Africa Outlook - issue 97

WO O LWO R T H S | V I C TO RY FA R M S

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Issue 97

CERBA LANCET AFRICA World-class medical diagnostics for Africa

COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE Iconic and impactful brands and beverages

SYRAH RESOURCES LTD

Putting Mozambique on the map for global EV development

Gideon Burger, CEO of Axiology Labs discusses providing top quality laboratory products for life science solutions across Africa

travel magazine ISSUE 08

The major component of the publication takes the form of our Outlook Travel Guides, providing executives, avid travellers and our existing 575,000 international subscribers with the ultimate rundown of all the major economic drivers and thriving hubs across the world, with exclusive input from tourism industry associations and stakeholders – the people who know these places the best.

T R AV E L GUIDE

CYPRUS

Mediterranean escapism in the Land of Aphrodite F E AT U R E

YACHTING’S SUSTAINABLE REVOLUTION Charting cleaner waters for the Adriatic

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n a changing world, where the travel industry must adapt to challenging global situations, our mission at Outlook Travel remains the same. We will continue to showcase some of the world’s most inspiring destinations, offering real insight and comprehensive travel guides for when global mobility resumes.

TRAVEL GUIDE

PUERTO VALLARTA From quaint fishing village to bustling resort getaway

We go Behind the Lens with culinary storyteller, Karolina Wiercigroch

You can join the vast numbers of tourism sector players enjoying the exposure we provide across our digital and print platforms with a range of options, from advertising through to free-of-charge editorials, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and increase exposure.

THAILAND TRAVEL GUIDE

THAILAND This Southeast Asian country is a perennial favourite, thanks to an intoxicating combination of beautiful beaches, world-renowned cuisine and incredible temple complexes Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

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nown as the ‘Land of Smiles’, Thailand is a friendly country that welcomed 38.27 million tourists to its shores last year.

There are plenty of reasons why this Southeast Asian destination is so popular.

For a start, there’s the beaches. In the south, Thailand’s two coastlines stretch for miles, populated by swathes of icing-sugar soft sand, the bays speckled with dramatic limestone formations. Thailand is also home to 1,430 islands, ranging from full moon party spots like Koh Pha Ngan to the more off the beaten track Similan Islands, a national marine park popular with scuba divers.

Then, there’s the food. Thailand’s noodles, stir fries and curries are beloved around the

world, characterised by the fragrant taste of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and tulsi. Every town is bursting at the seams with floating markets, street food stalls and high-end restaurants where you can try delicious local dishes.

Thailand’s rich spiritual heritage also attracts tourists. Golden temples and larger-than-life Buddha statues can be found across the country. Visitors can experience colourful religious festivals in the northeast of the country or explore the underground cave shrines in Kanchanaburi and Phetchaburi.

Despite Thailand’s popularity, it’s easy to find a quiet corner to relax, be it on a deserted island or an eco-retreat in the craggy mountains north of Chiang Mai.

SEYCHELLES TRAVEL GUIDE

S E YC H E L L E S Most people visit this archipelago in the Indian Ocean for the beaches, but it has much more to offer than that Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

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escribing the Seychelles, it’s easy to veer into cliché. These picture-perfect islands are blessed with white sand beaches lapped by translucent water, fringed with palm trees and interesting rock formations. The dramatic sunsets, laidback atmosphere and a wide range of luxury accommodation make them a popular spot for honeymooners.

The Seychelles consists of 115 islands and some small islets, located

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in the Indian Ocean at a crossroads between Asia and Africa. Most of the action is concentrated around the three major islands: Mahé, La Digue and Praslin. Mahé is the largest and most populous; home to the capital, Victoria, and transport hub to the rest of the islands. La Digue is renowned for having some of the best beaches in the archipelago. Praslin, meanwhile, is home to the idyllic Vallée de Mai nature reserve.

But there’s more to the Seychelles

than just the beaches. Trek through the granite mountains and lush rainforests of the Morne Seychellois National Park. Try some of the island’s traditional Creole dishes at a local restaurant. Or if you’re a nature lover, head to Bird Island to observe its population of fairy terns and common noddies, as well as the giant Aldabra tortoises endemic to the archipelago. You’ll be bowled over by what the Seychelles has to offer.

WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL Head of Editorial: Phoebe Harper phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com Senior Editor: Marcus Kääpä marcus.kaapa@outlookpublishing.com Junior Editor: Jack Salter jack.salter@outlookpublishing.com Junior Editor: Ed Budds ed.budds@outlookpublishing.com PRODUCTION Production Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Senior Designer: Devon Collins devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com Designer: Matt Loudwell matt.loudwell@outlookpublishing.com Social Media Manager: Fox Tucker fox.tucker@outlookpublishing.com Production Assistant: Talia Smits talia.smits@outlookpublishing.com BUSINESS CEO: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Managing Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Commercial Director: Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS Vivek Valmiki vivek.valmiki@outlookpublishing.com Marvin Iseghehi marvin.Iseghehi@outlookpublishing.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Thomas Arnold thomas.arnold@outlookpublishing.com HEADS OF PROJECTS Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Matt Cole-Wilkin matt.cole-wilkin@outlookpublishing.com Ryan Gray ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com SALES MANAGERS Sales & Partnerships Manager: Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com Josh Hyland josh.hyland@outlookpublishing.com Krisha Canlas krisha.canlas@outlookpublishing.com

Lloyd Hanley lloyd.hanley@outlookpublishing.com PROJECT MANAGERS Cameron Lawrence cameron.lawrence@outlookpublishing.com Jordan Levey jordan.levey@outlookpublishing.com Kyle Livingstone kyle.livingstone@outlookpublishing.com

ADMINISTRATION Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Finance Assistant: Suzie Kittle suzie.kittle@outlookpublishing.com Office Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com CONTACT Africa Outlook East Wing, Ground Floor, 69-75 Thorpe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1UA, United Kingdom.

Sales: +44 (0) 1603 363 631 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 363 655 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0) 1603 363 655 phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com www.africaoutlookmag.com

Positive Pressure A common thread binding the companies showcased within this issue, is the idea of doing things differently in order to lead by example and thereby effect change.

By so doing, businesses can send waves of influence rippling across their respective industries, demonstrating both the risk, and the pay-off, of new ways of operation.

Leading the charge with world-class standards of healthcare is Cerba Lancet Africa, a name of international renown in the realm of medical diagnostics, born from the joint venture between Cerba Healthcare and Lancet Laboratories.

Speaking with CEO Stéphane Carré, we explore how the company rose to the fore during COVID-19, serving as an industry-setting model.

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we trained our staff and passed the audit and health regulations imposed by the governments and installed a global logistical eco-system to guarantee a turnaround time of less than 24 hours,” Carré elaborates. “The technique we selected was, and remains, one of the most reliable and accurate available in the world.”

In Mozambique, Syrah Resources Ltd is the natural graphite mining operation shifting the global dynamic of EV development away from China, as General Manager of Corporate Services and International Relations, Agnaldo Laice, talks us through the company’s ongoing construction of an anode material facility in the US to complement its African mining operation.

“Through integration with the downstream facility in the US, we will be the first vertically integrated operation outside China,” he shares.

Elsewhere, industry titan Coca-Cola Sabco Mozambique – a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa – is set to become plastics emissions neutral later this year as the company continues to offer new ways of packaging.

“If you look at packaging generally around the world, if you only give consumers a certain type of packaging, then that’s all they’re going to buy because you’re not giving them a choice,” explains General Manager, Duncan Wyness.

With a similar goal in mind, tilapia producer Victory Farms is proving to the industry the benefits and possibility of transitioning from a harmful plastic packaging model.

“We want to highlight that this migration is totally possible. It was risky in the beginning, but now it’s crystal clear that it’s the better model – both from an environmental perspective, and in terms of cost reduction,” says Founder, Joseph Rehmann.

We hope that you enjoy your read.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/africaoutlook Follow us on Twitter: @africa_outlook

Phoebe Harper Head of Editorial, Outlook Publishing Africa Outlook issue 97 | 3

CONTENTS 46

8

14

REGULARS

6 NEWS Around Africa in seven stories

8 EXPERT EYE 10

How Web3 is transforming FinTech in Africa

36 TO P I C A L F O C U S

14 Finance New Age Finance Neobanks and FinTech transforming the continent

I N D U STRY S P OTL I G H TS

18 Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) Inside an industrial landscape ripe for investment

BU SI N ESS I N SI G H TS

10 Energy & Utilities PHOTO: HTTPS://WWW.HOSTEX.CO.ZA

Hydrogen on the Horizon

12

4 | Africa Outlook issue 97

28 Chamber of Mines DRC An African gem in mineral resources

Fuelling the continent’s green hydrogen ambitions

38 Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)

12 Economy

Advancing a prosperous and globally competitive sector

Driving the Hospitality Industry’s Economic Recovery

162 THE FINAL WORD

Expanding South Africa’s tourism footprint

What is your greatest motivator at work?

AFRICA OUTLOOK ISSUE 97

70

80

F E AT U R E S

44 SHOWCASING

LEADING COMPANIES

86

122

F OOD & D R I N K

S U P P LY C H A I N

86 Coca-Cola Sabco Mozambique

130 Inara Investments Ltd

Bottled with Care

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

Iconic and impactful brands and beverages

H EALT HCA RE

94 Victory Farms

46 Cerba Lancet Africa The Leading Diagnostics Network

The Aquaculture Answer Sustainable sustenance for the African diet

World-class medical diagnostics for Africa

104 Bracongo

46

58 Axiology Labs From Molecules to Mankind Assisting with medical services across the continent

MINING

70 Syrah Resources Ltd

80 JVChantete Earthworks Ltd Getting the Job Done Zambia’s preferred earthworks partner

Keeping the Continent Moving Unparalleled logistical support across Central and Eastern Africa

136 Zambia Airports Corporation Limited Zambia Takes Flight Overseeing Zambia’s expanding network of airports

The Beer Necessities

MA N U FAC TU R I N G

Exploring an array of fresh African beverages

146 BURN Manufacturing

110 Chibuku Products

Revolutionary cooking appliances that positively impact lives and the environment

Proudly Malawian Brewing up a storm with Malawi’s beverages of choice

116 260 Brands Feeding Zambia and the Region Fighting hunger with soy and maize

Graphite Goes Up a Gear Putting Mozambique on the map for global EV development

146

R ETA I L

Clean Cooking

O I L & G AS

152 Marine Platforms Laying a Platform for Success Providing integrated subsea solutions across the offshore production cycle

CO N STR U C TI O N

122 Woolworths

156 TAF Africa Global Limited

Ethical and Sustainable Beauty

Housing Africa

Responsible retail focused on cosmetics and personal care

Accessible and affordable real estate centred on aesthetics and quality

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 5

NEWS

Around Africa in seven stories…

R E TA I L

EXHIBITION OF EXCELLENCE

A G R I C U LT U R E

TREE-SONOUS SMUGGLERS VANQUISHED

THE CENTRAL AFRICAN Republic has put in motion its new government-backed cryptocurrency hub. Sango, so named after one of the country’s official languages, was launched by President Faustin Archange Touadéra in a live announcement on social networks, with the project being likened to “digital gold”.

6 | Africa Outlook issue 97

This follows the nation’s adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender in May, as only the second country after El Salvador to make this move. The project aims to help citizens invest in the country’s significant mining resources.

About 90 percent of the Central African population does not have access to the internet, although the country has signed an agreement with neighbouring Cameroon to share its fibre optic network in 2023.

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DIGGING FOR DIGITAL GOLD

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ECONOMY

DA

Aisha Ayensu is the creator of the Christie Brown label

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Vast quantities of protected West African Rosewood were being trafficked through the country from Senegal. Much of it ends up in China, where it is used to make furniture.

It has been listed as an endangered species since 2017, and by value and by volume, rosewood is one of the most trafficked wildlife products worldwide.

BY

THE GAMBIA HAS banned all timber exports to directly combat rosewood smuggling and has subsequently revoked all export licenses in an attempt to terminate illegal logging.

The ban has come into effect immediately, and the Gambian port authorities have been instructed to refuse the loading of timber logs onto any vessel.

GHANAIAN FASHION BRAND Christie Brown is spearheading a new wave of African designers making their mark on the world stage. A new show at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum showcases the creative flair and dynamism of the sector.

Like countless women across Ghana, Christie Brown was a seamstress and Aisha Ayensu, her granddaughter, now one of the nation’s top designers, first discovered a passion for sewing by helping to thread her machine.

Across two floors of the museum, the exhibition features 45 designers from over 20 African countries, providing a crucial platform for a sector of the fashion industry that, while constantly overlooked, has been growing PH OT O exponentially during the past decade.

ENERGY & UTILITIES

TECHNOLOGY

WATT A TIME TO BE ALIVE

THE LAY OF THE LAN

KENYA HAS BEEN one of Africa’s major success stories in terms of progression towards the UN Global Sustainable Development Goal of reaching universal electricity access by 2030. The nation has achieved one of the fastest increases in electrification rates within sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade.

At present, 75 percent of the population has gained access to power, according to Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), and the government has ambitious plans to make it 100 percent within this decade.

MTN SOUTH AFRICA has revealed that it is accelerating its rollout of 5G coverage to bring the seamless, rapid and cutting-edge experience of the fifth-generation network to more South Africans.

Currently, with over 1,000 active 5G sites across the country, MTN aims to have at least a quarter of the population serviced by the end of 2022.

With a strong focus on investment into main metros, peri-urban areas, and larger townships initially, speeds 10 times faster than 4G and the potential to be 100 times faster, this will change the way South Africans work and spend their leisure time.

This goal will require substantial investment given that many of those still without grid power are in the most remote, difficult to reach areas.

LO C A L G OV E R N M E N T

AFRICAN TREASURES RECLAIMED

PHOTO BY:KARLHEINRICH - OWN WORK, PUBLIC DOMAIN

GERMANY HAS RETURNED artefacts taken from Africa during the nation’s previous colonial rule. Priceless objects taken from Cameroon, Namibia and Tanzania will now be permanently returned after being removed and looted from African nations during Germany’s colonial period.

Cap of the Nso people, beadwork on Raffia fiber (Linden-Museum, Stuttgart, Germany)

The Berlin-based Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which manages the German capital’s many museums, says it has entered into negotiations on the immediate return of all artefacts.

Among the array of treasures to be returned is a shell-studded statue of the mother goddess Ngonnso’, which holds great spiritual significance for the Nso’ people of northwest Cameroon.

MINING

MINOR ISSUE ENCOUNTERED GUINEA’S MINISTER OF Mines has ordered all work at the Simandou iron ore mine project to be halted immediately, after the two companies involved missed an extended deadline to agree on a joint venture and have shown a lack of willingness to work on a partnership.

“Despite the significant concessions the Guinean State has been kind enough to make, it is clear the obstruction is being maintained by both your companies, to the detriment of the interests of the project,” wrote Minister Moussa Magassouba.

In a later statement, the government said it was open to discussions with new partners for the ambitious project that aims to extract iron ore from its remote hinterland to a port hundreds of kilometres away, but which has been dogged by delays in recent years.

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 7

How Web3 is transforming FinTech in Africa

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t could have been an absence of funding, a lack of technical knowledge, or crucial building blocks like robust internet infrastructure. There were a complex variety of reasons, but in any case, the factors that caused Africa to miss out on the economic opportunities of Web1 and Web2 are certainly not stopping it from becoming an international leader in Web3.

The past decade has seen the continent embrace FinTech. Internet connectivity has improved, and the urban population has grown rapidly.

Mix this with an ambitious tech talent pool and the move to create the world’s largest single market through the African Continental Free Trade Area, and Africa has seen a rapid digital revolution creating 8 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Marieke Flament, CEO of the NEAR Foundation, unpacks the new chapter of Africa’s economic growth and a flourishing generation of tech talent Written by: Marieke Flament, CEO, NEAR Foundation

unprecedented economic opportunity for its people.

The numbers reflect this reality. In 2020, Google and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) projected Africa’s Internet economy to hit US$180 billion by 2025, which would be 5.2 percent of the continent’s GDP.

This is set to rise to US$712 billion by 2050, or 8.5 percent of the continent’s GDP. The COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated digital transformation throughout the continent and these technical leaps cemented the foundation that had already been laid in recent decades.

THE PATTERNS ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION African countries have been leading the way in mobile money since M-Pesa came onto the scene in 2007, which went on to take over 99 percent of the market share. This astounding success only further spread mobile money adoption throughout Africa, and these days, Africa accounts for 70 percent of the world’s $1 trillion mobile money market.

EXPERT EYE FINANCE

This willingness to adopt new payment methods boded well for the continent as crypto emerged, and now, Africa boasts the fastest crypto adoption rate in the world (increasing by a staggering 1,200 percent from July 2020 to June 2021).

As a continent with a large unbanked population, a big credit gap, and inefficient cross-border payment systems, it has always held massive potential opportunity for Web3.

After all, sub-Saharan users have achieved more than $80 million in cryptocurrency holdings, which represents more than the total held by US users. Africa also hosts the second-largest bitcoin market (Nigeria), which has also seen a government-introduced central bank digital currency, one of only a handful of countries worldwide.

On top of this – not one, not two, but six of its countries (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo and Tanzania) appeared on the 2021 Global Crypto Adoption Index Top 20 list by Chainalysis. It is evident that Web3 represents an entirely new chapter of unleashing economic growth and prosperity not just for specific individual countries but for the continent as a whole.

A NEW GENERATION OF TECH TALENT IS HERE This shift is reflected on the grassroots and institutional levels, with a growing interest among African youth in technical training and education opportunities. New educational programmes for developers and educational content for the wider public are emerging, with a young generation of African developers keen to learn and find their role in creating this exciting new chapter for the continent.

Our partnership with the local blockchain community Sankore and its incubated projects has shown us the innovation unfolding on the ground.

Kilimo Shwari is a blockchain-based

insurance programme that helps farmers deal with natural disasters.

This on-chain solution aims to hedge farmers against agricultural uncertainties such as bad weather and calamities like the recent locust invasion in Kenya. The insurance is based on smart contracts, gathering data on uncertainties and automatically compensating farmers.

Another example of a Sankoresupported initiative is Ledja, designed to combat fraud throughout Africa and tackle forged documentation.

Through cooperating with higher learning institutions and initiating document digitisation using NEAR Protocol, Ledja enables much faster, safer, and more secure document verification.

NEW BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATIONS ABOUND Not only are these projects growing organically from local communities of blockchain developers, but Africa is attracting more international funds, investors, incubators and corporate interest than ever before.

The Web3 startup ecosystem is backed by global venture capital leaders such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Paradigm, and Coinbase Ventures, which have all made notable investments in the continent.

It was CoinShares Ventures and Anthemis Group that led the round for Ejara, a Cameroon app started by Nelly Chatue-Diop, which raised $2 million to offer crypto and investment services in Francophone Africa.

The app enables access to various investment offers, including fractional shares, commodities, cryptocurrency, and more. With a mission to democratise the cryptocurrency playing field for the average Frenchspeaking African, it helps the local population invest as little as 5,000 CFA (~$9).

Alongside these developments, new corporate initiatives are transforming the Web3 scene in Africa. Diamond

leader De Beers announced the world’s first blockchain-backed diamond source platform at scale through Tracr. This is the world’s only distributed diamond blockchain that starts at the source and provides tamper-proof source assurance at scale and helps to track jewellery activities from the continent.

The combination of all these developments makes it impossible not to get excited about the enormous opportunities ahead. While Web3 tends to be more complex than the previous versions of the web, with higher barriers to entry and an understanding of the blockchain, smart contracts, protocols, and so on, these barriers can be addressed efficiently and effectively over the coming years.

Through a combination of exciting educational opportunities, technical training schemes, and an active start-up ecosystem, a new generation of tech talent will only continue to proliferate. What matters most is a deep interest in the opportunities presented by this new iteration of the web, and this clearly exists in abundance throughout Africa.

ABOUT THE EXPERT Marieke Flament is the CEO of the NEAR Foundation, a non-profit foundation which oversees Web3 development on NEAR - the world’s fastest growing, carbon neutral blockchain. The organisation has three missions: to raise awareness with education programmes, to support with grants and funding, and to provide governance. NEAR Protocol is a shared, proof-of-stake, layer-1 blockchain that is simple to use and scalable and open source, allowing anyone in world to play a part in building the future of Web3.

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 9

HYDROGEN

O N T H E H O R I ZO N With the potential to rapidly decarbonise industry and transport, efforts to unleash green hydrogen are ramping up in Africa Writer: Jack Salter

F

rom steel and chemicals to shipping and trucking, green hydrogen has been identified by major energy transition pathways as one of the world’s most credible clean energy solutions.

Produced with renewable power, global confidence has grown in the role of green hydrogen, the price of which is soon expected to become cost-competitive with emissionsabated fossil fuels, such as natural gas.

In the private sector, there is an estimated US$200 billion investable pipeline of green hydrogen projects currently being developed, according to The Hydrogen Council; this is underpinned by emerging policy leadership in the likes of Europe, North America, and Asia, such as India’s forthcoming mandate for green hydrogen adoption in refining and fertiliser production.

As the price of green hydrogen declines and demand continues to expand, decarbonisation will be spurred further by substantial funding support from developed countries, and targeted domestic fiscal policies.

In Africa, many countries are 10 | Africa Outlook issue 97

well-suited to develop green hydrogen, given the large swathes of non-arable land on the continent and its wealth of renewable energy potential in the form of solar and wind. Indeed, if the vast opportunities presented by green hydrogen aren’t already in African hands, then they are certainly within reach.

As well as enhancing access to clean energy, green hydrogen could generate new jobs in the zero-emission economy. In South Africa, for example, the deployment of 10 gigawatts (GW) of electrolysis capacity in the Northern Cape, coupled with around 500 kilotonnes of hydrogen per year by the end of the decade, is forecast to create 30,000 jobs per year by 2040.

Namibia’s planned US$9.4 billion green hydrogen project, meanwhile, is expected to create 15,000 jobs during construction and 3,000 permanent positions, 90 percent of which are to be filled by Namibians.

COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION Likewise, green hydrogen could provide public health benefits such as cleaner air, promote new green industries and wealth creation, and open up new African export revenue streams, which offer a breakthrough opportunity to develop this burgeoning new sector.

Mass production could also unlock renewable energy and green hydrogen supply chains, at a scale significant enough to further Africa’s wider economic growth and electrification. The installation of four global scale green hydrogen projects, for instance, would more than double Africa’s renewable energy capacity as of 2020.

However, the development of green hydrogen at scale will require cooperation and collaboration across government ministries, international organisations, financial institutions, project developers and financiers,

INDUSTRY INSIGHT ENERGY & UTILITIES

and businesses alike.

It will take a concerted effort from this diverse set of public and private sector stakeholders to grasp the opportunities posed by a new African green hydrogen industry, and deliver on its abundant potential. Equally, effective public and private sector collaboration will be necessary to rapidly mobilise investment and project development, to produce the green hydrogen quantities needed to meet set decarbonisation targets.

As well as offering expertise, capacity and access to capital, visionary private sector partners can work with host governments and local and regional institutions to strengthen permitting processes and green hydrogen project structures, that deliver on national and regional priorities for sustainable development and economic growth.

Governance will also be key, with transparency and accountability integral to ensuring the green hydrogen sector avoids the various pitfalls that have plagued the continent’s extractive industries for so long.

SUPERCHARGING GREEN HYDROGEN A broad base of missionaligned, collaborative public and private sector partners can send a strong signal to policymakers in developed countries, that equitable, lasting industrial developing outcomes can be worked towards with the adoption of green energy.

Connecting existing initiatives and leadership efforts with the potential to generate further industry awareness, opportunities and action, is the newly launched Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA).

With eyes on becoming a clean energy leader, AGHA comprises six countries – Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Egypt, Morocco, and

Mauritania – who formally launched the Alliance at the first-ever Green Hydrogen Global Assembly in Barcelona in May 2022.

The collaboration fostered between AGHA members is set to create a sustainable enabling environment for the development of green hydrogen.

This includes the development of public and regulatory policy, capacity building, financing and certifications needs to mobilise green hydrogen production for domestic use and export.

With hopes to supercharge green hydrogen projects in Africa, and accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to new, sustainable technologies that open up access to clean, affordable energy supplies for all, the launch of AGHA marks a first important step in driving this development in Africa.

The six founding members are set to make the Alliance a platform for workstream collaboration, green hydrogen project synergies, research and development, as well as working with the private sector, development finance institutions, and civil society.

Following initial discussions at last year’s COP26 summit, AGHA is now inviting more countries to join in making the African continent a global frontrunner in the green hydrogen development race.

AGHA’s efforts to galvanise the international community are in response to the opportunities created by lower-cost renewables, fastdeveloping electrolyser technology, and signs in some major markets that green hydrogen demand is likely to emerge at scale this decade.

Green hydrogen is key to Africa’s clean energy transition, and AGHA is tasked with accelerating its development and deployment.

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 11

INDUSTRY INSIGHT ECONOMY

DRIVING THE H O S P I TA L I T Y I N D U S T RY ’ S E C O N O M I C R E C OV E RY

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veryone who’s anyone in the hospitality sector already knew how important the domestic market was to the economy before the COVID-19 pandemic. But this reality was magnified many times for businesses, government, and individuals in South Africa. When the pandemic struck, it was the domestic business and leisure markets – especially the latter which struggled to shake off lockdown cabin fever – that actually saved and revived the tourism sector when it was on its knees.

This suggests that as we look forward to a post-pandemic country, we need to recognise that for the tourism footprint to expand – as it must – new products that are culturally attractive, diverse, and owned and managed by black people, must be incorporated into the market.

It clearly follows that domestic tourists will feel a greater affinity to products that are accessible and inviting to them.

TOURISM CHARTER The Tourism Transformation Charter, developed by the Tourism Transformation Council of SA (TTCSA), which I have the privilege of chairing, acknowledges that our industry is characterised by large disparities in accessing opportunities and benefits, due mainly to the predominance of white ownership along the value chain of the tourism sector.

To share some background for context, in November 2015, the Amended Tourism BBBEE Sector Code developed by the TTCSA in 12 | Africa Outlook issue 97

consultation with stakeholders was published in the Government Gazette, in order to advance transformation and provide a basis for monitoring transformation in the sector.

The TTCSA takes the following elements into account when addressing transformation – ownership, management control, skills development, enterprise and supplier development, and social economic development. Here’s a snapshot of some of the results of research on the State of Transformation commissioned by the TTCSA that tell a story: Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo

Change in transformation and gender equality in tourism will deliver economic growth. We find out more with Lindiwe SangweniSiddo, COO of City Lodge Hotel Group, Chair of TTCSA (Tourism Transformation Council of SA), and Show Ambassador for Hostex 2022 Writer: Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo

• Under ownership in the old code, 10 percent of large enterprises achieved the target for women ownership and another five percent were making some progress, while 85 percent of large enterprises had not complied with the women ownership target.

• Under the new code, enterprises are required to comply with 30 percent of exercised voting rights, but it was found that 85 percent of enterprises failed to meet the target, and 48 percent were only striving towards getting those rights.

• Under management control in the old code, all enterprises across all bands were required to achieve 50 percent of black board members, executive directors and senior top management using adjusted recognition of gender. Only 12 percent of large enterprises had achieved the 50 percent target, while four percent had achieved the 25 percent target for black female directorship.

PHOTO: HTTPS://WWW.HOSTEX.CO.ZA

• 40 percent of large enterprises had achieved the target of 63 percent for black middle/junior management and about 20 percent of these had achieved the 32.5 percent target for black female middle/junior management.

CALL TO ACTION The TTCSA developed a five point plan of action to fast-track transformation in tourism: 1. Ensure effective monitoring of compliance with BBBEE and impact assessment.

2. Ensure that youth are included and elevated in tourism structures.

3. Ensure improved education and skills training for tourism job seekers and entrepreneurs.

4. Ensure that an environment conducive to supporting tourism product development in townships, small towns, and rural areas exists.

5. Advocate for better access to preferential procurement opportunities in government and state institutions by SMMEs.

bring a different perspective to an environment, and it could be that the innovation and differences in approaching problem-solving may exclude women to the detriment of the growth of organisations.

The market will also expand when the complexion of the consumers of tourism transforms from the stereotypical white tourist, to a much more diverse traveller.

• In terms of the new code, the exercisable voting rights of black people has a 50 percent target, but it was found that only 29 percent of large enterprises managed to reach that goal, while 71 percent failed or EXPAND THE MARKET Women can play a bigger role in made no effort. ensuring the market is expanded and There’s more that can be included grown to the extent that an untapped here, but information on the Tourism cohort of travellers who would Charter can be found here. typically not have travelled in the past, would now do so.

BRING WOMEN INTO We’re also aware of young black BOARDROOMS millennials (age 26 to 41) who love travThese few statistics show that there’s elling and trying out new experiences. much work to be done by everyone to They use products that give them the speed up the pace of change in both new experiences they yearn for, and gender equity and transformation in they’re very conscious of the elements order to grow our domestic tourism of the transformation, which means market sustainably, while also that often their buying decisions are creating jobs and boosting the overall made on the basis of whether the busieconomy of South Africa. ness is transformed or not.

The absence of black women We can choose to work together to around boardroom tables and in make South African tourism a bigger, senior executive management circles better, and more equitable economic is conspicuous, even though women driver to the benefit of us all. form the core of the tourism sector’s To find out more about Hostex, visit workforce. www.hostex.co.za This means that when ideas are shared and decisions made, they’re done from a predominantly white male perspective, because that’s who’s dominating the sector’s ownership structures. Women Africa Outlook issue 97 | 13

TOPICAL FOCUS TECHNOLOGY

NEW AGE

FINANCE A deep dive into the growth of FinTech and neobanks across Africa Writer: Marcus Kääpä

B

etween 2007 and 2009, the world underwent the Great Recession, the worst financial crisis since the decade-long Great Depression in the 1920s and 1930s.

The impacts of such a period of millennial stagnation and decline were varied and far reaching, with many workers across multiple industries losing jobs and businesses falling through. In the financial sector itself, the loss paved the way for development when it came to FinTech, and the earliest notions of alternative financial institutions, such as neobanks.

Neobanks, also known as “challenger banks”, operate exclusively online and cut out the presence of physical branch networks, highlighting a new age of banking.

It is not hard to see why so many neobanks have emerged since. With the incredible boom in technological accessibility worldwide, the digital age demands online products and services in every aspect of life, and 14 | Africa Outlook issue 97

with the explosive rise in e-commerce, online banking has become not only the norm, but also a need.

This necessity is not simply based on want, however. Careers and businesses are taking to digital and sacrificing physical assets for virtual realms, in many cases completely, utilising remote or hybrid working teams, and the best and latest workplace and communication software. Alongside this, the presence of revolutionary digital banks helps seamlessly and easily integrate banking into businesses or people’s lives, allowing individuals to access, use and control their assets whenever and wherever they please.

AFRICAN GROWTH The global influence of neobanks has not stopped in Africa. The continent’s financial potential is being recognised all over the globe, with domestic and foreign investors alike seeking to tap into the new age of banking in such an expansive and ever-growing market.

Africa’s potential is very clear to see; it is a continent encompassing over 20 percent of the globe’s landmass and home to almost 17 percent of the world’s population, the majority of which are underbanked.

Alongside the increased accessibility to devices such as smart phones, tablets and laptops, there is a prolific frontier in which neobanks can thrive and provide their services to millions across the continent.

Neobanks are currently at the centre of African infrastructure development, transforming the continent digitally and allowing individuals and businesses to thrive in a fast-paced online world. And with so much to offer, such as resources (natural and manufactured), skilled labour and land investment opportunities, the use and progression of neobanks can facilitate the large-scale and fast exchange of wealth, furthering growth and Africa’s presence in the global market.

KIPPA – AT THE CORE Instant Business Bank Account • Get an account in the business’s name • Send and receive payments from customers • Separate business from personal finances

Bookkeeping • Record daily sales and income • Send free receipts and invoices • Recover debt three times faster

THE FUTURE OF FINTECH FinTech is largely regarded as a sunrise sector in Africa, with foreign investment pouring into the continent, such as from the US who invested almost $1.5 billion in African FinTech during 2021.

This relates once more to the absolute potential that the continent holds when it comes to FinTech growth and the rise of digital accessibility for the overall population.

In total, 2021 saw tech startups raise almost $5 billion for the continent - around double the amount seen in 2020, and roughly nine times more than in 2017 - with FinTech alone accounting for approximately $3 billion.

In the FinTech space, one such company changing the face of African finance is Kippa.

Kippa is a disruptive FinTech start-up that provides a simple-to-use bookkeeping app, as well as a finance management app, to generate

professional invoices, track profits, manage expenses and recover debt three times faster than the standard.

Its free business app allows over 250,000 business users in Africa to record sales and expenses for their customers easily and securely, while keeping track of all their business finances.

Kippa specialises in simple banking and bookkeeping for micro businesses, allowing its users to set up an Instant Business Bank Account, have access to simple bookkeeping, and send invoices and receipts; as well as being a platform for e-commerce, it is the perfect tool for a growing digital generation of entrepreneurs.

Given Africa’s potential and the funding pouring into the continent, FinTech companies such as Kippa, as well as the increase in neobanks, are two financial service spheres that will be central to the growth of individuals, families and businesses into the future.

from debtors • Manage stock without counting

Get a POS terminal • Collect card payments offline using KippaPay™ • Make extra cash by becoming a Mobile Money Agent

CAC Registration • Register the business with the name for N15,000 • Three days premium processing time • Receive a Tax Identification Number (TIN)

Free Website for your business • Create e-commerce storefront in 15 seconds • Manage orders easily via WhatsApp • Receive instant payments for orders

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 15

WO O LWO R T H S | V I C TO RY FA R M S

w w w. a f r i c a o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

Issue 97

CERBA LANCET AFRICA

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ZERELLA FRESH

AG R A I N D U S T R I E S , I N C

I M P R I M A G R O U P | AT I P R O J E C T

SCHLAM / CR3 GROUP

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I s s u e 47

Issue 10

w w w. n o r t h a m e r i c a o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

INHA WORKS

Produce delivered from paddock to plate

Smooth cruising for European manufacturing

SG TECH

DORMIO

Behind the global tech powerhouse of the world’s Smartest City

The suite life of the hotel industry

World-class medical diagnostics for Africa

COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE Iconic and impactful brands and beverages

SYRAH RESOURCES LTD

Putting Mozambique on the map for global EV development

GENIE ENERGY LTD

BATCHFIRE RESOURCES

Advancing the solar generation

MOELLER AEROSPACE

PACTIV EVERGREEN

VAN MOER LOGISTICS

On a trajectory of expansion, Batchfire Resources is the low-fugitive emission energy coal producer pursuing plans for Net Zero

Sustainability and innovation in food and beverage packaging

Ascending to new heights of discovery in air travel and industrial gas turbine technology

Founder and CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses leading sustainable logistics in Belgium

Gideon Burger, CEO of Axiology Labs discusses providing top quality laboratory products for life science solutions across Africa

quality laboratory products for life science solutions across Africa Gideon Burger, CEO of Axiology Labs discusses providing top

Innoquest Diagnostics is moving forward as one in pursuit of transformative healthcare. Ginny Foo, CEO, gives us the details

Donavan Hutchinson, MD of SHI UK, tells us how how organisations are being empowered to adapt to changing business models and workplace strategies

Expert Eye, Amanda Li, discusses the unsustainable nature of modern infrastructure investment

transformative healthcare. Ginny Foo, CEO, gives us the details Innoquest Diagnostics is moving forward as one in pursuit of

empowered to adapt to changing business models and workplace strategies Donavan Hutchinson, MD of SHI UK, tells us how how organisations are being

of modern infrastructure investment Expert Eye, Amanda Li, discusses the unsustainable nature

LOGISTICS MOER VAN leading sustainable logistics in Belgium Founder and CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses

EV development on the map for global Putting Mozambique

LTD RESOURCES SYRAH

MOZAMBIQUE SABCO COCA-COLA

AFRICA LANCET CERBA w w w. a f r i c a o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

beverage packaging innovation in food and Sustainability and

EVERGREEN PACTIV

Tell us your story, and we’ll tell the world. brands and beverages Iconic and impactful

diagnostics for Africa World-class medical

pursuing plans for Net Zero is the low-fugitive emission energy coal producer On a trajectory of expansion, Batchfire Resources

RESOURCES BATCHFIRE

gas turbine technology discovery in air travel and industrial Ascending to new heights of

AEROSPACE MOELLER

solar generation Advancing the

ENERGY LTD GENIE

Smartest City of the world’s tech powerhouse Behind the global

the hotel industry The suite life of

DORMIO

SG TECH

European manufacturing Smooth cruising for

paddock to plate Produce delivered from

INHA WORKS

ZERELLA FRESH

Issue 97

w w w. a p a c o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

Issue 56

w w w. e m e o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

I s s u e 47

w w w. n o r t h a m e r i c a o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

Issue 10

Africa Outlook, APAC Outlook, EME Outlook and North America Outlook are digital and print publications aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers, reaching an audience of more than 800,000 people around the world; spanning the full range of industrial sectors.

WO O LWO R T H S | V I C TO RY FA R M S

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AG R A I N D U S T R I E S , I N C

With original and exclusive content compiled by our experienced editorial team, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from across the globe.

Your company can join the leading industry heavyweights enjoying the free exposure we provide across both digital and print platforms with a free marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and to help you grow your business.

Visit www.outlookpublishing.com/get-involved for details on how your company can feature for free in one of our upcoming editions.

www.outlookpublishing.com/get-involved

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHTS Welcome to our series of spotlights.

These reports dive into specific segments of economies across the region, featuring exclusive insight from associations and organisations in the know.

Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) Chamber of Mines DRC Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

MALAWI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT A land of untapped opportunity, we peel back the layers on the investment potential of the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Krisha Canlas

F

or a landlocked nation blessed with fertile soils, where arable land is the country’s greatest natural resource, it is not surprising that agriculture has long been the backbone of Malawi’s economy.

To this day, the agro-processing industries in Malawi represent the lifeblood of national trade, with

18 | Africa Outlook issue 97

tobacco standing as the country’s most significant export. Trade income also derives from tea, sugar, and cotton amongst other commodities.

As growing population levels combine with the advent of agro-processing industries continuing to increase pressure on the availability of arable land, the need for industrial diversification is evident.

The industrial sector across the country is still considered to be at a developmental stage, but crucially, Malawi holds all the key ingredients to be acknowledged worldwide as a haven of opportunity and investment – from a stable political climate, to streamlined regulations that ensure efficient investment registration.

With its landlocked geography naturally translating to a reliance on imports, there is huge scope for manufacturers to enter the country to construct factories that can locally produce Malawi’s most imported goods – from clothing and footwear

to fertiliser and plastics.

As industrialisation continues to grow as a key pillar of Malawi’s strategic ‘Vision 2063’ for a wealthy and self-reliant nation, there is also ample opportunity for energy providers to enter the country and supply the fuel that will propel this development.

With sustainability also a major component of this national ambition, renewable energy is a field ripe for activity.

Ready to leverage an industrial landscape defined by opportunity, Malawi’s journey towards an uppermiddle-income country is well underway.

INTRODUCTION

MALAWI INVESTMENT AND TRADE CENTRE

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 19

SFPL is a fully integrated business producing high quality textured food, where we procure the raw materials like soy beans, maize, sunflower seeds, etc. at farmgate level directly from the small holders & distribute the end-product to the consumers.

SFPL has agreements in place with reliable long-term suppliers for the supply of other ingredients, raw materials & packing material to ensure uninterrupted production. SFPL has customised food processing machines which produce the best quality of texturized veg and high protein staple foods that can be stored at room temperature. The process is fully automated which prevents any contamination and ensures the food safety for consumers.

OUR CORE VALUES SFPL Products

SFPL Objective

SFPL Understanding

Quality products & value for money.

To establish SFPL as a frontrunner in our business, assuring to set high standards of conduct & commitment towards our company, customers and create better value to our shareholders, soya agronomists and all our cherished customers.

Customer satisfaction with gratification.

Our Vision

Our Mission

To empower small-scale farmers to produce best quality farm products. To process the ready to cook product in a hygienic environment with international standard quality for end consumers. To produce high protein products at an affordable price which is easily accessible.

To be the strongest link between Malawian small-scale farmers and consumers and to provide THE BEST QUALITY & HYGENIC HIGH PROTEIN NUTRITIOUS FOOD at insignificant price.

SUNGOLD FOOD PROCESSING LIMITED Plot - 275-276, Area-28, Kanengo, Opp. Paramount Holdings Ltd., Lilongwe, Malawi.

T: +265 999 393 440, +265 99 4710 413 E: sungold.food@gmail.com

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 21

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Interview: Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) INTERVIEW

A catalyst for investment, export promotion and attraction, we speak with the industry association streamlining a developing sector Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Krisha Canlas

Paul Kwengwere, CEO, Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC)

Africa Outlook (AO): Can you talk us through the origins of the MITC - how it came about, and its initial vision?

Paul Kwengwere, CEO (PK): MITC is a government institution established by the Investment and Export Promotion Act of 2012. It was birthed following the merger of Malawi Export Promotion Council (MEPC) and the Malawi Investment Promotion Agency (MIPA). As such, MITC became an integrated Investment and Trade Promotion Centre with an encompassing mandate of investment promotion and attraction, and export promotion.

The institution identifies, develops and packages investment opportunities in Malawi; provides professional service to all clientele; brands and markets Malawi as an investment destination; retains and expands trade and export activities, and links opportunities to the developmental needs of the Malawi community.

Through its critical role within Malawi’s economy, MITC further encourages domestic investment and 22 | Africa Outlook issue 97

expansion, promotes locally manufactured goods to regional and international markets, contributes towards improvement of the investment climate through policy advocacy, and also contributes to creating sustainable job opportunities.

To summarise, MITC operates as a One-Stop Service Centre (OSSC) for business start-ups, and our vision is to ensure Malawi attains sustainable and transformative economic growth and creates wealth through well-targeted investment and trade.

AO: Since inception, how has MITC developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives and the messages it tries to get across?

PK: Since its foundation, the Centre has developed and made progress in terms of achieving its objective, which is primarily to provide support to both foreign and local investors as well as promote and facilitate export products and services of Malawi.

In terms of fast tracking the process of an investor obtaining their investment license, permits and land issues, MITC operates as an OSSC, which comprises a team of dedicated and experienced specialists who assist investors in acquiring all the necessary information on the investment process, business registration, available tax incentives, immigration permits and land acquisition for investment.

The OSSC reduces the cost of doing business by ensuring speedy processing of investment applications for foreign and local investors.

Apart from providing investor facilitation services, MITC also engages in investment promotion activities with the aim of attracting investors to invest in the country. Over the past years before the world was hit by COVID-19, we used to host what we call investment forums.

These provided perfect platforms as they brought together international investors, local investors and government officials to discuss the available investment opportunities as well as ways in which we can improve the business operating environment to make Malawi more attractive for investment. But even though COVID-19 disrupted our investment promotion efforts we have managed to adapt to the changing business environment.

We have now strengthened our online presence as well as adopted digital marketing strategies to ensure that our messages are still being transmitted to our target audience.

We have done virtual forums and also participated in webinars that have given us a platform to share our messages on what type of opportunities are available in Malawi. As the COVID-19 thread subsides, we are hoping to revive the organisation of investment forums.

On the trade side as an institution, we have registered some milestones. Through our trade promotion and facilitation department we have held several export development initiatives that aim to develop our export base, especially through

capacity building of our exporters. Our focus has been on equipping them with the necessary skills and right information about international trade.

We have also been attending various trade fairs and trade expos where our key focus is to identify potential markets for Malawian products. So far so good, as through these fairs we have managed to identify serious markets for Malawian produced products. We are making progress in achieving our strategic goals in terms of both export and investment promotion.

AO: What do you find most exciting about Malawi’s industrial sector?

