
Event Preview
AFRICACOM 7 - 9 Nov, Cape Town, South Africa
tmt.knect365.com/africacom/ AfricaCom 2017 – celebrating 20 years of Connecting Africa What: AfricaCom – the continent’s largest and most influential Technology, Media and Telecommunications conference and exhibition. Where: The Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. When: 7 – 9 November 2017. Why: AfricaCom is the essential must attend event of the year. Bigger and more comprehensive than ever before, with a broader free content programme, 450 exhibitors, and 100’s of prominent industry speakers. AfricaCom offers an unparalleled opportunity 80 Future Energy Central Africa 2017 · Cameroon
to; discover pioneering innovation that will influence Africa’s progression; network with thousands of like-minded individuals and; forge new collaborations that will move your business ahead. Key Themes: in 2017, explore the path towards Industry 4.0 – Accelerating Africa’s digital revolution; Digital connectivity as an engine for economic development and social empowerment: fuelling entrepreneurship and innovating business models in digital Africa and; Unleashing the power of Africa’s tech start-up ecosystem showcased in a new Innovation Hall. Co-located Events • • •
LTE Africa TV Connect Africa Mission Critical Africa
Conference & Exhibition: 7-9 November 2017 Cape Town International Convention Centre South Africa
THE PLACE TO SHAPE AFRICA’S DIGITAL FUTURE
THE LARGEST TELECOMS, MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY EVENT IN AFRICA. EXPECT 13,000 ATTENDEES, 450 EXHIBITORS AND 400 VISIONARY SPEAKERS FROM ACROSS THE ENTIRE DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM. Launching the Technology Arena: A new exhibition space featuring the AHUB, AfricaCom 20/20, TV Connect Africa, the new Innovation Stage.
16 conference tracks: Packed with business critical insights and 6 networking and social events designed to help you meet new people, share ideas, and develop new relationships.
Launching AfricaCom 20/20: A brand new content stage at the centre of the Innovation Hall dedicated to navigating digital disruption and mapping Africa’s journey towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
New hot topics including: IoT, Big Data, Africa 4.0, Powering Telecoms, FinTech, Blockchain, Digital Health, and more.
To find out more and to register, visit tmt.knect365.com/africacom KNectAfrica #africacom
Africa Telecoms, ICT & Media Group
knectafrica
Connecting Africa
Event Preview
FUTURE ENERGY UGANDA 2017 7 - 8 Nov, Lagos, Nigeria future-energy-nigeria.com WAPIC LOOKS TO THE FUTURE WITH A REBRAND THAT REFLECTS THE EVOLVING CONTINENTAL POWER AND ENERGY SPACE. Future Energy Nigeria will continue to drive collaboration, networking, solutions and positive results for a sector that begins to emerge from crisis. The only industry meeting point that discusses, debates and provides answers to the future development of the sector. Delivering a conference arena for consultative content, an exhibition platform for trade deals and networking for business growth. Future Energy Nigeria is the dedicated professional project that Nigeria needs to support its ascent from its current challenges. Future Energy Nigeria is one project in a series of continental Africa power & energy 82 Future Energy NIgeria 2017 ¡ Nigeria
trade exhibition and conferences organised by Spintelligent. Reaching >25,000 power professionals across Africa through regional events, there is no stronger platform to provide knowledge and revenue growth to your business. Opportunities in Nigeria After decades of neglect Nigeria faces tremendous challenges, but even greater opportunities. The industry is buckling under the strain of an over-reliance on gas, pipeline vandalism, low generation output, the devaluation of the Naira and a lack of liquidity which has hampered capital investment. Nigeria plans to generate as much as $16.4 billion through asset sales in the Next four years to reduce the burden On the public budget.
SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES CAN APPLY FOR DTI FUNDING
EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NIGERIAN POWER & ENERGY SECTOR We have put together the Top 100 projects currently underway in Nigeria to help you identify areas of opportunity in solar, wind, bio-mass, grid infrastructure and gas. Contact us for details.