PK: Malawi has a developing industrial sector filled with numerous opportunities for investment. For example, our manufacturing sector is currently dominated by agro-processing (food and beverages, tea and sugar), chemical industries, pharmaceuticals, cement and light electronic manufacturing. The sector contributes about 12 percent to GDP and is estimated to grow by an average of 4.2 percent per annum.

Most of the manufactured consumer goods in Malawi are imported and the majority of our exports are largely unprocessed or semi-processed. These major imports include: clothing and footwear, cement, fertiliser, plastics and food products so there is potential for factories to be set up to produce such products.

INTERVIEW

MALAWI INVESTMENT AND TRADE CENTRE

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

A major benefit is that we have plenty of raw materials readily available in the country.

The government realises that a growing and outward-oriented manufacturing sector can significantly contribute to Malawi’s job creation and export diversification, so the opportunities are endless.

INTERVIEW

AO: On the flip side, what are its biggest challenges?

PK: At present, this mainly concerns energy issues.

As a country with a growing industrial sector, the demand for energy is huge yet our production capacity is low. One of the pillars for Malawi’s vision, in Malawi 2063, is industrialisation, and for us to achieve that we need reliable and sustainable energy to drive this agenda. The government is already working on addressing the challenge by opening up the energy sector to allow for more players, including independent power producers to generate power for both industrial and domestic use.

Whilst this may seem a challenge, we also see it as an opportunity for investors to come and explore the numerous investment opportunities in the energy sector. At the moment, most industrial activities depend on hydropower which contributes around

24 | Africa Outlook issue 97

76 percent to the generation mix. The government is inviting investors to explore other sources to have a balanced mix of renewable energy sources at industry and household level.

Malawi enjoys year-round sunlight and also experiences strong winds in some areas. These are good opportunities to invest in solar or wind energy projects. In addition to that, our recent geological reports indicate the presence of gas, coal and

INTERVIEW

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

geothermal resources that can also be used to generate electricity. There is also availability of waste in the country’s major cities, and this also presents another opportunity for waste-to-energy generation.

AO: What are the advantages of investing in Malawi?

PK: We are a politically stable country with friendly and warm-hearted people. Malawi is one of the most peaceful countries in Africa which provides a good climate for business growth. We believe our location is strategic with our beautiful freshwater lake and the scenic beauty of our mountains, plateaus and landscape which makes it attractive for both leisure and business.

provide incentives. The incentives offered are both financial and those aimed at facilitating the investor to set up without hassles.

Through our OSSC, we facilitate investors to fast track their setting up period. Further, the operation of the Centre is constantly being reviewed to respond to investor needs. We have also seen an increased number of countries setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that take advantage of the commodities they produce (as anchor raw materials) hence providing financial and administrative incentives to investors locating in the Zones.

As a country, we have also started developing our own SEZs. We are acquiring land for the purpose and developing the legal framework. MITC is playing a key role in the development of SEZs in the country.

AO: What trends are currently transforming industries in your region? How are you responding to them?

AO: Have you got any projects in the pipeline you wish to highlight?

PK: The region is focused mainly on the creation of jobs, increasing the incomes and improving livelihoods of the masses. In this regard, there has been an increased impetus to boost value addition of our raw commodities.

The primary investment attraction tool has been to

PK: We promote projects owned by either public institutions or those from the private sector. Suffice to say that we have a list of bankable projects that are ready for investment that we are currently promoting.

These are well detailed in our latest Investment Projects Compendium. The projects are in various

26 | Africa Outlook issue 97

ARE YOUR ACCOUNTANTS REGISTERED? The law is clear No person shall offer services or hold himself out as a Chartered or Diplomate Accountant unless he is registered by the Malawi Accountant Board through the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi – Provisions of the Public Accountants and Auditors Act S26 – 28

To register, visit the link below https://www.icamis.icam.mw/login

sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, energy, mining, infrastructure, housing, transport, ICT, and agro-processing.

AO: How do you see MITC developing over the next five years?

PK: Our vision for the next five years is to develop into an investment and trade facilitation institution that is client focused and provides the best service to all our clientele. We are currently working on reconfiguring our service delivery so that we respond to the needs and aspirations of our clients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the way we do business and at the same time has brought in new challenges to the business world.

As an institution, we need to respond to the forces on the business environment and adapt our service delivery based on the changes in the environment.

This means that we are continuously updating and adapting our strategies for investment promotion and attraction as well as export promotion.

This is the path that we have taken to be as agile as possible so that we continue to serve our clients even in the face of business disruptors in the operating environment.

“ O U R V I S I O N I S TO E N S U R E M A L AW I AT TA I N S S U S TA I N A B L E A N D T R A N S F O R M AT I V E E C O N O M I C G R O W T H A N D C R E AT E S W E A LT H T H R O U G H W E L L TA R G E T E D I N V E S T M E N T AND TRADE” – PA U L K W E N G W E R E , C E O, M I TC

INTERVIEW

ICAM: Committed to Excellence

Malawi Investment and Trade Centre Tel: +265 (0) 1 771 315 info@mitc.mw www.mitc.mw

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 27

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT ON MINING IN DRC Plumbing the depths of a flourishing mining industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a global leader in green mineral resources Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Krisha Canlas

I

n the Central African nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), mining has long been the backbone of the country’s economic activity.

Since gaining independence in 1960, the extraction of minerals including copper and diamonds has represented the cornerstone of the formal economy.

To this day, mining accounts for nine-tenths of DRC’s total exports.

Blessed with an unparalleled wealth of mineral deposits, such natural treasures hidden beneath the soil are what first attracted European powers to the country in the 19th century. Katanga Province represents the hotbed of this activity, as an area abundant with deposits of copper, cobalt, zinc, manganese and coal, to name just a few. Meanwhile,

28 | Africa Outlook issue 97

the central regions of DRC boast world-class industrial diamonds, complemented by the gemquality stones found in the south-central region. As of 2019, DRC represented the world’s third largest producer of industrial diamonds, contributing to approximately 21 percent of global production.

DRC’s copper resources continue to attract global attention from international mining companies, primarily along the copper belt carving through the country’s south. Elsewhere, the limestone deposits that can be found throughout DRC account for some of the richest in Africa.

Today, DRC has a major role to play in the decarbonisation of the global economy, as one of the world’s largest producers of green metals. One such

critical resource is cobalt – a key ingredient used in technological applications, and as a component in the batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). As electrification

MINING IN DRC – LEADING SUB-SECTORS • Copper ore and nickel ore mining • Gold ore mining • Cobalt ore mining • Mining equipment leasing and financing • Power generation and transmission

continues to sweep the globe, cobalt demand is only increasing. With DRC accounting for the production of over 70 percent of the global cobalt supply, the industry is well-positioned to take advantage of this shift. However, improvement is needed industrywide, since a significant portion of Congolese cobalt production is undertaken by artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations, which come fraught with safety and human rights complications.

With the country continuing to undergo rapid urban development, as witnessed by the major growth of the commercial and industrial centre of Kinshasa, the mining industry represents a key economic driver at the intersection of industrial, residential, and agricultural development.

INTRODUCTION

CHAMBER OF MINES DRC

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 29

EN197-1

Numéro de sortie :

Transport et stockage : Pas d’humidité ni de contact avec d’autres produits

Adresse : Route KAMBOVE, Quartier KAKONTWE, Commune de PANDA, Ville de LIKASI - Province du HAUT-KATANGA, R.D.Congo

Adresse : Route KAMBOVE, Quartier KAKONTWE, Commune de PANDA, Ville de LIKASI - Province du HAUT-KATANGA, R.D.Congo

Service clients : +243 978 069 999 +243 976 768 888

Service clients : +243 978 069 999 +243 976 768 888

Email : gckcommercial@ 32,5Nwestchinacement.cn EN197-1

Email : gckcommercial@ westchinacement.cn

Poids Net : 50kg

Poids Net : 50kg

Produit en R.D.Congo

Produit en R.D.Congo

32.5N

42,5N

PRODUIT PAR : LA GRANDE CIMENTERIE DU KATANGA SAS «GCK SASA»

Numéro de sortie :

Transport et stockage : Pas d’humidité ni de contact avec d’autres produits

CIMENT SICILICATE ORDINAIRE

Date d’emballage :

PRODUIT PAR : LA GRANDE CIMENTERIE DU KATANGA SAS «GCK SASA»

CIMENT SICILICATE ORDINAIRE

PRODUIT PAR : LA GRANDE CIMENTERIE DU KATANGA SAS «GCK SASA»

CIMENT SICILICATE ORDINAIRE

PRODUIT PAR : LA GRANDE CIMENTERIE DU KATANGA SAS «GCK SASA»

CIMENT SICILICATE ORDINAIRE 32,5N

Date d’emballage :

Date d’emballage :

Date d’emballage :

Numéro de sortie :

Numéro de sortie :

Transport et stockage : Transport et stockage : Pas d’humidité ni de contact Pas d’humidité ni de contact avec d’autres produits avec d’autres produits

Adresse : Route KAMBOVE, Adresse : Route KAMBOVE, Quartier KAKONTWE, Quartier KAKONTWE, Commune de PANDA, Ville de Commune de PANDA, Ville de LIKASI - Province du LIKASI - Province du HAUT-KATANGA, R.D.Congo HAUT-KATANGA, R.D.Congo Service clients : +243 978 069 999 Service clients : +243 978 069 999 +243 976 768 888 +243 976 768 888

EN197-1

Email : gckcommercial@ Email : gckcommercial@ EN197-1 westchinacement.cn westchinacement.cn

42,5N

Poids Net : 50kg

Poids Net : 50kg

Produit en R.D.Congo

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Le Le ciment de de ciment chez nous ! ! chez nous

Ciment wa kwetu Ciment ya kwetu Ciment wa cement! kwetu Ciment ya kw Our +243 978 069 999 +243 978069 069999 999 +243 978 +243 976 888 +243 976 768 888 +243 976768 768 888

commercial@gck-likasi.com commercial@gck-likasi.com commercial@gck-lik

dans le dispositif industriel global de intégrées dansintégrées le dispositif industriel global de la Grande la Grande Cimentérie du Cimentérie Katanga. du Katanga.

En 2018, le groupe EXPRESS GAIN, En 2018, le groupe EXPRESS GAIN, une filiale de une filiale de CHINA CEMENT avec plus WEST CHINAWEST CEMENT LIMITED avecLIMITED plus d’une trentaine deen cimenteries d’une trentaine de cimenteries Afrique et en Afrique et dans dans le monde intégre la et joint-venture et dans dans le monde intégre la joint-venture apporte son expértise. apporte son expértise.

OUR PROFILE

La Grande Cimentérie du Katanga was created in July 2011, through a joint venture between GÉCAMINES, a Congolese state-owned company, and HMIE, a company specialized GCK contrôle en permanence normes deles normes de Ciment GCK contrôle en les permanence in the financing and development qualité desin the produits finisproduits (ciment,finis chaux, Chaux qualité des (ciment, chaux, of industrial projects province castine) de façon à rester au diapason avec les Gravier castine) de façon à rester au diapason avec les of Haut Katanga, DRC. exigences desexigences clients (Opérateurs et des clientsminiers (Opérateurs miniers et autres Tiers). autres Tiers).

Since April 2012, the Kakontwe

notre qualité notre qualité

PRODUCTION PRE PRODU

: Cimen 1 : Chaux : Gravie 2

cement quarry and the former GCM/CCC facilities have been integrated into the overall industrial • Cement: 1,200,000 tonnes/year set-up of Grande Cimentérie du • Lime: 300,000 tonnes/year Katanga. +243 978 069 999 +243| • Kiln gravel: 2,700,000 tonnes/year CIMENT : CIMENT : In 2018, the EXPRESS GAIN-group, commercial@gck-l comm - Ciment portland 42.5 portland 42.5 Ciment a subsidiary -ofCiment WEST CHINA portland 32.5 portland 32.5 - Ciment Route Kakontwe, Qu Rout CEMENT LIMITED with more Commune Panda, V Comm CHAUX : in Africa CHAUX : than 30 cement plants - Chaux vive granulée - Chaux vive granulée and worldwide, integrated the Chaux vive broyée - Chaux vive broyée GCK is strategically located, its factory joint venture-and contributed its Chaux hydratée Chaux hydratée is connected to the railway network. expertise.

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AUTRES AGGREGATS AUTRES: AGGREGATS : - Gravier de four (castine) - Gravier de four (castine) - Gravier de construction - Gravier de construction - Moellon - Moellon - Sable - Sable

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GCK constantly monitors the quality standards of the finished products (cement, lime, limestone) in order to keep up with the requirements of the customers (mining operators and GCK possède un emplacement , stratégique , GCK possède un stratégique emplacement other third parties). son usine est rattaché au réseau du chemin son usine est rattaché au réseau du chemin de fer de fer

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Africa Outlook issue 97 | 31

Présentez brièvement la SACIM Sarl, en donnant par exemple un bref aperçu de vos principaux produits et services, l’emplacement, la clientèle, le nombre d’employés, etc.

La SACIM Sarl est une société d’économie mixte de droit congolais et don’t l’Etat Congolais et la firme chinoise ANHUI FOREIGN ECONOMIC CONSTRUCTION (GROUP) CORPORATION LIMITED, en sigle AFECC, sont associés à part égales. Actuellement,

Selon vous, qu’est ce qui fait la différence entre la SACIM Sarl et la concurrence?

depuis la mise en service des ouvrages réalisés sur les phases d’investissement, la production mensuelle est de 300,000 (trois cent mille) carats, avec un objectif à terme de 500,000 (cinq cent mille) carats. Les diamants bruts produits sont exportés à ANVERS, en Belgique, à DUBAI aux Emirats Arabes, et à MUMBAI en Inde. La SACIM occupe plus de 1000 employés nationaux à contrats permanents et non permanents, ainsi que 100 employés expatriés de nationalité chinoise.

Les pierres de diamant extraites par la SACIM ont certaines caractéristiques spécifiques que l’on ne trouvent que dans les gisemsnts qu’elle exploite et que l’on ne trouvent pas ailleurs. Ce fait constitue pour la SACIM un facteur de compétition qui la place en meilleure place vis à vis des producteurs concurrents.

Avez-vous des projets récents ou en cours que vous aimeriez mettre en avant plan?

Comme nous l’avons déjà précisé, le plan

de développement de la mine prévoit de passer de 300,000 carats à 500,000 carats de diamant par mois grâce à l’extension de l’usine de traitement, de la mise en exploitation de la centrale hydoélectrique récement construite, à court terme. A long terme, il est prévu la mise ne Bourse sur le marché financier international de la SACIM. Quelles sont les priorités clé de la SACIM Sarl pour les années à venir?

Entrevoyez-vous des objectifs spécifiques à atteindre pour votre développement, ou pour la diversification de votre activité?

Suivant les objectifs de la SACIM dont l’essentiel est

la production minière, la SACIM se veut d’être une entreprise structurante pour l’environnement économique et social de la Province du Kasaï Oriental et de la République Démocratique du Congo par le développement des stratégies de diversifications

des produits dans d’autres secteurs tel que le secteur agricole, avec pour conséquence l’accroissement de l’emploi et l’amélioration des conditions de vie de la population environnante par une organisation efficiente de l’entreprise.

Maître WILLIAM KAPUKU MUDIPANU Secrétaire Général (General Secretary) +243 998 130 602 et + 243 813 244 459 maitrekapuku@gmail.com

Monsieur LIANG FENG Secrétaire Général Adjoint (Deputy General Secretary) +234 820 001 063 602487710@qq.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 33

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Interview: Chamber of Mines DRC The industry voice dedicated to strengthening the mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we explore the ongoing mission of the Chamber of Mines DRC with President, Louis Watum

INTERVIEW

Louis Watum President, Chamber of Mines DRC

Africa Outlook (AO): Can you talk us through the origins of the Chamber - how it came about, and its initial vision?

Louis Watum, President (LW): The Chamber of Mines is an organisation that was created within the Fédération des Enterprises du Congo (FEC) to drive the related works of the mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

On the 24th March 2011, the Chamber replaced the National Commission of Mines, when at the end of its statutes, the FEC granted a grouping of mining societies with a compliant denomination. This new designation has given them, amongst others, the opportunity to join l’Association des Industries Minières de l’Afrique Australe (MIASA).

AO: Since inception, how has the Chamber developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives and the messages it tries to get across?

LW: The Chamber of Mines involves its members

34 | Africa Outlook issue 97

in diverse activities. It secures partnerships with several organisations and initiatives concerned with cleaning up the sector. Today, we have a site online through which we communicate all of our activities, as well as those of our members. Since the end of 2021, we have organised quarterly press conferences in order to communicate more.

AO: What do you find most exciting about the mining industry in DRC? LW: The mining industry has a human face and soul.

It creates thousands of jobs for ordinary men and women who accomplish extraordinary performance.

It also improves the lives of local communities with regards to primary healthcare, education and food security and empowers local talent – whether in business-based jobs, or through the construction of infrastructure such as roads, railways, hydropower stations or ports. Finally, it brings significant revenue to the state’s coffers and is the main driver of the country’s economic growth.

Agriculture can only be effective when you have roads, railways and electricity, and history has taught us that these ingredients are initially introduced by mining activity. There is plenty of mining activity in the past that confirms this, in creating the infrastructure that supports agricultural development. For instance, the Charleroi Belgium coal mines, the Ruhr coal basin in Germany, and the

“ D R C W I L L R E M A I N A P R I M E D E S T I N AT I O N F O R M I N I N G I N V E S T M E N T T H A N K S T O I T S M I N E R A L E N D O W M E N T, W H I C H I S S E CO N D TO N O N E O N T H I S P L A N E T ” – L O U I S WAT U M , P R E S I D E N T, C H A M B E R O F M I N E S D R C

Witwatersrand gold fields in South Africa. Closer to home, we have the Kaniama Kasese agricultural centre, located 800 kilometres northwest of Lubumbashi, which is a great producer of maize.

The centre dates back to the activities of what was then the Union Minière, which has evolved today to become Gecamines.

INTERVIEW

CHAMBER OF MINES DRC

AO: On the flip side, what are its biggest challenges?

LW: The biggest challenges of the mining industry remain energy deficits, poor infrastructure, artisanal mining, and the capacity to attract greenfield exploration dollars. The implementation of the regulatory framework also remains a challenge since some clauses remain open to interpretation which leads to unnecessary time and energy spent on litigation.

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 35

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

AO: Has the Chamber got any projects in the pipeline you wish to highlight?

INTERVIEW

LW: There are a number of projects that are currently being developed by our members. One key development is Ivanhoe Mine’s partnership with Zijn and the DRC state. After launching production at its flagship Kamoa – Kakula copper project one year ago, the mine has successfully commissioned its second phase of expansion and is already ranked fourth in the world with a production of 450,000 tonnes of copper contained in concentrate. Works are in progress for the construction of a direct-toblister flash smelter with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes per annum to produce pure 99 percent blister copper. The third phase is due to come into production in 2024, and will take production to 600,000 tonnes per annum. This will see the mine ranked third in the world.

Ivanhoe Mines has also entered a partnership with Gecamines. The Kipushi Mine, a legendary polymetallic producer of copper, zinc, silver, and germanium, was recognised in its heyday as the world’s richest copper mine. Now, it is on a twoyear timeline to recommence underground mining operations, as well as build and commission a new concentrator facility on the surface with an annual

36 | Africa Outlook issue 97

processing capacity of 800,000 tonnes of ore. This will produce on average 240,000 tonnes of zinc contained in concentrate, to become the world’s highest-grade major zinc mine with an average grade of 36.4 percent zinc over the first five years of production.

There are also exciting developments on the energy front. In order to meet the power demand of the mining industry, a number of local private operators are rising to the challenge.

To name a few, local entrepreneur and pioneer Eric Monga, through his Kipay investment company, is developing a 150 megawatt (MW) hydropower station in Upper Katanga, to supply the mining industry with clean and reliable green power. The same goes for Tembo power, which is developing 70 MW with a new hydropower capacity in Lualaba province.

Whilst all these initiatives are in the pipeline, the Chamber continues to channel a constructive interaction between key stakeholders in the tripartite government, Chamber of Mines, and civil society to create greater ESG consciousness, see the government implement a clear mining vision, as well as establish a business-friendly regulatory framework, and ensure the understanding by all parties that they not only have rights, but also obligations to fulfil.

CHAMBER OF MINES DRC

BKM Consultancy & Services

BKM Consulting & Services is a company created in 2008, registered and operating under Congolese law. We are accompanying the mining sector in offering various quality services.

We do Big Things With Big Ideas

AO: How do you see the mining industry in DRC developing over the next five years?

LW: Looking at the negative shocks on the world stage such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and the international geopolitics seen with the Russia-Ukraine war, one must be very cautious when making medium- and long-term projections on how the mining industry in DRC will develop.

Be that as it may, DRC will remain a prime destination for mining investment thanks to its mineral endowment, which is second to none on this planet. Most importantly, this is particularly the case with the green metals needed to decarbonise the world economy (copper, cobalt, lithium, coltan, nickel, manganese, zinc, etc.), its immense hydropower potential, as well as its exceptional human capital.

The mining industry will more likely remain a key driver of economic growth at more than six percent a year.

The trend seen in recent years of increased production in base metals (copper and cobalt in particular) year on year will continue as new projects are expanding and reaching full capacity, and those in the exploration stage are progressively commissioned.

The mineral resources nationalism trend that is currently being seen around the globe will also influence policy making in DRC and, as a consequence, there will be more focus on accountability of key stakeholders in the DRC mining industry, i.e. the tripartite comprising government, mining operators, and civil society, particularly when it comes to ESG and the betterment of local communities.

Besides the traditional copper belt, assuming that peace and stability prevail, new mining activity frontiers are likely going to open up in the eastern part of DRC with green metals such as lithium, coltan and rare earth metals.

Key challenges to address will remain on infrastructure, energy deficit, artisanal mining, and the capacity to attract greenfield exploration dollars.

Addressing these challenges will require strong cooperation between the public and private sector as well as civil society.

INTERVIEW

OUR SERVICES RESULTED IN: • Improvement of the productivity.

Phone: + 243 81 087 6645 • Cost effective solutions for projects. bkmconsulting@yahoo.fr • Optimizing operating costs. www.bkmconsultingsprl.com • Improvement of technical skills of the personnel.

• Compliance with industrial safety standards and with environmental protection.

Tel: +243 827 032 728 info@chambredesminesrdc.com chambredesminesdrc.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 37

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

KENYA MANUFACTURING SPOTLIGHT As Vision 2030 approaches, we shine a light on the current state of one of Kenya’s major industries Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Lloyd Hanley

I

n the sustenance of a competitive and industrialised economy, Kenya’s manufacturing sector fulfils a vital role. As an industrial powerhouse, the country’s manufacturing sector averages a contribution of approximately 10 percent to the national GDP annually, and as a critical avenue for local job creation, is responsible for sustaining national output and exports. Agro-processing, automotive components, clothing and textiles, and

38 | Africa Outlook issue 97

electronics are just some of the major segments contributing to Kenya’s manufacturing prowess.

Within the past two decades, the sector’s progress has been accelerated thanks to the implementation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), industrial parks and various clusters. This all comes with the support of a relatively reliable infrastructure, a strong private sector, and a robust labour force. The development of the East African Community (EAC)

KENYA ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS (KAM)

MAJOR OBJECTIVES – KENYA VISION 2030 • Strengthen the capacity and local content of domestically manufactured goods.

• Increase the generation and use of R&D findings.

• Raise the share of products in the regional market from seven to 15 percent.

• Develop niche products for existing and new markets.

Key Targets: Participants during the IAA Mobility Fair in Germany organised

by KAM and GIZ Business Scouts for Development Programme.

Customs Union has been instrumental in expanding market outlets for the sector to exploit and boost intraregional trade.

As part of Kenya’s Vision 2030, the Big Four Agenda, and the Kenya Industrial Transformation Programme, commitments have been set to increase the sector’s GDP contribution to 15 percent this year, by revitalising strategic manufacturing segments including textiles and agri-business.

With progress well underway, we catch up with the industry association that champions cohesion for the sector in advocating the best interests of all major players.

• Development of the iron and steel industry through establishment of an integrated steel mill.

• Development of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) parks, industrial and technology parks, industrial manufacturing clusters.

• Upgrading of products for SMEs. • Skills development for technical human resource for the manufacturing sector.

• Commercialisation of R&D results, attraction of strategic investors in strategic sectors, i.e. iron and steel industries, agroprocessing, machine tools and machinery, motor vehicle assembly and manufacture of spare parts.

Republic of Kenya – Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 39

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Interview: Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) Keeping Kenya competitive, we speak with Mucai Kunyiha, Chairman at KAM, as the Association continues to advocate for a prosperous manufacturing sector

Mucai Kunyiha

INTERVIEW

Chairman, Kenya Association of Manufacturers

Africa Outlook (AO): Can you talk us through the origins of KAM - how it came about, and its initial vision?

Mucai Kunyiha, Chairman (MK): Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) is the representative body of manufacturing and value-add industries in Kenya.

Established in 1959, we have evolved into a dynamic, vibrant, credible and respected business association that unites industrialists and offers a common voice for businesses.

• The Association is committed to making a difference in Kenya, by securing the socio-economic well-being of Kenyans, and consequently, alleviate inequality in the community. We do this through our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arm – uKAMilifu.

• uKAMilifu is a Swahili word that means complete/ wholeness. It is an ideology that speaks to the creation of holistic solutions together. uKAMilifu looks at amplifying and delivering the human impact initiatives that local industry has been part of in the last 62 years of KAM’s existence.

40 | Africa Outlook issue 97

AO: Since inception, how has KAM developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives and the messages it tries to get across?

MK: Since our establishment, we have reached major milestones as an Association.

• We have built a sustainable organisation through membership growth. We have also expanded our regional presence across the country. This has played a key role in enhancing our advocacy work at the county levels.

• We have classified our members into 14 sectors.

The sectors are defined based on the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) classification, and the type of raw materials respective companies import or the products they manufacture. This way, members in a particular sector form a cohesive group with

Ministry of Energy CS Amb. Monica Juma visits the Kenya Meat Commission stand in Nairobi

INTERVIEW

KENYA ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS (KAM)

common issues of concern. This enables various sectors to prepare common policy positions for joint advocacy and negotiation with relevant government institutions in addressing issues of grave concern.

• Through our advocacy, we have seen business grow and expand. Some of the advocacy issues include: • Taxation and fiscal policy • Buy Kenya, build Kenya • Fight against illicit trade • Access to affordable and reliable energy • Infrastructural development such as roads and water • Provision of public goods for manufacturing • Reducing the regulatory burden for Kenyan manufacturers • Inclusivity and sustainability.

AO: What do you find most exciting about Kenya’s manufacturing sector?

Through our advocacy, we hope to increase the sector’s contribution to Kenya’s GDP, and as a result, accelerate job and wealth creation for all. We are also keen on intensifying our exports in regional and international markets.

MK: Kenya’s manufacturing sector is ever transforming, adapting to emerging trends. This has enabled us to stay ahead of the curve, compared to our regional counterparts, particularly in the EAC. • We are innovative, and have grown tremendously Africa Outlook issue 97 | 41

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

CS Mr Lawrence Karanja visits SBM Bank Stand at Changamka Festival, Nairobi

INTERVIEW

Customers admire products at Kenya Suitcase Manufacturers Stand in Mombasa

over the years, through increased capacity to meet the demand for our goods and services. The sector has recorded tremendous development over the years, growing in leaps and bounds.

• As an Association, we continue to build the capacity of our members, to equip them with the necessary knowledge and capacity to embrace automation and adopt critical tenets of sustainability to secure the future of Kenya’s manufacturing sector.

AO: On the flip side, what are its biggest challenges?

MK: Whereas we have made significant strides to grow our manufacturing sector, we continue to face challenges that hinder our competitiveness and productivity. Without these two, the local manufacturing sector shall not be able to venture into local and export markets.

Competitiveness entails the nation’s ability to produce goods and services that meet international standards whilst simultaneously maintaining and expanding the incomes of its people over the long term. On the other hand, increased productivity

42 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Energy CS Amb Monica Juma visits a stand at the Clean Energy Expo during Changamka Festival, Nairobi

ensures efficient utilisation of resources available to the economy, such as labour, capital, and business expertise, to produce goods and services.

Some of the key issues we see as hindering the competitiveness of Kenya’s manufacturing sector include overbearing and constantly shifting regulation, cost and consistency of energy, transport and logistics costs, and a voracious and sometimes capricious tax regime. Unfortunately, the cost associated with this is added to the price of a final product, thereby hindering our competitiveness.

AO: What trends are currently transforming the sector in your region? How are you responding to them?

MK: The post-COVID-19 world is going to be even more competitive. Just like Kenya, many countries have identified huge opportunities for investment for

KENYA ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS (KAM)

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their regional, and international markets. Nurturing nascent and emergent business opportunities uncovered by the COVID-19 pandemic will be critical in this new world. We identified 76 opportunities for investment and value addition through our Manufacturing Resilience and Sustainability Strategy: A Sector Deep Dive Report.

Among them, the manufacture and supply of medical equipment, investments in adopting new technology, increased attention to developing local value chains to reduce dependence on imports, circular value chain, agro-processing, regional leather value chain integration and packaging materials. We are positive that with support from our government, we will be able to keep up with these trends and increase our markets locally and internationally.

Kenya-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and trading with the European Union (EU).

We are also encouraging our members to embrace automation, to enable them to increase their output.

Additionally, we are promoting e-commerce among Kenyan manufacturers to enhance market access.

AO: How do you see KAM developing as an association over the next five years?

INTERVIEW

Packaged by:

MK: In the next five years, I hope to see KAM present in all corners of Kenya, representing manufacturers in all counties. I also aspire to have a manufacturing sector that competes on a level playing field with highly industrialised countries.

AO: Have you got any projects in the pipeline you wish to highlight?

MK: Currently, our focus is on expanding our capacity to export. This is particularly crucial now, to enable us to take advantage of opportunities presented by various trade agreements, such as the

Tel: +254 (0) 722 201 368 info@kam.co.ke www.kam.co.ke Africa Outlook issue 97 | 43

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With content compiled by our experienced editorial team, complemented by an in-house design and production team ensuring delivery to the highest standards, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from the length and breadth of Africa.

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In joining the leading industry heavyweights already enjoying the exposure we can provide, you can benefit from FREE coverage across both digital and print platforms, a FREE marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and to grow your business.

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ability to adapt and operate all over Africa, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cerba Lancet Africa is a clinical pathology and medical imaging laboratory service provider serving over three million patients per year. The company has the largest amount of diagnostics equipment in Africa, as a private operator, with laboratory facilities ranging from basic levels to the most advanced across the continent. On top of this, Cerba Lancet Africa provides medical logistics and regulatory services to

ensure the provision of high-quality equipment and services supported to African communities in a multitude of different countries.

“Cerba Lancet Africa is the leading network of clinical pathology and medical diagnosis in Africa, with the ambition to become the leading diagnostic services provider offering world-class standards of pathology services to patients and medical communities across the continent,” S. Carré tells us.

Cerba Lancet Africa operates a network of 170 sites, across Botswana,

Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, ensuring each facility is conveniently located for the communities.

The company offers a portfolio of over 4,000 pathology testing services ranging from routine screening tests to highly specialised clinical testing for research, screening, industrial, and occupational health, under the direction of more than 20 pathologists. Cerba Lancet Africa’s pathologists assist doctors in making diagnoses and taking informed

decisions, and this allows doctors to tailor appropriate treatments about their patients’ health or any medical conditions.

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we trained our staff and passed the audit and health regulations, imposed by the governments and installed a global logistical eco-system to guarantee a turnaround time of less than 24 hours,” he elaborates. “The technique we selected was and remains one of the most reliable and accurate available in the world. It also allows Africa Outlook issue 97 | 3

Gideon Burger, CEO of Axiology Labs discusses providing top quality laboratory products for life science solutions across Africa

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THE LEADING D I AG N O S T I C S N E T WO R K Backed by over 50 years of expertise, Cerba Lancet Africa is pioneering a pan-African diagnostics network to better lives across the continent. We speak to CEO Stéphane Carré, to learn more Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Callam Waller

We acted promptly in 2020, despite the many pressures and bottlenecks induced by the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain worldwide. We mobilised a lot of capital to setup and deploy more than 10 PCR platforms by creating laboratories dedicated to combatting COVID-19.”

The words of Stéphane Carré, CEO of Cerba Lancet Africa and Vice President International for Cerba Healthcare lay bare both the international challenges of the past two years, as well as the company’s 46 | Africa Outlook issue 97

ability to adapt and operate all over Africa, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cerba Lancet Africa is a clinical pathology and medical imaging laboratory service provider serving over three million patients per year. The company has the largest amount of diagnostics equipment in Africa, as a private operator, with laboratory facilities ranging from basic level to the most advanced across the continent. On top of this, Cerba Lancet Africa provides medical logistics and regulatory services to

ensure the provision of high-quality equipment and services supported to African communities in a multitude of different countries.

“Cerba Lancet Africa is the leading network of clinical pathology and medical diagnosis in Africa, with the ambition to become the leading diagnostic services provider offering world-class standards of pathology services to patients and medical communities across the continent,” S. Carré tells us.

Cerba Lancet Africa operates a network of 170 sites, across Botswana,

Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, ensuring each facility is conveniently located for the communities.

The company offers a portfolio of over 4,000 pathology testing services ranging from routine screening tests to highly specialised clinical testing for research, screening, industrial, and occupational health, under the direction of more than 20 pathologists. Cerba Lancet Africa’s pathologists assist doctors in making diagnoses and taking informed

decisions, and this allows doctors to tailor appropriate treatments about their patients’ health or any medical conditions.

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we trained our staff and passed the audit and health regulations, imposed by the governments and installed a global logistical eco-system to guarantee a turnaround time of less than 24 hours,” he elaborates. “The technique we selected was and remains one of the most reliable and accurate available in the world. It also allows Africa Outlook issue 97 | 47

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“All our laboratories have played a key role in their respective countries when responding to the COVID-19 spread, in collaboration with the local authorities. Our goal was to enable the health system to be as effective as possible in combatting this pandemic and facilitating economic recovery.

Thus, we were one of the first partners of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to set up the Panabios Trusted Travel platform to increase the security on the validity of COVID-19 tests in Africa and the rest of the world.”

BORN FROM COLLABORATION Cerba Lancet Africa’s mission is to support the evolution from curative health systems towards a more preventive system, drawing on more than 50 years of expertise in clinical pathology to reveal the full potential of diagnosis.

“Cerba Lancet Africa is a joint venture created in 2019 by the French group Cerba HealthCare, a leading international player in medical diagnosis, and Lancet Laboratories, the foremost name in clinical pathology in sub-Saharan Africa.

48 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Every stakeholder has unique but interdependent needs. CEOs want to deliver high quality care without raising the total cost of care. Procurement requires comprehensive, reliable equipment portfolios of high quality. HCPs need access to genuinely impactful resources and education. Patients deserve consistent care and safety across the whole patient journey.

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“Having known of each other for many years, the first partnership was formed in South Africa in the field of clinical trials, in association with Bio Analytical Research Corporation (BARC) South Africa. This long history between Cerba Healthcare and Lancet Laboratories allowed each company to check essential alignments between themselves and other necessary partners when embarking on such endeavours. Both companies already had a long history and experience on the continent as well. Lancet Laboratories, as a native company to sub-Saharan Africa, and Cerba Healthcare have been

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CERBA LANCET AFRICA HEALTHCARE

Inqaba Biotec Inqaba Biotec is turning 20 years in 2022 and it all started on a bus ride from Sunnyside to the University of Pretoria in 2000.

serving the Maghreb and West Africa with specialty testing for decades.

Discussions about co-developing the pan-African network for the first intention testing, initiated by Lancet Laboratories 10 years before, started in 2016.”

This partnership and collaboration between Cerba Healthcare and Lancet Laboratories had the betterment of African communities in mind.

“The vision was, and remains, that of two leading companies joining forces, resulting in making first-class

clinical pathology available to people across Africa,” S. Carré continues.

“It is a vision which is supported by medical excellence, innovation and patient-centric services. Beyond this alignment, both companies are incredibly complementary and Cerba Lancet Africa brings the best of both to the African continent.

“From a medical standpoint, our African operations could receive help and support from both Cerba Healthcare in France and Lancet Laboratories in South Africa. Both companies have played a key role

CERBA LANCET AFRICA – AT A GLANCE The Cerba Lancet Africa network comprises more than 1,600 people scattered across 13 countries. These teams are exclusively made of local experts in their fields, taking the benefit of local expertise made available to them and able to call upon international support from the world’s leading medical community

Due to the habit of taking the same bus in the morning, the two future co-founders Dr Joaquim de Gama (at that time still a law student) and Dr Oliver Preisig (a microbiology researcher at the university) got into regular conversations. Then one day Joaquim asks Oliver if they should not start a business to grow mushrooms.

Oliver was enticed about the idea of a business but thought his experience could be more applicable for a company that offers DNA sequencing services and produces oligos. So, the idea was born.

Today our in-house services include synthesis of oligonucleotides/probes, Sanger DNA and NGS sequencing, SNP & Methylation analysis, Bioinformatics support, NIPT and Phylogenetic & Molecular techniques courses. We are also distributors of strong leading international manufacturers like Seegene in molecular diagnostics and of life science reagents from the portfolios of New England BioLabs (NEB), nucleic acid purification systems from Zymo Research, pipettes, centrifuges, and thermal cyclers from Eppendorf, Bioinformatics solutions from DNASTAR and many more!

These partnerships are founded upon a shared philosophy of good science, high quality, and excellent service with an aim to be a one-stop Genomics shop in Sub-Saharan Africa. For more info on our services and products visit us on: https://inqababiotec.co.za/

available across Lancet Laboratories and Cerba Healthcare.

Cerba Lancet Africa’s mission: • To accelerate the deployment of its Access strategy and provide the medical community across Africa with the best possible medical diagnostic quality.

• Access to top medical expertise and knowledge, made available to the community.

• Access to the right price for quality diagnostics and service, as the company pushes daily to improve its efficiency.

• Ease of access to top quality, “one-stop” diagnostic centres whether the patients are located in urban CBD, sub-urban or remote environments.

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CERBA LANCET AFRICA HEALTHCARE

Roche SA A leader in healthcare Roche is a leader in healthcare, improving health is central to fulfilling the immense potential of the African continent, yet millions of people face obstacles at every step of their health journey. At Roche, we are working toward a future where every African can access world-class healthcare.

Whether it’s infectious diseases, cancer or other serious health threats, the quest for solutions to healthcare’s greatest challenges starts with – and depends on – diagnostics.

“ W E A R E D E V E LO P I N G T H E TO O L S O F TO M O R R OW ’ S M E D I C I N E , FO C U S E D O N D I AG N OS I S , P R E V E N T I O N , P R E C I S I O N A N D P E R S O N A L I S E D T R E AT M E N T ” – STÉPHANE CARRÉ, CEO, CERBA LANCET AFRICA

in their respective countries for the COVID-19 response, in collaboration with the authorities. The initial wave of COVID-19 hit Europe earlier than it did across Africa, and because of this, we were able to benefit from Cerba Healthcare studies to test and identify the best products and protocols available.”

AT THE HEART OF CERBA LANCET AFRICA Clinical pathology is at the heart of diagnosis and health progress at Cerba Lancet Africa. The company’s ambition is to support the evolution of its health system, which is currently essentially curative, towards a more preventive system.

“Based on this belief, we are developing the tools of tomorrow’s medicine, focused on diagnosis, 52 | Africa Outlook issue 97

prevention, precision and personalised treatment,” he says.

“Supporting the transformation of medicine and the evolution of the healthcare system is a subject of serious interest at Cerba Lancet Africa, and is one that motivates each of our employees, underpinning each of our strategic choices. We rely on 50 years of expertise in clinical pathology and mastery of the entire diagnostic value chain: routine clinical pathology, specialised clinical pathology, clinical pathology for clinical trials, veterinary clinical pathology, anatomocytopathology and medical imaging, to support this evolution.

“Our employees, their qualifications, knowledge, motivation and commitment are the cornerstone of our service quality. They are dedicated to our mission of providing

The global COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly raised awareness of the role diagnostics play in disease prevention and management.

Countries with strong diagnostics and digital health infrastructure were better able to cope with the pandemic and continue to meet the other health needs of their patients.

At Roche we co-create solutions with stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem to strengthen health infrastructure, increase sustainable funding and enable access to innovative diagnostics and treatments.

Together, we can achieve a healthier future for all Africans.

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CERBA LANCET AFRICA HEALTHCARE

Africa with world-class diagnostic solutions. To maximise this capital, we are this year strengthening our existing internal training platform to provide numerous, targeted and varied training courses (technical as well as soft skills). We are not only improving internally the skills of our teams, but we have also partnered with international leading schools to stay abreast of the changing landscapes of business and management. We have a close and long-term partnership with our suppliers, they help us to be more efficient and more autonomous.”

In Ghana, for example, Cerba Lancet Africa worked on a complete transfer of competence so that its team can carry out maintenance operations of the lab equipment by themselves.

“We also have an important digital transformation project in which our selected partners will train us, allowing us to implement the deployment ourselves and offer patients, doctors and hospitals a faster and customised solution adapted to the different local needs.”

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Cerba Lancet Africa is on an ongoing journey towards digitalisation. The company’s goals are to improve the delivery of its service, to facilitate access to quality diagnostics and to improve efficiencies of the key processes.

“We shall launch this year a new Omnichannel & CRM (customer relationship management) platform to facilitate our interaction with patients, doctors, hospitals and corporates.

“We are also rolling out a digital Pathology project. This is the next generation scanner network that will allow us to share slide images to work with the best pathologist specialists within our network. This means that samples no longer will have to travel from one lab to another, and the turnaround time will be shortened.”

54 | Africa Outlook issue 97

In this sphere, Cerba Lancet Africa is deploying and adapting in-house applications that have already been tested and used in alternative regions.

Some of these will help the clinicians in establishing quality diagnostics, others will help Cerba Lancet Africa’s prescribers and clients to follow samples and gain results in the shortest time possible when needed.

“Digitalisation is a key pillar of our Access strategy. This complementary expertise obviously enables health professionals to make a diagnosis, but it also contributes more broadly to the effectiveness of public health policies by better assessing the risk of developing diseases, detecting pathologies earlier, personalising treatments to optimise their effectiveness and by monitoring

these treatments to ensure their effectiveness over time,” S. Carré explains.

“Driven by a deep-rooted belief of advancing diagnostics to advance health, Cerba Lancet Africa is moving forward with a clear focus around incorporating the latest and best technology to best serve communities across Africa.

“Corporate health has also become an essential part of all corporate policy. From duty of care, which is a legal obligation in many geographies, to HR policies. Our Corporate Health Services (CHS) is providing our clients with an integrated approach to healthcare care services dedicated to the corporate environment.

Whether teams are deployed in an urban or remote environment, we can

CERBA LANCET AFRICA HEALTHCARE

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Africa Outlook issue 97 | 55

propose a tailored range of medical services from primary care and diagnostics to occupational health, screening campaigns and wellness.

Those services can be delivered on location, at our dedicated standalone facilities or through our mobile set-up of equipment. The best options are studied along with our clients and deployed in the best interest of the company and their staff, for the betterment and future growth of the business and all involved.”

PAN-AFRICAN SUPPORT Another major focus for Cerba Lancet Africa is the notion of education throughout African communities. In each of the company’s countries of operation, Cerba Lancet Africa has a strong tie to institutions such as teaching hospitals and universities, through which the company supports students studying in medical fields.