7 – 8 NOVEMBER 2017
Pre-conference: 6 November 2017 | Site visit: 9 November 2017
Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, Nigeria Previously
West African Power Industry Conven on
Under the auspices of
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER, WORKS AND HOUSING
T: +27 21 700 3574 I E: ade.yesufu@spintelligent.com
www.future-energy-nigeria.com
Event Preview
FUTURE ENERGY EAST AFRICA 29 - 30 Nov, Nairobi, Kenya future-energy-eastafrica.com Future Energy East Africa is the largest and longest running regional power conference and exhibition in East Africa, making it a wellknown and trusted brand. The event boasts both a strategic conference and a large trade exhibition which provides a platform for public and private stakeholders to engage in discussions around the future of the East African energy sector, giving stakeholders the opportunity to benchmark their operations, challenges and achievements against their peers and seek suppliers who are looking to gain access to projects across the region.
be formed, projects to be benchmarked and knowledge to be transferred.
The 2017 Future Energy East Africa conference and exhibition will bring together leaders from the regional and international power and energy community to discuss the status of critical projects, spot lucrative opportunities and share best practice. The annual event fosters a platform for key partnerships to
East African Power Industry Awards
84 Future Energy East Africa 2017 ¡ Kenya
The event boasts both a strategic conference and a large trade exhibition which provides a platform for public and private stakeholders to engage in discussions around the future of East African energy utilities, giving stakeholders the opportunity to benchmark their operations, achievements and challenges against their peers and seek suppliers who are looking to gain access to projects across the region.
The East African Power Industry Awards is the leading event and platform to recognize, reward and celebrate the success of East Africa’s power and energy sector during 2016/17.
SECURE YOUR EXPO SPACE TODAY!
Expand your footprint in East Africa by finding local agents and distributors Shorten your sales cycle and save on market research reports South African companies can benefit from DTI financial assistance, reducing your participation costs and maximising your return on investment
29 – 30 NOVEMBER 2017
Pre-conference: 28 November 2017 | Site visit: 1 December 2017
Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya Previously
EAPIC East African Power Industry Conven on
Under the auspices of the
MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND PETROLEUM
For more information, please contact Jason Zeelie T: jason.zeelie@spintelligent.com I E: + 27 21 700 3557
www.future-energy-eastafrica.com
Upcoming Events September MineSafe Conference
30 Aug - 1 Sept, 2017 Johannesburg, South Africa www.minesafe.co.za
Future Energy Uganda
November Finnovation Africa Series
3 Nov, 2017 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia www.ethicolive.com
AfricaCom 2017
13 - 14 Sept, 2017 Kampala, Uganda www.future-energy-uganda.com
7 - 9 Nov, 2017 Cape Town, South Africa tmt.knect365.com/africacom
WA Real Estate Investor Forum
Future Energy East Africa
28 Sept, 2017 London, UK www.acecorporateevents.co.uk
October Future Energy Central Africa
29 - 30 Nov, 2017 Nairobi, Kenya www.future-energy-eastafrica.com
December Africa Renewable Energy Forum
2 - 3 Oct, 2017 Yaounde, Cameroon future-energy-centralafrica.com
30 Nov - 1 Dec, 2017 Marrakesh, Morocco www.energynet.co.uk
24th Africa Oil Week
Electricx
23 - 27 Oct, 2017 Cape Town, South Africa www.africa-oilweek.com
African Real Estate Summit
25 - 26 Oct, 2017 Cape Town, South Africa african-real-estate-summit.com
86
Let us promote your event. Email: events@aspire-africa.com
3 - 5 Dec, 2017 Cairo, Egypt www.electricxegypt.com
World Oil & Gas Week
4 - 5 Dec, 2017 London, UK www.oilandgascouncil.com
March 5th - 8th Palais des Congres, Marrakech www.mwafricaenergyweek.com
THE MAGHREB & WEST AFRICA ENERGY WEEK AN UNMISSABLE BUSINESS AND NETWORKING EVENT FOR THE MAGHREB AND WEST AFRICAN ENERGY MARKETS A large-scale energy exhibition and conference taking place in North Africa’s largest convention centre Call us on +44 (0)203 058 2350 for more information.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE SILVER SPONSOR
Kevin Sara CEO, Nur Energie Morten Langsholdt Country Manager - Egypt, Scatec Solar Zhihong Zhang Senior Programme Coordinator - Clean Technology Fund, Climate Investment Funds
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