“Continuous education is an important part of who we are and what we want to provide to our teams across the continent,” states the company’s CEO. “Beyond a virtual university that provides continual 56 | Africa Outlook issue 97

“ D R I V E N BY A D E E P - R O OT E D B E L I E F O F A D VA N C I N G D I A G N O S T I C S T O A D VA N C E H E A LT H , C E R B A L A N C E T A F R I C A I S M O V I N G F O R WA R D W I T H A C L E A R F O C U S A R O U N D I N C O R P O R AT I N G T H E L AT E S T A N D B E S T T E C H N O LO GY TO B E ST S E RV E CO M M U N I T I E S A C R O S S A F R I C A” – STÉPHANE CARRÉ, CEO, CERBA LANCET AFRICA

and accessible medical education, we have tailored programmes for all the range of expertise we need, from management to operations and finance, with leading schools and universities. Some of those programmes are being delivered and allow our staff to embark on an 18-month learning journey towards certification. These sessions take place in Africa and in Europe, digitally or physically. We are very proud of these, and over time we aim at onboarding the majority of our staff through these programmes.

“Along with our steady programme towards hospitals and academics, we also are very much involved in the

local communities through our Cerba Institut. The Cerba HealthCare group endowment fund has closely worked with AMREF, the leading public health NGO in Africa with nearly 10 million people helped through 159 programmes in 35 African countries.

Our three-year partnership has gathered our respective teams and expertise in Africa to improve people’s health. Among our contribution, the Stand Up for African Mothers programme has trained 15,000 midwives on the continent.”

The Cerba Institut’s endowment fund regularly helps projects that are aligned with its purpose. Just last year, the Insitut supported a dozen

CERBA LANCET AFRICA HEALTHCARE

CERBA LANCET AFRICA – FOUR CORE VALUES RESPECT Cerba Lancet Africa strives to treat everyone with kindness and cultivate respect in its relationships with its teams, partners, healthcare professionals, and patients for whom the company works with every day.

EXCELLENCE Cerba Lancet Africa acts with the utmost rigor to improve the quality of its services by investing and developing men and women to obtain the best of each and everyone in the service of all.

Cerba Lancet Africa info@cerbalancetafrica.com +27 10 592 7505

COMMITMENT Cerba Lancet Africa is committed

Botswana +267 368 5711

to patients, healthcare professionals, company business and institutional partners to deliver accurate and useful results, ensuring confidentiality to improve everyone’s health.

EQUITY IN HEALTH Cerba Lancet Africa keeps engaging in new approaches to meet the needs and priorities of its local communities.

projects across Africa. Regularly, Group employees can pitch for their project and obtain some help from the fund to develop their activities https://www.cerbahealthcare.com/ en/institut-cerba

THE FUTURE OF DIAGNOSTICS Moving ahead, Cerba Lancet Africa’s key priority has been the very same from the start: to offer the highest standards of pathology services to patients and medical communities over the continent, to sustain the

evolution of diagnosis services toward better access and quality for the world’s fastest growing population, and to provide the medical community with an unmatched wealth of knowledge and expertise, paving the way for better quality and access of diagnosis services.

Cerba Lancet Africa today is present in 13 countries through its network of laboratories. Thanks to the global reach of its founding parents, it delivers diagnostic expertise in more than 30 countries across Africa, enabling more and more patients to access quality healthcare services.

“In the coming 18 months, Cerba Lancet Africa will announce the extension of its network in several countries on the continent,” S. Carré concludes. “Before the end of this year, we should share big news which features entering new markets.

Future release ahead, stay tuned!”

Eswatini swaziclientservices@lancet.co.sz +268 240 42368 Gabon lcam.gabon@yahoo.fr +241 017 25050 Ghana info@mds-lancet.com +263 867 700 6365 Kenya info@lancet.co.ke +254 703 061 000 Mozambique info@lancet.co.mz +258 214 83900 Nigeria clientservices@lancet.com.ng +234 1 7001310 Rwanda info@lancet.co.rw + 250 784 035 660 Tanzania customerservice.tanzania@lancet.co.tz +255 752 815 415 Uganda client.services@lancet.co.ug +256 414 341 621 Zambia client.services.zambia@lancet.co.zm +260 211 374 800 Zimbabwe clientservices@cerbalancetafrica.com +263 867 700 6365

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 57

58 | Africa Outlook issue 97

AXIOLOGY LABS HEALTHCARE

Axiology Labs provides top quality laboratory products and nourishes premium life science solutions across Africa.

We explore a range of substantial projects and COVID-19 response strategies with CEO, Gideon Burger Writer: Ed Budds Project Manager: Callam Waller

Gideon Burger, CEO

FROM MOLECULES TO M A N K I N D

I have always felt determined to make life sciences and diagnostics available to as many people as possible and felt that this is best achieved by providing easy-to-use solutions and equipment.”

With this admirable pledge as the driving force behind the business, Axiology Labs was founded in 2015, taking its name from the Greek words “axia”, meaning ‘value’ and ”logia”, meaning ‘the study of’.

“We aim to pay homage to this name and our founding principles by providing quality laboratory, education, research and diagnostic solutions at affordable prices,” opens the CEO of Axiology Labs, Gideon Burger.

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 59

AFMS a proudly South African company, was established in 1986 and specialises in the filtration of Clean Rooms, Bio Safety Cabinets, Laminar Flow Benches, Fume Hoods, Cyto Toxic Cabinets, as well as containment laboratories from BSL 1 up to BSL 4. Included are modular facilities up to Bsl 3ag.

AFMS takes care of the physical requirements of environmental monitoring per ISO14644, GMP, USP 800, ISO14698. BMBL, NIH AND WHO standards / guidelines. Validations are performed per SANS 12469: 2020 British Standards, NSF49, or any specific requirements requested by our clients. On containment facilities we offer as per client needs, BMBL, NIH, Z9-14 or WHO containment guidelines.

Our MCLs™ (Modular Containment Labs) (MCL’ss, MMLs ™) are specifically designed to address the challenges associated with health care and research in resource-poor countries with weak infrastructure and poor building standards. These modular laboratories are quickly and easily implemented, and provide costeffective solutions for governments, development agencies, medical and research service providers, and aid organisations working in these environments. We even do modifications to existing structures.

We have an outstanding track record spanning 13 years that includes the successful deployment of high-quality MCLs™ in Gaborone (Botswana), Lusaka (Zambia), Port-au-Prince (Haiti) Accra, Takoradi, Tamale (Ghana), and Kigali (Rwanda), Lima Peru, Sylhet Bangladesh, Biobanks in LAGOS Nigeria, Biobanks in Freetown Sierra Leone and South-Africa.

pa@afms.bz | +27 11 462 0120 | www.afms.bz We specialise in Modular builds, Brick and Mortar builds and Mobile Builds. Here are examples of each: MODULAR BUILD IN GHANA Client: Herona Company ltd. For the Ghanian Ministry of Health Purpose: To supply, ship, and install 2 x 40ft containerized Modular BSL3 Hybrid facilities to Ghana (MCL’s)– to 4 locations. The laboratories are in Cape Coast, Sunyani, ACCRA, and Hohoe.

The design allowed for a second 40ft container, per site, to be installed back-to-back to the BSL3 container, to house the Amplification room, PCR, and the mechanical equipment room.

The facility consists of two off 40ft High cube shipping containers, Grade A single trip containers. Includes full container preparation, insulated walls & ceilings - 50mm polyurethane sandwich paneling, and 2 viewing windows that allow for natural light in the BSL3. Corian workbenches have been allowed as indicated on the proposed floor plan. Urethane floor preparation and sealing of all wall panels to an airtight fix, coved with linoleum seam welded flooring. External entrance doors to sample reception (Pre-Entry room) Amplification & detection, PCR, and mechanical plant room and internal doors. The Modular units are fully pressure tested to ensure no leakage from one room to another. The Ante Room, BSL3 and Shower room with door closures on all doors, each door has a viewing window and lock. Full electrical supply distribution board with LED tube lights in each area, 26 plug points in the lab as well as 6 in sample reception, PCR, and

amplification rooms. 4 hand wash basins fitted with “Elbow” operated taps. 1 Eye wash station at each sink. Includes fan filter unit installed in the mechanical room for fresh air with a precooled condenser as well as a heater (for RH depletion) all new seam jointed duct work, and grills to deliver fresh air to the six rooms for fresh air. Final filter efficiency 95%. Airconditioning units have not been allowed. A fully integrated fire system is included with sensors and call points with a dedicated panel. Access control at the entrance door is included. A fresh air system is included for clean fresh air - filter efficiency 95%. all supply air ducting will be externally insulated.

Lab Equipment we provided to each facility included:- SterilGARD e3 Class II, Type A2 SG404, complete with Stand and UV. Biological Safety cabinet class III, type MSCIII-1200 with one hatch and exhaust connection. Undercounter EDS (Effluent decontamination system) - consists of 2 collections tanks, with manual change over. Manual Chlorine Dosing and waste discharge.

BRICKS AND MORTER BUILD IN SWAZILAND Client: National emergency Response Council on HIV / AIDS(NERCHA) Purpose: To upgrade the facility to include a BSl2 and BSl3 facility.

The entire open-plan space was modified, and upgrades were done to provide a 1x BSl2 area and 1x BSL3 area, which are completely independent of one another. Each lab has new wall panels and ceilings installed, new doors and windows, new flooring, and a new ventilation and controls system installed for each system.

2 air handling units manufactured from powder-coated sandwich panels were installed and the units were supplied with primary and secondary filters to 95 % efficiency to reduce maintenance on the filters. The fresh air filters are double-sized into 2 primary filters and 2 secondary filters, the secondary filter efficiency is F9 – EN1822.

The Bag-in / Bag-out Containment Filtration system is Camfil Farr CamContain fully integrated packaged units, that have been fabricated, assembled and pressure decay tested in the same factory The control system’s function is to maintain a constant airflow to the lab. The airflow in the system is controlled via duct pressure sensors and variable speed drives on the fans. The controller constantly monitors the room pressure and temperature to maintain a constant lab pressure and temperature. Differential pressure sensors are mounted across all filters to give an indication of their loading and are monitored by the BMS system. The control system oversees the chilled water system and monitors the water level, temperature, and pressure.

The controller to be fitted is a Siemens type PXM30 controller, which has a 15” touch screen colour user graphic interface to monitor all set point parameters and directional airflow. Included in the control panel is a UPS unit to provide backup power only to the controller. A remote monitoring system is provided which allows remote login with a username and password. This allows monitoring of the system if any troubleshooting is required.

Safety A fire alarm is provided to sense smoke and notify the users. The alarm system automatically shuts down the ventilation system and activates a smoke extraction sequence. A room pressure monitoring alarm is provided to notify users when directional airflow is lost for a pre-set period, this will then shut down the system in case of any unsafe conditions. Anteroom doors are fitted with a traffic light type interlock to indicate if the doors are safe to be opened. The mechanical ventilation system is designed with safety features that guarantee that the lab can never be positively pressurised. An eye wash station is installed near the wash hand basins in the lab in case of emergencies.

An external emergency shower is installed near the emergency exit.

2x class II BSC’s, 1 x Class III and 1 x Autoclave.

The laboratory was fully commissioned after the installation.

• HEPA filters leak tested • Duct pressure test – supply and exhaust • Air volume calculations • Air change rates measured • Cabinet’s certification • Autoclave verified for performance • Directional air flow confirmation • Certification of the controller functionality.

• Temperature and Humidity recording over 24 hours • Failure mode analysis testing (FMEA)

MOBILE MODULAR BUILD IN PAKISTAN Client: Government of Pakistan, the Global Health Supply Chain Program (USAID funded) Purpose: Delivery of four (4) mobile laboratories (biosafety level II ) in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Each lab was secured onto a 50ft flatbed trailer.

The premise of the project was to supply the government of Pakistan with four mobile BSL2 enhanced laboratories, funded by USAID. This entailed these mobile facilities to be built into 40-foot high cube containers consisting of a sample reception/anteroom, a BSL2 lab, and a plant room. The plant room housed the Air Handling Unit, Direct Expansion condenser, dedicated exhaust air fans, and additional services like supply water tanks and grey water tanks. To ensure mobility, these facilities also required specialised skids for electrical supply, which enabled the facilities to be both powered by grid power or a backup generator, either of which fed the facility via an Automatic Voltage Regulator.

These skids also housed a UPS to supply essential power to critical equipment if required.

AXIOLOGY LABS HEALTHCARE

Life science is an ever-changing environment with new challenges to adapt to and overcome around every corner.

“As we all saw with the COVID19 pandemic, the landscape can change extremely quickly and it’s all about the ability to adapt fast and efficiently to market needs in order to bounce back,” offers Burger.

Axiology Labs exists as part of the wider Axio Group. The group specialises in life sciences, from molecules to mankind, and is composed of customer-centric businesses that can act quickly to meet customer needs, whilst simultaneously diversifying revenue streams and assets.

Axiology Labs is currently focused on developing COVID-19 solutions, but acknowledges that the world of research, teaching and diagnostics is advancing rapidly.

Other companies within the Axio 62 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Group include Labspace Africa, an advanced analytical laboratory located in Midrand, Johannesburg, and AxioSport, which was established to cater for high-performance sports science through state-of-the-art biomechanical video analysis. Then there is AxioVR, a virtual reality (VR) company that seeks to bring value to the classroom through programme-specific learning content and custom-built workforce training solutions for leading industry role players, and finally AxioSeed Medical, which originates from its roots in occupational health.

and diagnostic laboratories. Axiology Labs is also now ushering in cuttingedge VR technology and highperformance sport assessments to this rapidly growing industry.

“We aim to position ourselves as a strategic partner with various stakeholders in the industry and, in turn, are able to offer turnkey solutions - from consulting, laboratory construction, equipment placement, right through to scientific solutions, including analytical testing and validations within ISO standards,” Burger explains.

MORE THAN JUST A BUSINESS

Across the continent, Axiology Labs has played its part in the ongoing recovery strategy and COVID-19 vaccination roll out, working closely with many other companies and facilities to help bounce back and rebuild from the immense difficulties faced over the last two years.

Axiology Labs is more than just a business. The company offers scientific solutions, including analytical testing and validations within ISO standards, as well as laboratory equipment, consumables and reagents to government, private

COVID-19 RESPONSE

Established in 1986, AFMS specialises in the filtration of clean rooms, bio-safety cabinets, laminar flow benches, fume hoods and cytotoxic cabinets. They also excel in the process of designing, building, commissioning and providing certification of containment and specialised laboratories for a multitude of select agents (TB, Anthrax, Ebola etc) from BSL 1 up to BSL 4.

AFMS has established itself as a worldwide leader in this field and has successfully delivered over 200 such facilities to a broad range of clients across the whole of Africa and further afield to nations such as Pakistan.

AFMS further designs and builds several mobile and modular facilities such as clinics, x-ray units, operating theatres and vaccination units.

Understanding the importance it plays, AFMS takes care of the physical requirements of environmental monitoring in accordance with ISO14644 and FedSTD 209E and ISO14698. Validations are performed in accordance with SANS12469:2002 &, NSF 49 or any specific requirement requested by our clients. To further improve our quality of work to our clients AFMS has applied to ISO / SANAS for an ISO 17025 accreditation.

AFMS further offers a wide variety of services such as: • Certification of biological safety cabinets validation • Certification of laminar flow benches • Validation of positive pressure units • Validation of fume hoods • Validation of isolators (PVC) • Validation of enzyme booths • Certification of BSL 1- 4 environments • Certification of bag in bag out housings • Validation of controlled environments (physical) • Theatre particle count and hospital validation (design, installation, and validation)

• Clean room validation and accreditation • Decontamination of clean rooms, bio-safety laboratories, safety cabinets, class III cabinets, bag in bag out filter housings • Room and product pressure testing, air change rate and air flow visualizations.

AFMS also offers a wide variety of products and lab equipment such as: • Laminar flow benches • Positive pressure units • Biological safety cabinets class II (type A1, A2, B1 & B2 total exhaust units) • Class I and class III cabinets and isolators • Oncology centres • Growing trolleys for plant tissue culture • Fume hoods • Laboratory consumables • General lab equipment such as incubators, ovens, water baths, circulators, drying ovens and more.

• Mechanical and filtration equipment • HEPA filter, primary filters, bag filters • Bag-in bag-out systems.

On an annual basis AFMS validates up to 1700 safety cabinets within South Africa as well as across the continent. Over many years AFMS has consistently provided its clients with mechanical installations, either installing new facilities or through the renovation of existing spaces, whilst also providing consultancy to a variety of NGOs across Africa.

Through working closely with a variety of architects and engineers, including mechanical, civil, electrical and plumbing contractors, the overall partnership with a full variety of trades has proven beneficial in the pooling of resources for the vast array of completed projects.

pa@afms.bz | +27 11 462 0120 | www.AFMS.bz

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AXIOLOGY LABS HEALTHCARE

“ O U R COV I D -1 9 R E S P O N S E D I V I S I O N H AS E X T E N S I V E C A PA B I L I T I E S AC R O S S T H E SPECTRUM REQUIRED FOR AN EFFECTIVE R E S P O N S E S T R AT E G Y ” – GIDEON BURGER, CEO, AXIOLOGY LABS

As part of many COVID-19 response initiatives implemented by the company, Axiology Labs remains a provider of cold chain solutions for PCR diagnostic laboratories.

Axiology Labs has supported the roll out of multiple COVID-19 PCR diagnostic laboratories and continues to maintain and service these laboratories on a daily basis.

“We deployed numerous laboratories in rural mining areas during the level five lockdown and ensured that there was a sufficient supply of cold chain items. This

66 | Africa Outlook issue 97

included biomedical freezers, vaccine fridges and ultra-low-temperature units with active temperature monitoring for vaccine storage and distribution,” Burger explains to us.

At Diagnofirm Medical Laboratories in Botswana, during the apex of the pandemic, Axiology Labs helped to successfully implement the COVID19 testing solution. As Botswana’s largest private diagnostic group with three cold chain laboratory tests, this was implemented using Axiology Labs as the sole supplier of all tests.

“Elsewhere, we are proud to supply The Biovac Institute, South Africa’s sole distributor of vaccines, with our ultra-low freezer. Our temperature monitoring solutions crucially ensure that the vaccine products remain

stable throughout the distribution process,” details Burger.

Axiology Labs is a provider of COVID-19 PCR laboratories in Zambia and is charged with the regular maintenance and servicing of all equipment. First Quantum Minerals is currently finalising its vaccine rollout programme, in which Axiology Labs is a consulting partner and service provider. Axiology Labs continues to support Vodacom in the distribution of 257 new cold chain units across Western Cape, South Africa, enabling the Western Cape Department of Health to boost COVID-19 vaccine storage and distribution.

“Our COVID-19 response division has extensive capabilities across the spectrum required for an effective reactive strategy,” describes Burger proudly.

AXIOLOGY LABS HEALTHCARE

“ O U R S TA F F A R E T H E T R U E B A C K B O N E O F THE BUSINESS AND EMPOWERING THEM I N A WAY T O F E E L F R E E A N D E X P L O R E OPPORTUNITIES IS KEY” – GIDEON BURGER, CEO, AXIOLOGY LABS

RURAL OUTREACH In terms of future projects, the company is turning its attention towards rural vaccine rollout solutions.

Axiology Labs is helping to distribute 68 | Africa Outlook issue 97

the COVID-19 vaccine programme through various products and services provided for vaccine diagnostics laboratories. The company is assisting with the safe transportation, storage

and administration of the vaccines.

This is alongside the ferrying of the product to rural areas, to the storage at clinics and hospitals, right through to the mobile vaccination trailers, which are for accessing and distributing vaccinations in these remote rural areas across Africa.

As Burger explains, this is not the only exciting new development on the horizon for Axiology Labs.

“We are extremely proud to be introducing our own Axiopette (pipettes), Axiotips (filter tips), Axiofilters (syringe filters), Axiomedia (culture media) and Axiovials (lab vials) to the market and are extremely optimistic about the initial responses we have been receiving so far in relation to their pricing and quality,” describes Burger.

As authorised distributors of Adam Equipment, Zeiss Microscopy and with the fruitful ongoing partnership with GA International and Zhonke Meiling Cryogenics, Axiology Labs

AXIOLOGY LABS HEALTHCARE

Axiology Labs supplies top-of-theline equipment and consumables to laboratories all over the world. The specific areas of expertise include: •

Healthcare and diagnostics

•

Life science and medical education

•

Molecular science

•

Animal science

•

Physiological sciences

•

Pharmaceutical industry

•

Modular turnkey laboratories

•

Analytical equipment

•

Zebra fish research

searches carefully to discover and collaborate with the best possible business partners within the industry.

“We believe in partnerships with SAHPRA-approved companies such as CapeBio for various products including SARS-Cov-2 Multiplex RT-qPCR Assays made in South Africa at a fraction of the price. We also aim to partner with other innovative companies such as Byonoy, Seward Limited, Cleaver Scientific, Optitrack and STT Systems,” adds Burger.

The most important partnership for Axiology Labs remains its staff, who the company depends on every day to maintain such high operational standards.

“Our staff are the true backbone of the business and empowering them in a way to feel free and explore opportunities is key. We have invested vast resources in ensuring we have the very best people in key positions, who are keen to develop successful teams and implement strategies based on

our company ideals,” acclaims Burger.

Looking forward, and with the rapid growth and expansion of the group, Axiology Labs’ primary concern is to sustain the long-term viability of the various established subsidiaries and to gain further market share by capitalising on the numerous opportunities which will no doubt present themselves. Still immersed in the treacherous, vice-like grip of the COVID-19 fallout, Africa is nevertheless slowly making strides towards eventual recovery, aided by the stoic work of Axiology Labs in providing crucial medical solutions and distributing vaccinations.

AXIOLOGY LABS Tel: 016 100 6090 sales@axiologylabs.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 69

GRAPHITE GOES UP A GEAR After recently signing a major agreement with Tesla, we discuss providing quality natural graphite and accelerating the global EV industry with Syrah Resources Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Joshua Mann

70 | Africa Outlook issue 97

SYRAH RESOURCES LTD MINING

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 71

SYRAH RESOURCES LTD MINING

E

lectric mobilisation is sweeping the globe, heralding the dawn of the clean energy era. In recent years, the electric vehicle (EV) market has grown to become an industrial titan.

According to the Global EV Outlook 2022, worldwide sales of EVs doubled in 2021 compared to the previous year, reaching a new record of 6.6 million.

In the same year, almost 10 percent of car sales across the globe were EVs. Already in 2022 alone, sales have continued to grow steadily, with a 75 percent increase recorded in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2021.

Officially labelled as a ‘critical mineral’, graphite is the lifeblood of the global development of EVs, as it is a key material used in the anode of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) that power the electric mobility movement.

Since there are no substitutes for

72 | Africa Outlook issue 97

graphite, as a result of the material’s unique properties, demand is expected to grow materially. As reported by the Northern Graphite Corporation, for every one million EVs produced, approximately 75,000 tonnes of natural graphite is required to meet the battery demand. By this calculation, the current global capacity that manufactures LiBs would need to double by 2025.

PUTTING MOZAMBIQUE ON THE MAP To date, the EV and graphite market has been dominated by one major geography – China – as the location that hosts the majority of graphite supply. China is a highly advanced market in this field, so much so that the price gap between conventional ICE vehicles and EVs is relatively minimal thanks to lower development and manufacturing costs. But now, the

scales are shifting.

Some 10,000 kilometres southwest of China, across the Indian Ocean, Mozambique is a nation blessed with rich mineral resources of graphite.

“In terms of our greatest differentiators, first of all, we’re not in China!” opens Agnaldo Laice, General Manager for Mozambique at Australian Securities Exchange Listed mining company – Syrah Resources Ltd (Syrah). Here, in the province of Cabo Delgado, you will find Syrah’s Balama graphite operation - one of the world’s largest integrated natural graphite mining and processing operations.

Syrah is well-positioned to benefit from the growth that is hotly anticipated for the coming year in terms of graphite production across the country. As reported by Intelligence Unit CLBrief, government estimations forecast that graphite

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SYRAH RESOURCES LTD MINING

VIDALIA BATTERY ANODE MATERIAL PROJECT Syrah’s project site in Vidalia has all the key requirements for large scale AAM production: • Access to key utilities (water/gas/ power) • Water and air discharge compliance obtained • Options to expand facility size • Direct barge/port access to Mississippi river • Supportive government relations • Access to key consumables (HF, HCL, Caustic) • Capable workforce Syrah’s plans to be vertically integrated include following value-added steps from the mine in Balama to produce AAM: • Natural graphite concentrate (-100 mesh fines material) is transported from Balama Graphite Operation to Vidalia.

• Natural graphite is then shaped into a spherical shape and purified to produce an anode precursor material.

• Precursor material is then coated and heat treated to produce a finished AAM. Development at Vidalia to date has been focused on establishing production lines that are of sufficient scale to demonstrate Syrah’s capability to supply ex-Asia markets with AAM that: • Has equivalent or superior physical and electrochemical properties to currently available material.

• Is cost competitive with incumbent supply (currently 100 percent based in Asia) • Provides an environmentally superior alternative to existing AAM supply.

• Can supply growing US and European markets.

74 | Africa Outlook issue 97

production levels in Mozambique will increase by 128.6 percent in 2022 alone, to accommodate the dynamic market shift towards EVs. Producing both coarse and fine natural graphite, the company’s product primarily finds application in EV batteries. Thanks to the natural properties of the Balama operation, with a 50+ year mine life and a high reserve grade of 16 percent total graphitic carbon, Syrah can be considered a long-term fixture in the exciting and dynamic growth of the EV industry.

“One of our key benchmarks in terms of expected growth in the graphite market is the growth that is expected in EVs,” Laice elaborates.

“This is what the investors were counting on when our operation was set up.

“We have invested over US $300 million in processing plants and other infrastructure including logistics, so that we can mine and process the natural graphite, which is then bagged and loaded on trucks to be transported to a port.”

From here, Syrah’s graphite is shipped across the globe. The product is primarily destined for China, as Syrah’s biggest customer market, and the largest consumer of natural graphite globally.

“In 2019, a good proportion of our sales were to China, to the extent that China became a net importer of natural graphite because of our product.”

Elsewhere, Syrah exports to key markets including Europe, Japan, South Korea, India, and the US.

NEW FRONTIERS At a defining stage of expansion, Syrah is in the process of developing a large-scale processing facility near the Mississippi River, Louisiana, US. This is a seminal stage in the company’s ambition to become the first major integrated ex-China producer of natural graphite Active

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Africa Outlook issue 97 | 75

Anode Material (AAM) that is ready to be used in batteries for EVs. The expansion of the Vidalia AAM Facility is well underway, with construction ongoing as we speak, and the plant is scheduled to be commissioned in Q4 2023.

“This facility will be the first integrated and large-scale anode material facility outside China that will be able to supply US and European markets with AAM – which today, are 100 percent dependent on China in key parts of the supply chain,” Laice tells us.

Indeed, as of today, natural graphite-based battery anode materials in every single EV, either on the road or currently in production, have gone through a value-added process in China.

“Part of our strategy has always been to integrate the upstream operation with a downstream processing plant in the US to produce the AAM using 100 percent Balama 76 | Africa Outlook issue 97

“ T H R O U G H T H I S I N T E G R AT I O N W I T H T H E D O W N S T R E A M FA C I L I T Y I N T H E U S , W E W I L L B E T H E F I R S T L A R G E - S C A L E , V E R T I C A L LY I N T E G R AT E D O P E R AT I O N O U T S I D E C H I N A” – AG N A L D O L A I C E , G E N E R A L M A N AG E R – I N ST I T U T I O N A L R E L AT I O N S & C O R P O R AT E S E R V I C E S , S Y R A H R E S O U R C E S LT D

natural graphite.”

It’s a timely move, with Reuters anticipating that total EV sales in the US will rise to 16 million in 2023, peaking at 17.5 million in 2024.

“Through integration with the downstream facility in the US, we will be the first vertically integrated operation outside China,” he shares proudly.

Crucially, this diversification of production outside China provides additional security in the supply of graphite from a critical mineral perspective.

“Integration between the operation

at Balama and the expanded facility in the US will enable the diversification of the supply chain of AAM for EV batteries,” Laice surmises.

The concrete foundation of this major new development is an offtake agreement that Syrah has executed with American automotive and clean energy giant, Tesla.

“The agreement with Tesla is for 8,000 tonnes per year of the product from the facility in the US for four years. That is a significant portion of the 11,250-tonne annual production that the facility will be able to produce in initial expansion,” he explains.

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Africa Outlook issue 97 | 77

Once Syrah has successfully delivered on its commitments to Tesla, the company intends to explore the potential of commercial production, subject to the final qualification of the product.

“ W E D O H AV E V E R Y S T R O N G E S G C R E D E N T I A L S T H AT C A N B E A U D I T E D F R O M S O U R C E TO E N D - P R O D U C T ” – AG N A L D O L A I C E , G E N E R A L M A N AG E R – I N ST I T U T I O N A L R E L AT I O N S & C O R P O R AT E S E R V I C E S , S Y R A H R E S O U R C E S LT D

EMBRACING ESG A major factor in Syrah’s appeal to investors is the company’s laudable stance on environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

“We do have very strong ESG credentials that can be audited from source to end product – that has been one of the key differentiators.

“We are undertaking several audits and due diligence processes to provide assurance whilst meeting certain contractual obligations,” Laice comments.

Indeed, it was the company’s commitments in this field that first attracted Laice himself to Syrah roughly three years ago.

“Our focus on sustainability has 78 | Africa Outlook issue 97

been key, and is one of the main topics that motivated me to join the company. This is not only in terms of Syrah’s health and safety performance and environmental protection, but also the work it does with communities,” he shares.

A key component of Laice’s position is the work he fulfils as Chairperson of the Local Development Committee – a body which comprises local government and the eight villages surrounding the Balama operation.

“Every quarter, we meet to discuss the priorities of the local communities,

where we need to invest, and what initiatives need to be developed to generate sustainable income for the community.”

This ESG thread is a major source of local pride, both for Laice, Syrah itself, and the many employees whose livelihoods rely on the company. It is yet another factor that differentiates Syrah from the major Chinese companies in the field, where carbon footprint credentials are less strictly upheld, and issues related to violation of human rights have been well-documented.

“We employ in Mozambique just over 1,100 employees, both direct

SYRAH RESOURCES LTD MINING

and contractors. 97 percent are Mozambicans, of which half are from the province where our operations are located,” Laice explains.

“I myself am Mozambican born and bred.”

Having undertaken multiple positions in both logistics and transport across Africa, for large names such as DHL and Maersk, Laice was drawn back to Mozambique at a time of “economic revolution” that came with the gas discoveries found in his home country. The opportunity to return and contribute to the country’s economic prosperity was impossible to ignore.

“I have had the privilege of working in different jurisdictions across Africa, and as an expat there was always that thought of returning home and being able to contribute. I did that twice throughout my career; I came back because there was a lot of talk around the gas discoveries in Mozambique, and I wanted to be part of that economic revolution and contribute to build and further develop the country.

“Syrah offered me the opportunity to come back. I wanted to work with them as a mining operation, but also mainly because of the community work that they are doing in Balama.

I was impressed by the company’s commitment to community development and the social and economic impact that they have on the neighbouring villages. I knew it was a perfect fit for the next step in my career, having worked for large multinationals previously,” he recalls.

PRIORITISING PRODUCTION By fulfilling a critical role as General Manager of Institutional Relations and Corporate Services, Laice and others ensure that the Balama site remains primarily concerned with the production of quality, high-grade graphite.

Looking ahead for Balama, this production remains top of the

agenda, as the company emerges from the ashes of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We want to further increase our production. Balama can produce to a full capacity of 350,000 tonnes of graphite a year. We haven’t been able to reach that in a few years, particularly since our operations were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Laice explains.

“We resumed production in March 2021 and embarked on ramping up production. So far it has been good, but there’s still a lot of opportunity to maximise the potential that Balama can produce.”

A short-term target for Syrah is to surpass 15,000 tonnes a month, which is Balama’s current average performance. But a major element behind this production drive is the complicated nature of the shipping sector at present, and the ability to ship the product in the first place.

“Shipping has to some extent limited our ability to produce. Since our production is demand-driven and dependent on Syrah delivering graphite to meet such demand, shipping has been a key limitation in terms of our ability to produce more.”

With access to containers and shipping vessels constraining

Balama’s production capacity, Syrah is currently exploring means to overcome this hurdle. For instance, the company has recently begun shipping using break-bulk vessels, and with trials so far proving successful, this represents another mode of shipping that will be used into the future.

Aside from this, Syrah has its hands full with an exciting future on American soil.

“Our short-term focus will be to progress with construction and the initial expansion at Vidalia. We have the Tesla contract to fulfil, and that’s what we are focusing on for our business now,” Laice surmises.

Pursuing these two strategic and complementary lines of growth for the years ahead, Syrah will continue to cement its position and prowess on the global stage of EV production, feeding the globe’s transition to a cleaner mode of transport.

SYRAH RESOURCES LTD Tel: +61 3 9670 7264 enquiries@syrahresources.com.au www.syrahresources.com.au Africa Outlook issue 97 | 79

JVCHANTETE EARTHWORKS LTD MINING

GETTING THE

JOB DONE

JVChantete Earthworks Ltd’s vision is to be the frontrunner in terms of technological innovations and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills throughout the realm of the mining and construction industry worldwide.”

The opening words of Shaun McCann, Director and Co-Founder at JVChantete Earthworks Ltd (JVChantete) encapsulate the bold ambition that runs at the core of one of Zambia’s largest contract mining and civil works companies.

Founded in 2014 and based in Kitwe, JVChantete was born from the amalgamation of two Zambianregistered companies – JV Civils Ltd and Chantete Mining Services Ltd. Leveraging the combined strengths of both entities, JVChantete is further bolstered by over 22 years of expertise and knowledge gained from delivering successful contracts with major Zambian mining houses.

“Through its amalgamation, JVChantete has become recognised as a leading contracting company in Zambia,” states McCann.

Priding itself on delivering remote projects to world-class standards, JVChantete specialises in macro earthworks projects including open pit contract mining, blast hole drilling, crushing and screening solutions, bulk material handling, secondary and feeder road construction, civil infrastructure projects (teach pads, TSFs and ponds), bush clearing and specific hourly plant hire.

“Our focus is to deliver efficient, professional and cost-effective solutions to our client base of business

Setting the benchmark for earthworks projects in mining and construction, JVChantete Earthworks Ltd is a company of ambition. We unpack cultural values and future plans with Director and Co-Founder, Shaun McCann Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Joshua Mann

partners, together with a guarantee that production targets are sustained and exceeded,” he adds.

McCann himself brings to the company a wealth of experience in Zambia’s mining industry, originally investing in Chantete Mining Services following over 20 years working as a sales representative and then Managing Director of Bell Equipment Zambia – a manufacturer of earthmoving and materials handling equipment.

“My life evolved in the mining industry and as such, I wanted to

contribute to a sector which is the biggest foreign capital earner in Zambia,” he says.

Under McCann’s leadership, a core component of his role is emphasising the sustainable nature of the company and the work that it undertakes, formulating a sales strategy that combines this with successfully meeting profit targets.

This involves championing a different approach to undertaking new work, compared to the company’s direct competitors.

“Historically, heavy plant

contractors in the Zambian market have tended to seize any work opportunity, despite not being able to offer a comprehensive solution to a client,” McCann observes.

“Against the backdrop of this market trend, from the earliest days of JVChantete’s operation, the need to identify and establish a core business was recognised as an important means of differentiating the company from its competitors in the market and initiates the strongest platform for its sustainable development.”

JVCHANTETE EARTHWORKS LTD MINING

THE PEOPLE DIFFERENCE Aside from the company’s earthmoving fleet, JVChantete’s 400+ employees and unparalleled skill base represent its greatest asset. As McCann affirms, “our people, backed by our systems and processes, drive our performance.”

Tasked with meeting and exceeding clients’ expectations across a diverse range of projects, JVChantete believes in selectively choosing staff on a project-by-project basis, subject to their experience and skills for each new undertaking.

“Choosing the right people for the right job has been the driving force behind JVChantete getting the job done on time and within budget.”

The workforce behind each project is typically sourced from local villages, and intensively trained to JVChantete standards.

“JVChantete has adopted this elementary rule in selecting and retaining the most experienced

82 | Africa Outlook issue 97

“J V C H A N T E T E ’ S M I S S I O N I S T O S T R I V E T O H AV E A C O M P E T I T I V E A D VA N TA G E T H R O U G H T H E P R O V I S I O N O F S E RV I C E E XC E L L E N C E A N D BY G I V I N G O U R C L I E N T S T H E B E S T VA L U E F O R M O N E Y ” – S H A U N M C C A N N , D I R E C T O R , J V C H A N T E T E E A R T H W O R K S LT D

and qualified people and business partners in their fields, who are also best able to work in a team structure within the required environment,” he continues.

McCann goes on to acclaim that JVChantete’s operations, engineering and maintenance personnel are rightfully considered the “best in the business”. As the company’s standout factor and the backbone of its success, JVChantete’s people are well-equipped with the necessary specialist skills in infrastructure, communications, contract mining, civil works, and operations and maintenance delivery to be able to deliver in challenging environments.

“They work incredibly hard in a demanding environment where personnel responsibility and opportunity are cornerstones of our management approach.”

Crucially, this management team works intimately with all levels of staff across the company to train and empower Zambians in highquality and safe operating practices.

Boasting significant experience in the company’s core services after 22 years of successfully delivering on contracts, JVChantete’s management team and complementary supervisors are well-placed to meet the daily challenges of an ever-evolving industry.

JVCHANTETE EARTHWORKS LTD MINING

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PROJECTS AT A GLANCE JVChantete Earthworks Ltd is currently offering services to various mining companies within Zambia. Some current projects include: • Nickel Open Pit Mining • Copper Open Pit Mining • Manganese Open Pit Mining • Waste Material Open Pit Mining • Rehabilitation of Waste Stockpiles and Tailings Facilities • Crushing and Screening Operations • Storm Water Management Projects • Raising of TSF Embankments • 24-hour Plant Hire Operations

84 | Africa Outlook issue 97

“JVChantete brings in skilled labour from abroad and we work hard to provide intensive training and transfer skills to the Zambians. There is not a very high turnover rate in the company given that we strive to create a solid work environment and look after our employees. JVChantete also makes use of outsourced training facilities, thus we have internal and external training in our company.”

Aside from this emphasis on the welfare of the people behind the business, the client is the individual at the forefront of JVChantete’s operations, as the central foundation and core concern behind every project.

“Our staff are enthusiastic, progressive, and dynamic in the way they approach all projects and operate within a culture that truly understands traditional customer service expectations.”

Indeed, this culture of customer

service and client-centric focus is paramount and provides the bedrock of JVChantete’s operations, in executing a project and delivering innovative contractual solutions and construction techniques to the client’s benefit.

“Our strategy includes continuous liaison with the client during the early phases, so our team can develop a clear understanding of each project’s short and long-term objectives,” McCann elaborates.

“We actively seek to partner with clients to add value to their business and offer the expertise of our experienced managers and personnel.”

The JVChantete approach is centred on customised solutions that deliver quality work in a timely manner without compromising on safety.

Above all, a personal investment in the work ensures that everyone takes pride in their efforts.

“ O U R P E O P L E , B AC K E D BY O U R SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES, DRIVE OUR PERFORMANCE” – S H AU N M CC A N N , D I R E C TO R , J VC H A N T E T E E A R T H W O R K S LT D

“We consider our work as our own,” says McCann. “This personal approach to whatever task we are doing makes us proud and motivates us to be responsible and accountable.”

The refinement behind JVChantete’s mode of operation enables a more focused concentration upon the consistent delivery of optimal performance standards, the meeting of customer expectations, and the provision of comprehensive solutions that are competitively priced, giving rise to the company’s solid reputation and dominant market share in its spheres of influence.

FUTURE AMBITIONS JVChantete is on a trajectory of continual improvement, developing its technical resources through constant upgrades, training, and identifying new ways and techniques that marry with the upskilling of its workforce.

Replacing old and uneconomical equipment, the company is currently investing in the expansion and improvement of its mining fleet to more advanced and technologically equipped machinery.

“This will include a larger size mining fleet to meet future mining requirements and demands,” comments McCann.

Aside from this, JVChantete also seeks to diversify the mining opportunities it pursues, such as in gold, cobalt, and nickel markets amongst others, to reduce its reliance on copper. Elsewhere, the company hopes to undertake further long-term mining contracts that will allow it to deliver on its own growth strategy.

“Our ambition is to continue to be the best contract mining company and grow our business by at least 25 percent in the next four years,” shares McCann.

The future for JVChantete is defined by both dynamism, and optimism.

“Strategies, financing, policies and procedures are already in place, and the investment confidence for existing and potential investors in Zambia has been high. The commitment from the Zambian government to the mining industry has been extremely positive, so we feel our ability to achieve the increase in our business is achievable,” McCann concludes.

JVCHANTETE EARTHWORKS LTD Tel: +260 96 5333007 | +260 97 7333007

info@jvchantete.com www.jvchantete.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 85

86 | Africa Outlook issue 97

COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE FOOD & DRINK

B OT T L E D WITH CARE The impact of Coca-Cola Sabco Mozambique befits that of the world’s largest total beverage company and most valuable brand. We discuss investments and sustainability initiatives with General Manager, Duncan Wyness Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone

I

t was 1886 when Dr. John Pemberton TCCC, SABMiller, and Gutsche Family served the world’s first Coca-Cola.

Investments (GFI) in Southern and From that one iconic drink, The Eastern Africa.

Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) has With an inclusive business culture grown to become the biggest nonthat reflects its African identity, the alcoholic beverage business, with an purpose of CCBA is to refresh Africa unrivalled portfolio of brands that every day and make the continent a includes Sprite, Fanta, better place for all, an Dasani, Powerade, Del aspiration driven by its Valle, and many more. engaged, motivated, and From refreshing inspired employees. soft drinks to dairy, Today, CCBA is the sparkling water and eighth largest Cocanatural juice, more Cola bottling partner than 1.9 billion Cocaworldwide by revenue Cola drinks are now and the biggest on the enjoyed across more continent, accounting for Duncan Wyness, General Manager than 200 countries more than 40 percent of worldwide each day. all Coca-Cola volumes In Africa, where the first Coca-Cola sold in Africa and serving over was later served in 1928, Coca-Cola 600,000 outlets.

Beverages Africa (CCBA) operates in CCBA clearly has a diverse 14 sub-Saharan countries. Designed footprint in Africa, and one of its key to advance a consolidated, more markets is the scenic Southern African successful Coca-Cola system nation of Mozambique, where iconic on the continent, the group was beverages have been offered by formed in July 2016 by combining group subsidiary, Coca-Cola Sabco the non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink Mozambique (CCSM) for more than a beverage bottling operations of quarter of a century.

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COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE FOOD & DRINK

“We started in Mozambique in 1993, and on 6th May 1994 we produced our first 300ml bottle of Coca-Cola,” opens the General Manager of CCSM, Duncan Wyness.

Wyness has extensive African experience in Mozambique, as well as Angola, specialising throughout his career in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) with a short stint in financial services. As an FMCG company that is customer-oriented, socially and environmentally conscious, CCSM was a natural fit for Wyness, who has now been at the company for approaching six years.

“I realised that FMCG was really my passion, and in October 2016 I moved across to CCSM. I was appointed at the beginning of May 2022 as

CCSM employs close to 1,000 people at its three manufacturing facilities

88 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Managing Director; it was my first step out of finance and into more general management,” he tells us.

GREENFIELD PROJECT CCSM employs close to 1,000 people at its three manufacturing facilities across Mozambique, in Nampula in the north, Chimoio in the centre, and the capital city, Maputo in the south.

The north of Mozambique, comprising the provinces of Nampula, Zambezia, Cabo Delgado, and Niassa, has been identified by Wyness and CCSM as a huge area of growth potential for the company.

“50 percent of Mozambique’s population is in the north, but only 15 percent of our volume, so big opportunities are going to come in the

future as it catches up with the centre and the south,” he states.

At all three sites, CCSM now produces glass and PET plastic bottles having invested over US$11 million in a PET plastic line at the Nampula facility which was commissioned in early 2021.

In the south, meanwhile, CCSM has increased its capacity by constructing a world-class, US$110 million greenfield bottling facility in Matola Gare, close to Maputo, which was inaugurated in June 2016.

“By March of 2013 we had basically outgrown our facility in Maputo, so we decided to construct this greenfield facility which took almost four years to build,” Wyness explains.

“Because it was greenfield there

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COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE FOOD & DRINK

was nothing there, not even a road to get to the plant. We looked at Matola Gare because there is reasonably good access to water, as it is pretty close to the pipeline that comes from our main feeder dam south of Maputo.

“Matola Gare also has close access to the gas pipelines, and the land was reasonably affordable. The municipality was very excited to host a big industry like ours, so they really helped us to acquire the land and get all the necessary permits,” he continues.

Currently equipped with two production lines for glass and PET plastic bottles, CCSM has the capacity to expand the greenfield site to up to seven lines.

“It has been designed with the intention of CCSM being here for a very long time, and the size of the land is such that we can expand as we need, so this really is a long-term investment.”

The inauguration of the site was attended by Mozambique’s President, Filipe Nyusi, who acknowledged CCSM’s investment in job creation and the growth of skills in the country.

“A couple of years ago, an independent socio-economic impact assessment found that CCSM has a one in 45 impact on jobs, so for every one permanent employee, we create 45 indirect jobs in the country through our ecosystem. At the time we had 850 full time staff, meaning that we were indirectly creating over 38,000 jobs.

“That’s very powerful and a strong indicator of the impact that CCSM has on Mozambique,” Wyness emphasises.

RECYCLABLE PACKAGING Despite being a continent of extraordinary potential, expected to enjoy the second-fastest economic

AFRICA OUTLOOK: HOW IMPORTANT IS LOCAL EMPLOYMENT TO CCSM? DUNCAN WYNESS, GENERAL MANAGER: “We have a total headcount of approximately 1,000 people, of which five are expatriates, which is a very low number. Our strategy is to localise as we develop talent.

“For example, in the last 18 months we have appointed Mozambicans into the Finance Director and Manufacturing Director positions, both firsts in the company’s history.

“We also have a graduate trainee scheme in which we look to find the best talent in Mozambique. It helps in terms of experience, it gives them exposure, and if there are any vacancies available at the end of the programme then they’re free to apply for those positions.

“Of our intake of graduates and trainees every year, I would say we probably end up permanently recruiting between 60 to 70 percent of them, and if we don’t have a position for them, we’re at least developing young, dynamic talent for Mozambique as a whole.

“In 2021, we decided to recruit all females for the programme. We partner with recruitment agencies and universities so that we can hire female talent, and all of us within senior management have goals to improve the gender balance within our departments as we continue to drive women in leadership – where we have a target for 2022 of 25 percent female leadership positions.”

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growth in the world over the next 10 years, Africa is also expected to be among the worst-affected regions when it comes to climate change.

To both stimulate the economic growth required to offer dignity and prosperity for all its people, and to do so in a manner that is environmentally sustainable, Africa must find ways to decouple economic growth from the overexploitation of natural resources, such as water, and reduce the use of fossil fuels.

While governments can contribute to creating an enabling environment, the private sector and communities themselves also have a critical role to play.

For this reason, CCBA, and thereby CCSM, has made sustainability integral to its business strategy, so much so that it has been incorporated into the group’s short- and long-term incentives on the understanding that the business can only flourish if the continent flourishes too.

One of the biggest contributors to reducing the carbon footprint of

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Africa Outlook issue 97 | 91

COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE FOOD & DRINK

CCBA subsidiaries such as CCSM will come from more recyclable packaging. The recyclability of CCBA’s packaging is already at more than 95 percent, ahead of TCCC’s global target of 100 percent by 2025.

“If you look at packaging generally around the world, if you only give consumers a certain type of packaging, then that’s all they’re going to buy because you’re not giving them a choice,” Wyness observes.

“Whereas 20 years ago we might have been selling 100 percent of our products in glass, today we give people that choice. About 60 percent of our sales come from PET plastic bottles, 30 percent glass, and 10 percent cans which are produced by a third-party packer.

“Within PET plastic we then

“ F O R E V E R Y O N E P E R M A N E N T E M P LOY E E , W E C R E AT E 4 5 I N D I R E C T J O B S I N T H E C O U N T R Y… T H AT ’ S V E R Y P O W E R F U L A N D A S T R O N G I N D I C AT O R O F T H E I M P A C T T H AT CCSM HAS ON MOZAMBIQUE” – D U N C A N WY N E SS , G E N E R A L M A N AG E R , CC S M

obviously have all different sizes, so customers are able to choose the size of bottle that is appropriate to them.”

As a responsible bottler, CCSM, like all CCBA subsidiaries, continues to increase the recyclability of its packaging with a strong emphasis on shifting to homogenous and clear bottles, and significant progress has already been made in this regard.

“The design of a lot of our plastic

bottles has changed. We’ve moved all of our coloured PET to clear plastic, so Sprite bottles for example which used to be green are now clear,” Wyness says.

“We’ve also lightweighted our bottles as much as we can, so we’ve reduced the amount of plastic that goes into a preform.”

Likewise, CCSM is improving the collection and recycling rate

of PET bottles, in line with TCCC’s commitment to a World Without Waste in which it has a global goal to collect and recycle every one of its bottles or cans by 2030.

“In Mozambique, we know based on our sales exactly how much plastic CCSM produces and is put out into the market. In 2022, for example, we know that we are going to sell the equivalent of 4,000 tonnes of plastic; we have put in place recycling initiatives with recyclers and collectors to extract that amount from the market this year.

“That plastic doesn’t have to be Coca-Cola bottles, it can be any type of plastic as long as it’s 4,000 tonnes.

It means that CCSM will be neutral in 2022 from a plastic emissions perspective,” Wyness acclaims.

NEW TRENDS, NEW TARGETS Wyness notes that the COVID-19 pandemic had a very interesting impact on CCSM’s pack mix (sizes, types of material, etc.) with consumers gravitating towards future consumption over immediate consumption.

“When we talk about future consumption, these are products and sizes that people buy and take home to consume in the future. It’s your big items such as a one or two litre bottle of Coca-Cola, something that you’re not going to open straight away and drink on your own, but share it with family and friends at home over a period of time,” outlines Wyness.

“Immediate consumption includes the 300ml glass bottles, 280ml PET bottles, 330ml cans, or 500ml bottles of water that people buy because they are thirsty in the moment and want something to drink. They are built and designed to be drunk by one person and to be drunk immediately.

“Bearing that in mind, and the impact of COVID-19 which resulted in a lot of bars and restaurants being closed and the trading hours of a lot of shops being reduced, it meant

that our consumers’ behaviour was forced to change from immediate consumption to future consumption.

“In June 2020, we saw quite a significant drop in sales of our glass bottles and cans, and it all went towards our one and two litre bottles because the only opportunity people had was to buy our products in a supermarket and take it home, because restaurants, bars etc. were closed,” he details.

With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, this trend has reversed and moved back towards immediate consumption.

To look after people and communities during the pandemic, CCSM bought more than 4,500 COVID-19 vaccines to protect staff and family members.

Vaccines were also distributed throughout the CCSM ecosystem, to canteen staff, cleaners, security personnel, transporters, and customers such as distributors and wholesalers.

In what is a year of transformation for CCSM, the company is now targeting success that surpasses prepandemic levels through a number of key targets.

“We’ve got a number of initiatives

for the year ahead in terms of meeting consumer preferences, making sure we produce products that the majority of consumers can afford to buy, and that’s specifically around our glass and small PET plastic bottles,” Wyness shares.

“Our second big focus is local employment, and ensuring that we’ve got a pipeline of talent coming in.

We have another year of intakes for our graduate trainee programme, and we continue to drive women in leadership.

“Finally, we’re looking at projects to further progress our responsive behaviour. We aim to recycle 100 percent of our PET plastic bottles, source locally rather than importing raw materials, and we’ve got quite tough targets in terms of water and energy usage in the production of our beverages.”

COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE Tel: +258 21 740 300 mreception@ccbagroup.com www.ccbagroup.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 93

VICTORY FARMS FOOD & DRINK

THE

AQ UAC U LT U R E A N SW E R

For the African continent, aquaculture is the future of protein. Scaling a platform with sustainability and community values at its core, we take a dive into tilapia producer, Victory Farms, with Founder and Group CEO, Joseph Rehmann Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone

94 | Africa Outlook issue 97

The African diet is getting a fraction of the attention that it deserves, given the impact that it’s likely to have.”

Africa faces a food dilemma. As the continental population doubles, and disposable income continues to rise, the availability of wild caught fish, a critical element of the diet for many,

is diminishing. Consequently, the whole country is shifting to a diet that primarily consists of hoofed animals or resorting to cheaper plant-based protein due to affordability. This lack of attention concerns both press and media coverage, but critically, also the financial investment required to effect change.

“This continent’s diet will become one of, if not the, biggest contributors to climate change.”

For Joseph Rehmann, Founder and Group CEO of tilapia producer, Victory Farms, the unsustainable nature of a diet reliant on hoofed animals is obvious. Indeed, it was this very quandary that led Rehmann to found Victory

Farms, as what he describes as “a protein platform” centred on aquaculture that delivers essential nourishment in a sustainable way.

“Victory Farms is a platform where we’re trying to make protein affordable and available for the mass African market, whilst creating a net positive impact for the environment.”

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“ W E H O P E TO B E CO M E T H E F I R ST C A R B O N N E G AT I V E F I S H P L AT F O R M I N T H E W O R L D ” – J O S E P H R E H M A N N , F O U N D E R A N D G R O U P C E O , V I C T O R Y FA R M S

Rehmann brings to his operation a rich career background, defined by the intersection between food, sustainability and investment. He was initially introduced to the freshwater fish of tilapia whilst working for a food-focused private equity fund, then owned by Cargill, to evaluate potential acquisition investments in Ghana. A three-month due diligence assignment soon transformed into a tenure of more than three years, with Rehmann taking over as Chief Financial Officer.

“I became extremely passionate about what the future of protein is going to look like in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Although primarily a tilapia farming operation, this side of the business occupies roughly a third of the Victory 96 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Farms workforce. Aside from this, the company runs an extensive climatefriendly cold chain that distributes product into market trading hot spots throughout Kenya and has recently been making moves into feed production.

As you might expect from Africa’s fastest-growing fish platform, expansion is very much on the agenda for Victory Farms. But as of today, its operational footprint is primarily in Kenya, with 55 branches selling fish to 12 counties across the country.

“We have also just set up operations in Rwanda and are in the process of doing the same in Tanzania. We’ll be selling fish there before the end of the year,” Rehmann shares.

Producing fish mainly in western Kenya, production and distribution

now also extends to Rwanda.

But arguably the most exciting development for Victory Farms at present is the ongoing construction of a feed milling operation, a joint venture project that brings together Victory Farms’ aquaculture expertise and its partners’ knowledge in animal feed production.

CONQUERING CARBON NEGATIVITY “Our goal is to be carbon negative, but we’re not there yet,” states Rehmann. Nevertheless, major strides are being made on Victory Farms’ journey towards this environmental goal.

As an energy-intensive process, especially in milling and production, fish feed currently represents the

distribute Aqua Feeds at the now jointly owned Nairobi Aqua Feeds Plant under Skretting® and Unga’s Fugo® brands.

Tunga Nutrition (U) Limited on the other hand will make use of Unga’s dormant flour mill in Kampala, converting it to a state-of-the-art Feed Mill to produce animal feeds and concentrates, working closely with Trouw Nutrition.

Tunga Nutrition is Joint Venture Company between Nutreco International BV and Unga Group PLC’s, two indirect subsidies; Unga Farm Care (EA) limited in Kenya, and Unga Millers (U) Limited in Uganda. The name ‘Tunga’ is a Swahili word meaning “to compose”.

Unga Farm Care (EA) Limited is the region’s leading manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of quality animal nutrition and health products. Skretting is a world leader in the manufacture and supply of aquaculture feeds, making us an essential link in the feed-to-food chain. Unga and Skretting have been working together since 2017.

Two separate entities were formed – Tunga Nutrition (K) Limited working directly with Skretting to manufacture and

Tunga Nutrition is a major supplier of Victory Farms for – among others – our products Optiline and Nutra.

When tilapia eggs hatch, the larvae rely on the yolk sac to provide the nutritional needs before they begin feeding.

The larvae are vulnerable to starvation and need to feed continuously during this period. In nature, there isn't always a constant supply of feed and many fry will die during this first stage of life. In hatcheries however, sufficient amounts of high quality starter feeds can be continuously supplied. Feed production techniques allow us to produce feeds with properties that fit specific life stage needs. The slow sinking Nutra crumbles give all fry an equal opportunity to feed.

• Optimal dietry digestible protein and energy levels

Optiline provides state-of-the-art nutrition; allowing for high fish performance, highest feed efficiency and lowest FCR. Feed formulation of Optiline ensures an optimised digestible nutrient, digestible energy and raw material digestibility specifically designed for the digestive system of tilapia. This is to ensure flexible raw material use and provide a consistent quality product. In addition, when feeding Optiline there will be lower nutrient discharge and lower impact on fish environment.

• Faster tilapia growth

To learn more about us or our products, go to

www.skretting.com/en-gm/tunga or scan the QR code.

• High larval survival • Uniform pellet particle size and high water stability

• Lower FCR • Lower production costs • Lower environmental impact

VICTORY FARMS FOOD & DRINK

98 | Africa Outlook issue 97

VICTORY FARMS FOOD & DRINK

FEEDING FOR PROSPERITY

Quality feed for Africa

Novatek Animal Feeds is the largest animal feed producer in Zambia and has been in operation since 2008. With two production facilities, one located in the capital city Lusaka and the other on the Copperbelt Province, Mpongwe, Novatek is strategically located with a large retail and distribution network to serve farmers all over Zambia.

Novatek strive to be the leading supplier of technologically advanced animal feed products in Zambia and is also the only feed producer with an ISO 22 000 Food Safety Management System Certification.

from Africa

NOVATEK AQUAFEEDS Novatek Animal Feeds Zambia produces a variety of fish feeds products that ranges from hatchery to out-grower feeds and includes crumbles and pellets for both ponds and cage systems. We supply fish feeds to most of the southern African countries and East Africa such as Kenya at Victory Farms, Rwanda, Uganda, Congo DR and Tanzania.

We are also commencing delivery of our fish feeds into West Africa, especially for the Catfish to be accompanied by Tilapia. Our fish feeds are certified under DQS Quality Systems and ISO 22 000.

Feel free to reach out to us and we will be glad to do business with you.

We are here to serve you.

Contact us: National Sales Manager: +260978 779 017, +260971 252 522 salesmanager@novatek.co.zm

largest contributor to the company’s carbon footprint.

“Estimates vary, but we believe that it’s as high as 70-80 percent of our total emissions,” he explains.

To counteract this, the new feed mill is a revolutionary step forward as an operation that will be run on 100 percent renewable energy.

“As far as we know, we are building the world’s first completely off-grid and 100 percent renewable energy fish feed mill,” Rehmann tells us proudly. Leveraging solar power in the daytime, and geothermal at night, it will be entirely off-grid.

“We won’t be relying on any grid power, which is a little scary! But this forces us to stay true to our plans.”

Numerous other projects are underway in this regard, such as the successful rollout of Victory Farms’ zero plastic waste distribution model, first to attain carbon neutrality and then on to full negativity. But in terms

of magnitude, the impact of the new feed mill is truly the pièce de résistance.

Hand in hand with Victory Farms’ pledge to attain carbon negativity, are its commitments to biodiversity.

The company has recently completed a one-year preliminary study undertaken by the Kenya Marine Fisheries Institute and Conservation International, spanning the one-kilometre stretch of ‘Conservation Zone’ within Lake Victoria that the company manages with the local community.

With the study identifying the return of a number of critically endangered species to the area, including two kinds of fish that were thought to be extinct, the Conservation Zone has been proven as a biodiversity hotbed.

“Our hypothesis was that we could work with local communities to create a biodiversity-positive zone, but now it’s been verified by two notable

parties,” shares Rehmann. Victory Farms will continue to work on this zone, and identify further areas where the same efforts can be undertaken.

On land, Victory Farms is engaged in multiple rewilding efforts, again working hand in hand with local communities to nurture the reintroduction of indigenous species.

“When we set up our programme for the rewilding of indigenous species, we had such a fantastic response. So many people signed up, because they want to see this happen, but they just don’t have the financial ability to do much about it,” he comments.

Due to the popularity of the programme – which so far has witnessed a huge impact on local birdlife, the health of the monitor lizard population, and has even seen a new family of hippos settling into the area – Victory Farms has begun its community engagement initiative Africa Outlook issue 97 | 99

VICTORY FARMS FOOD & DRINK

to support rewilding of surrounding land plots not directly owned by the company.

“It has all been incredibly encouraging to see. There’s this huge

misunderstanding that the local community doesn’t care about nature returning to the area, but of course they do, they just haven’t had the means.”

VICTORY FARMS AND THE WAR ON PLASTICS “We have just fully finished the migration to a zero plastic waste distribution model. In the fresh fish industry, this is extremely rare, since the vast majority of industry players rely on consumable or single-use plastics. We find that ridiculous and the amount of waste it creates is extraordinary.

“We want to highlight that the migration from a single use plastic model is totally possible. It took us roughly two years to complete the migration, and it was risky in the beginning, but now it’s crystal clear that it’s the better model – both from an environmental perspective, and in terms of cost reduction.”

- Joseph Rehmann, Founder and Group CEO, Victory Farms

100 | Africa Outlook issue 97

DELIVERING LOCAL VALUE This role of environmental stewardship as custodians of its nearby surroundings translates to Victory Farms’ emphasis on delivering local value.

With a primarily localised workforce, the farm’s operations are intrinsically linked to the socioeconomic development of the communities that surround it.

“We have been extremely intentional around job creation,” shares Rehmann. “It goes against the western playbook on how to build a business!”

The company represents a wide and varied stakeholder group, which he describes as “the opposite of a monolithic group”, comprising a

VICTORY FARMS FOOD & DRINK

diverse host of perspectives. Despite this diversity, local job creation is a common thread of concern.

“One central takeaway you’ll find is that every stakeholder group highly values well-paying jobs. A job at Victory Farms provides a reliable income, and pays on average significantly higher than what a normal job in the area does, and we’re probably the only formal sector job in these surroundings which brings a host of benefits, such as healthcare,” he elaborates.

As a result of this emphasis, Victory Farms follows a considered approach to investment, prioritising protection of local jobs and livelihoods, instead of chasing technological innovation.

Rehmann highlights the company’s processing division, which currently employs roughly 150 people, an overwhelming majority of whom are local women.

“If we were to invest in the latest technologies – automated processing, weighing, sorting and packaging, etc, we could reduce that number to about 20 people.

“I accept that automation is the future, but we don’t have to do that with the stage we’re at today. For at least another generation, the benefit to the local community is worth the Africa Outlook issue 97 | 101

VICTORY FARMS FOOD & DRINK

administrative effort of employing people.”

Whilst also giving the workforce time to adapt and move with the company as it gradually embraces technological innovation in the future, the main reasoning behind this is keeping costs in the local communities.

“If we buy an advanced piece of equipment for example, that cost might go to Norway. But if we employ 150 local women – the cost of which would be roughly the same – that spending stays within the local community and goes into empowering them to create better livelihoods.”

FUTURE HORIZONS With such laudable environmental and social commitments at the fore, the future is exciting at Victory Farms.

“We have grown faster than any other tilapia platforms on the continent. Although we’re not the largest, when we look forward, we believe that we can continue to accelerate that growth,” Rehmann shares confidently.

Expansion remains strategic within this growth ambition, pursuing markets that promise great opportunity. The move into Rwanda has proved to be one such example.

Although a far smaller market, compared to Uganda, the population faces a significant deficit in animal protein in their diet. Tilapia holds the answer. In a similar vein, growth is also being pursued in both the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi.

“There is a lot of investment and aid donations being directed into these geographies to improve nutrition outcomes.

102 | Africa Outlook issue 97

“ W E ’ R E W R I T I N G T H E P L AY B O O K F O R T H E FUTURE OF TILAPIA PRODUCTION” – J O S E P H R E H M A N N , F O U N D E R A N D G R O U P C E O , V I C T O R Y FA R M S

“The beauty of aquaculture is that once we make the fish available, and affordable, thousands of local traders get involved to deliver the product to those in need.”

Rwanda has proven a receptive and welcoming market for Victory Farms, receiving significant support from the local government to encourage its efforts on Lake Kivu.

Meanwhile, in Tanzania, Victory Farms is well-placed within a predominantly fish-eating culture that is now threatened with a drastic decline in wild catch - a trend that Kenya saw decades ago.

“The majority of Tanzanians – and it’s almost 50 million – consume fish, but with the collapse of the wild populations of fish, many have had to

resort to hoofed animals.

“We’re optimistic that Tanzania represents a very underserved fisheating culture where we can come in and supply the very fish that can no longer be caught wild or fished artisanally,” he surmises.

By setting an exemplary business model built on the pillars of social engagement and environmental restoration – both of which are not only sustainable but also scalable – Victory Farms continues to exert what Rehmann describes as “positive pressure” for other industry players to follow its lead.

“Our sights are set on scaling to become the largest tilapia producer globally. The ambition remains strong, but it’s equally ambitious as during

our first five years when we hoped to become an African leader.”

It is fair to say that although not the largest, this goal has been truly accomplished, as Victory Farms continues to keep Africa in good health with a sustainable protein source as the foundation.

“We’re writing the playbook for the future of tilapia production.”

VICTORY FARMS KENYA Tel: + 254 797.736.164 Olgao@victoryfarmskenya.com www.victoryfarmskenya.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 103

BRACONGO FOOD & DRINK

THE BEER NECESSITIES In the ultra-competitive drinks industry, Bracongo has carved out a niche for innovative and sustainable products. General Director, Cyril Segonds, presents the secrets behind this success story Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone

Working within a country of nearly 100 million people, it remains a daily challenge for Bracongo to continuously offer a range of diverse products capable of meeting several functional needs, as well as appealing to a wide range of customers across the nation. This is a very dynamic market, where the youthfulness of the population offers many exciting opportunities.”

Cyril Segonds, General Director of Bracongo, believes passionately that the beverage industry is a fascinating sector to be engrossed in.

“Every day is a new experience because of how we operate in such a challenging environment, with an enriching daily routine and an array of issues that make the work constantly exciting,” opens Segonds.

Bracongo was created in 1949 in Stanleyville, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), officially opening its doors for business in 1951 and existing as a branch of the Castel Group since

1996. It currently has more than 1,700 employees working across the provinces of Bandundu, Equateur, Kasai, Kinshasa and Kongo Central.

Bracongo has carefully developed a product portfolio of 14 beer, soft drink, and water brands, four of which are pan-African.

As a member of the UN Global Compact since April 2019 and ISO 9001:2015 certified, Bracongo is a modern, secure, efficient and socially responsible company.

BUILDING STRONG FOUNDATIONS The greatest strength of Bracongo today as a business, stems from the primary brewery that stands as a key pillar of Bracongo’s day-to-day operations. This facility produces a complete range of products, from water to beer, through to a wide range of assorted wines. Some of these products have been specifically tailored for the Congolese market, Africa Outlook issue 97 | 105

BRACONGO FOOD & DRINK

GTM GTM has been established for almost 30 years in the Democratic Republic of Congo and offers a wide range of logistics services in the fields of customs clearance, transport (ocean, river, road, air and rail), distribution, container consolidation, shipping and maritime agency, and warehousing.

such as the ‘Nkoyi’ beer, which means Leopard in Lingala, one of the official languages of DRC. This beer is exclusively brewed in the country and remains a true national sensation.

Or ‘Tembo’, the premium dark beer created in Katanga, which is also brewed only in the DRC and has won over its loyal customers, becoming one of the most appreciated products thanks to its smooth caramel taste.

Bracongo intends to enrich its product range by opening new segments that will allow the company to improve its array of beverages, especially in order to satisfy customers with increasingly varied needs. Segonds believes the business has some nice surprises in store for its loyal customers, as well as striving to meet sustainability goals. For example, Bracongo’s range of beers includes blonde, brown or flavoured varieties, ensuring there is something for everyone.

Another facet of Bracongo’s strong market position is the company’s firm decision to use its status of notoriety within the nation to support local communities and to work on environmental issues. Bracongo has completely stopped the production of plastic beverages, which will bring exceptional rewards as well as facilitate actions in favour of environmental preservation.

On a commercial level, Bracongo’s focus on direct distribution, even in the most remote areas of the nation, 106 | Africa Outlook issue 97

AFRICA OUTLOOK: TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER TO DATE? CYRIL SEGONDS, GENERAL DIRECTOR: BRACONGO:

GTM offers its clients a global and integrated logistics solution, accompanying your projects from the initial shipping phase to customs clearance and delivery throughout the DRC. Thanks to our experience, we have acquired the expertise and competence to study, plan and estimate the budget required for international and national logistics operations.

“I’m an industrial engineer with 26 years of career experience across several fields and sectors, such as automotive, mining, engineering, medical and industrial machinery and logistics.

“I consider my background as an asset in a professional environment that requires a lot of flexibility and agility. My family are former vineyard owners, so I grew up with this culture all around me.

“This may be one reason why I eventually went on to join Castel Group in 2019 as General Manager of Bracongo, in DRC.”

allow it to have a real socio-economic impact. This is because the company robustly believes it is important to be as close as possible to its customers.

INVESTING IN CULTURE AND COMMUNITY As part of the company’s many ambitious ventures, Bracongo recently organised the 15th edition of the Kinshasa Jazz Festival, which is called Jazz Kif.

www.gtmdrc.com

BRACONGO FOOD & DRINK

“It is with great excitement and after two long years of absence, that we are once again organising this main event on Kinshasa’s cultural agenda. As a fervent participant in the Congolese artistic scene, Bracongo, through this festival, allows the population to discover artists from abroad, and at the same time reinforces the image of Kinshasa as a cultural stronghold within Africa,” details Segonds.

“Two of our most recent investments demonstrate our commitment and desire to pursue our activities in a sustainable manner.

First, we have invested in a fifth production line in order to be able to provide the number of products needed to meet our customers’ expectations. Secondly, we have started the replacement of our pallet fleet, replacing the wooden ones with

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“ T H E F L U I D I T Y, T H E R E L AT I O N S H I P S , A N D T H E E F F I C I E N C Y O F O U R C A R E F U L LY C U R AT E D S U P P LY C H A I N A R E E S S E N T I A L T O O U R O P E R AT I O N S ” – CY R I L S E G O N DS , G E N E R A L D I R E C TO R , B R ACO N G O

recyclable plastic ones to fight against deforestation,” explains Segonds.

As a partner of sport in general within DRC and athletics more specifically, Bracongo’s energy drink ‘XXL ENERGY’ has recently demonstrated once again that it is not just a slogan, by supporting initiatives, such as the Congo river marathon, which tend to democratise the practice of sport as a company concerned with the well-being of its consumers.

Bracongo, partner for the second

successive year of this event, reflects well the spirit of the brand XXL ENERGY, which has been present on the Congolese market for over 10 years. Bracongo has always supported the marathon, whether through the national federation or through various marathon events.

This support has been greatly appreciated by the Congolese Athletics Federation which, through its President, thanked Bracongo and its XXL ENERGY brand, without

which, participation would not have been possible.

“Elsewhere, under the colours of the signature product ‘Castel Beer’, on May 20th, 2022, Bracongo accompanied Kinshasa’s first afterwork party called ‘KINIKLUB’ located at Silikin Village,” Segonds adds.

The Silikin Village is an entrepreneurship and innovation hub established in the heart of Kinshasa, a space chosen for friendly meetings in a professional and relaxed setting.

All work deserves its beer, and guests can gather round for an evening drink, accompanied by a relaxed yet vibrant environment during their discussions.

SUPPLY AND SUSTAINABILITY Bracongo relies on a global chain of supply through which it manages a product list with a high turnover, that requires the return of glass packaging as well as a large amount of logistics management.

The company interacts with more than 200 suppliers and over 15,000 resellers to ensure constant quality

and availability of its products at the best price, with a complete, fast and efficient distribution network that makes products available to all on a daily basis. Bracongo is looking to grow and expand into new territories, however this venture comes with new challenges and obstacles to reckon with.

“Expanding our coverage and our distribution network remains one of our biggest challenges, because today it is essential to bring the product everywhere that it is geographically possible to, while keeping quality high and offering an affordable price to the populations of these areas,” states Segonds.

“The fluidity, the relationships, and the efficiency of our carefully curated supply chain is essential to our operations, as well as the cost which impacts the final price submitted to the customer,” adds Segonds.

A recent initiative aimed at motivating and crowning excellence, as dreamed up by Bracongo, is part of the company’s drive towards

rewarding its staff members for their overall effort and contributions to the business and recent successes.

Bracongo pays staff members a monthly performance bonus which is based on sales but also a further bonus based on the use of energy resources. This acts as an incentive, a manner of reminding employees that team collaboration and alignment is necessary on a daily basis to grow the company, but also to make them aware of the benefits associated with good environmental practices.

“Our employees are the human capital that allows us to run the company daily. Therefore, we see them as more than indispensable,” acclaims Segonds.

BRACONGO Tel: +243828500260 bracongo.contact@castel-afrique.com www.bracongo.cd Africa Outlook issue 97 | 109

110 | Africa Outlook issue 97

CHIBUKU PRODUCTS FOOD & DRINK

Quenching the thirst of ‘The Warm Heart of Africa’, we talk growth and diversification with leading beverage producer, Chibuku Products Writer: Phoebe Harpervi Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone

Gerald Bolwer CEO, Chibuku Products

P R O U D LY M A L AW I A N

Our traditional beer business goes beyond just brewing, as we contribute to society through our extensive value chain and are inclusive in a way that has a meaningful contribution that changes lives.”

For Gerald Bolwer, CEO at leading Malawian beverages producer Chibuku Products (Chibuku), the traditional brewing of beer runs deep.

After 14 years serving with the British Army, Bowler began working with his family-owned traditional beer brewing business back in 1990. When that same company merged with Chibuku, he went on to climb the ranks to various executive positions overseeing several brewing and distribution operations.

Having weathered the storms of what can be a volatile industry throughout this extensive experience, now, in his role as CEO, Bowler’s confidence and optimism in Chibuku’s future prevails.

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CHIBUKU PRODUCTS FOOD & DRINK

“ O U R M I S S I O N R E M A I N S - T O B E M A L AW I ’ S L E A D I N G T R A D I T I O N A L A N D T O TA L B E V E R A G E S P R O D U C E R AND MARKETER BY ANY MEASURE” – GERALD BOWLER, CEO, CHIBUKU PRODUCTS

“I remain extremely passionate about the beer business in Malawi, and the opportunities that are presented despite the numerous challenges presented each day, to grow our business and remain the market share leader by volume in 112 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Malawi,” he shares.

These “numerous challenges” primarily concern the worldwide headwinds of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular the disruption of supply chains across the industry.

Yet, Bowler credits this time as one of

opportunity, that forced creative new ways of thinking that may improve business.

“Supply chain management challenges continue to test and confront our abilities, and this poses a mindset change which brings more

CHIBUKU PRODUCTS FOOD & DRINK

CHIBUKU PRODUCTS – GO FARMING Through this initiative, Chibuku reaches out to indigenous local subsistence farmers to encourage them to grow the sorghum that is needed for the company’s production. For the past 15 years, Chibuku has yielded 2,000 metric tonnes of sorghum on an annual basis through this CSR farming initiative.

Driving the company’s import substitution strategies, the scheme works on the following principles: • To have a reliable source with consistent supply of sorghum for beer brewing.

• To have acceptable quality sorghum standard for beer brewing.

• To economically empower farmers.

• Prevent involvement of middlemen who erode their economic benefit.

• To turn sorghum into cash crop rather than a just as a staple food crop.

• Alignment with government agenda.

• Implementing the government’s poverty alleviation programme by increasing sources of income for small scale farmers.

• To provide the readily available market for sorghum.

• Source of employment - directly and indirectly.

• Skills development in farming as Chibuku works with agricultural extension workers through the government’s Agricultural Development Divisions (ADDs).

•

Free seed given to farmers.

excitement for us as we drive our growth.”

The necessity of a well-functioning supply chain cannot be overstated, particularly when the company’s flagship product – Chibuku, otherwise known locally as ‘Shake-Shake’ - has a shelf life of just seven days.

“The challenges that we encountered presented and extracted learnings in our route to market management. Thinking out of the box forced our management teams to change the way we operate with such a short shelf-life product,” he continues.

At present, Chibuku’s operational footprint extends to four brewing operations with its own dedicated distribution network that comprises over 60 distribution trucks. Across these plants and the head office, over 570 employees are the backbone of the operation, whilst Chibuku counts a further 15,000 direct dependents Africa Outlook issue 97 | 113

CHIBUKU PRODUCTS FOOD & DRINK

within its distribution model value chain.

“Our market universe includes over 5,000 outlets known as Taverns and Chibuku Bars,” Bowler tells us. Despite this significant remit, growth is very much on the horizon for Chibuku.

Now, following a path of both diversification and expansion, Chibuku is taking bold steps into new realms in its journey to become Malawi’s leading traditional and total producer and marketer of beverages.

BEER AND BEYOND Aside from the popular household name of ‘Shake-Shake’, Chibuku also produces ‘Chibuku Super’. Launched in the past three years, Chibuku Super has a lower alcohol content of four percent alcohol by volume (ABV), produced with local maize and sorghum.

Chibuku continues to pursue a fruitful foray into low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages. One such

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example is ‘Maheu’ – a non-alcoholic traditional beverage available in four flavours that currently represents over 60 percent of Chibuku’s market share.

“This remains a very popular beverage for most Malawian consumers due to its high quality and nutritional value,” shares Bowler.

Maheu represents a key part of Chibuku’s diversification strategy which Bowler intends to roll out within the next two years. Within this, the company will enter the soft drinks category whilst also pursuing other alcoholic drinks beyond the traditional beer brewing model.

“Using our highly effective route to market and distribution network, we believe the opportunities to grow our beverage portfolio for our consumers remain quite positive.

“Significant investments have been planned for these projects, and we look forward to increasing our footprint in the beverage market space, whilst increasing job creation

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opportunities for our citizens,” he elaborates.

Touching on the socio-economic aspect of this strategy, Chibuku’s diversification into new products opens up further avenues for the company to make a difference as a responsible corporate citizen.

Indeed, through the non-alcoholic drink ‘Super Maheu’, Chibuku has become involved with the annual ‘Spelling Bee’ competition, working in partnership with World Vision and the Ministry of Education. The event gathers both primary and secondary

schools across Malawi and represents a project that the company is proud to put its name to.

Another example of Chibuku’s efforts as a proudly Malawian, peoplecentred enterprise includes its work within the local farming community, working hand in hand with farmers in a way that enables them to grow with the company, and reduce the reliance on imports.

OUT OF THE DRINK

our operational excellence.”

In terms of new markets, Chibuku will be identifying export opportunities in immediate bordering countries, where its first-class products are sure to go down a treat.

“We remain optimistic that with the right leadership skills, and courage to meet ever changing economic environmental challenges, we can continue to grow post-pandemic and deliver the required customer service levels for our consumers.”

For the near future, Chibuku will be occupied in driving recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and returning to normal levels of business.

“Our key priorities for the business for the remaining part of the year are to continue to focus and deliver double digit volume growth for post COVID-19 recovery,” comments Bowler.

“We drive our business for profitable revenue growth through

CHIBUKU PRODUCTS Tel: +265 882947646/ +265 999 937646 chibuku.productsltd@chibukumw.com https://chibukumw.com/ Africa Outlook issue 97 | 115

FEEDING ZAMBIA AND THE REGION

Producing nutritious soy and maize consumer foods, as alternatives to meat and dairy, 260 Brands represents the face of Zambian health in the food and beverage industry. We speak to Gaurav Vijayvargiya, CEO of the company, to learn more Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone

260 BRANDS FOOD & DRINK

COVID-19 seems to be on a downward trend. Business restrictions and insecurity are now more-or-less behind us, and following the global rollout of vaccines, people are looking forward.”

The optimistic words of Gaurav Vijayvargiya, CEO of 260 Brands, highlight the promising nature of the African food and beverage industry moving ahead. 260 Brands is an African consumer goods manufacturer based in Zambia.

“Our brand represents the vibrancy of Africa, and the spirit of freedom and innovation,” Vijayvargiya tells us proudly. “We manufacture, market and distribute high-quality consumer products that are inspired by local

tastes and made from locally sourced ingredients which enable Africa’s people to taste the good life.”

260 Brands had humble beginnings in the soy and maize production sector, with two primary brands: Golden Goodness, the high-protein soy-based alternative to meat, and Seba’s Instant Thobwa, Zambia’s traditional maize-based beverage made into an instant powder for easy and convenient energy and sustenance by simply adding water.

Now, having operated for over two decades, the company owns and sells a whole range of products on top of its classic original brands.

“We are celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, a huge milestone

for 260 Brands,” Vijayvargiya says.

“Over the years, we have evolved to produce a wide variety of different products for our customers all over Zambia and neighbouring countries, and have also altered our business to incorporate a farm-to-shelf model.

“We have vertically integrated backwards to operate a maize milling operation that produces local maize meal, a staple in the region, and this is also used in our Emilios snacks brand that we produce. The maize grits are then further integrated to produce our Emilios range of snacks, such as Emilios Snax, Emilios Corn Puffs, and Emilios Pop-Pops. We also blend maize with soy to produce healthy, energy-rich porridges used to combat

“OUR BRAND REPRESENTS THE VIBRANCY OF AFRICA, A N D T H E S P I R I T O F F R E E D O M A N D I N N O VAT I O N ” – G A U R AV V I J AY VA R G I YA , C E O , 2 6 0 B R A N D S

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260 BRANDS FOOD & DRINK

Welcome to our world: True taste sensations and palette-pleasing bursts of flavour. Where one bite or sip is never enough, and each meal, snack or drink becomes a treasured memory that excites and delights.

We’ve been producing flavours for over 37 yearsfrom the traditional to the modern and trending. +27 11 398 6000 support@cranbrookflavours.com www.cranbrookflavours.com

malnutrition that are primarily used by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and school feeding programmes in Zambia and beyond.”

260 Brands specialises in providing affordable and widely accessible alternatives to meat products in the African market with its Golden Goodness brand, and has recently registered its factory with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allowing the company to export and sell products in the US – another milestone for the company – being the first of its kind in Zambia to take consumer products to the US, now available on Amazon.

NUTRAMILK This year, 260 Brands is commissioning Zambia’s first ever soymilk processing facility where

soybean produced within Zambia, will be used to produce NUTRAMILK with a 12-month shelf life. This longlife plant-based milk will be the first of its kind offered in Zambia at an affordable price, made from soybean sourced from local farmers. It will be launched in the Zambian market before moving into neighbouring markets in the Southern African region and beyond.

“We are launching NUTRAMILK, the newest addition to our portfolio and a beverage that is affordable, nutritious and a healthy dairy alternative, made from Zambian NonGMO soybean for the African market.

The product, like

most others within our supply chain, will continue to extend our support to thousands of smallholder farmers and leverage our strong, existing vertically integrated business model from farmto-shelf,” Vijayvargiya explains.

“With our newest factory and stateof-the-art machinery to produce long-life milk, we aim to create a product that is ideal for our markets, where cost-conscious consumers are getting affordable yet nutritious dairy alternatives.

“Our plans are to further launch NUTRASIP, Africa’s first soy-based long-life drinking yoghurt, that will allow our consumers to enjoy a nutritious yoghurt drink without having to worry about refrigeration and the cold chain logistics and challenges associated with distribution, a task that many face due to poor infrastructure across the country to maintain refrigerated products,” says Vijayvargiya. “We are ultimately trying to offer a product Africa Outlook issue 97 | 119

that is unique to lactose intolerant customers, and the affordability is key in this because often nutrient-rich foods are expensive. Being able to offer this nutritious product to the general public to increase health and combat hunger is the primary drive and purpose behind 260 Brands’ new product range.”

Environmental conservation and awareness is also a core part of 260 Brands’ vision, with a focus on efforts to support climate action. One aspect of the company’s efforts towards this is embodied through its soymilk production facility, which produces less carbon emissions, and uses less water and land compared to standard dairy production processes.

“We are reducing the overall land and water usage by producing soy milk over traditional dairy milk,” Vijayvargiya continues. “Overall, 260 Brands is helping people and the planet in two key ways: adhering to sustainable development goals by tackling efforts towards improved climate action and helping drive forward the health, economic 120 | Africa Outlook issue 97

livelihoods and wellbeing of the African people by producing affordable and nutritious products.”

NUTRITION AND NGOS 260 Brands has over 500 employees including those that operate its two existing factories, with the aforementioned third on its way, aimed to be fully operational in a matter of months.

The company serves customers countrywide, made up of small business retailers, corporate customers, wholesalers, schools and NGOs, with a total processing capacity in excess of

40,000 metric tonnes per annum.

“Our products are compliant with the highest food-safety standards,” Vijayvargiya says. “We are ISO 22000 certified as well as organic-certified.

“An important aspect of our business is supporting the communities we work in, and the social responsibility, being a food processor. We support various organisations, such as Human Service Trust and WONS Orphanage, on a regular basis, that include children, and underprivileged adults, to help stem hunger and improve dietary health.”

2022 AND BEYOND Moving ahead, 260 Brands is aiming to support 12,000 smallholder farmers throughout Zambia by offering them a market for their produce, agronomic training and extension, and to make them organically certified by 2024, offering them a premium and favourable price for their organic soya which will in turn improve economic livelihoods and household income.

On top of this, the company has plans abroad.

260 BRANDS FOOD & DRINK

260 BRANDS – AT THE CORE VISION: To be a leading manufacturer of the highest-quality consumer products that enable a good life for Africa’s people.

MISSION: Manufacture, market and distribute reasonably priced consumer products inspired by local tastes, made from the best African raw ingredients that contribute to consumer well-being.

PRODUCTS: • Golden Goodness • Emilios • Seba’s Heps • Nutrameal • Instant Thobwa • Soyjoy • Feed Ingredients • Nutramilk • Nutrasip

“We’re grateful for the support received from the USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub that allowed us to leverage the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), to supply our products to the US in 2021,” Vijayvargiya states. “We ensured that our Golden Goodness Textured Vegetable Protein was well positioned for the US consumer, and available via Amazon warehouses across the 50 states.

“Our products are now available to any Amazon customer and available for Amazon Prime delivery as well!”

For 260 Brands, the future holds a lot of promise when it comes to company products, technological innovation and improving services.

“We want to continue innovating in new product categories and building capability,” Vijayvargiya tells us.

“Food processing technologies are very important, and we want to build on our existing local supply chain in terms of sourcing various grains and cereals. On top of this, we are looking at additional products that can add further value in the Zambian market as well as regional and international markets.

“We are also optimising our product mix, which in turn will optimise costs and ensure the full affordability of products while maintaining our high quality of standards; this will happen throughout our supply chain, involving the local sourcing of grains and cereals that we are able to store and process.”

260 Brands will be making use of sales automation tools, document management systems, enterprise resource planning systems, and

automated outgrower management systems which are all key technologies to support the company’s expansion.

“This technological focus is a key part of our strategy over the next few years,” confirms Vijayvargiya. “But ultimately, our main focus will always be to produce healthy and nutritious foods and beverages, that will improve the health of our consumers, combat hunger and do good for the environment.”

260 BRANDS Tel: +260 955 901111 info@260brands.com www.260brands.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 121

WOOLWORTHS RETAIL

ETHICAL AND S U S TA I N A B L E BEAUTY Beauty and personal care needn’t come at the expense of animal welfare or the environment, as Woolworths is proving in South Africa. We talk responsible retail with Laura Naidu, Group Head of Technology and Sourcing (Beauty and Personal Care) Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki

T

he retail sector in Africa has been one of the greatest success stories of the past decade.

Driven by emerging technologies, a growing, youthful population, and rapidly developing economies, there has been a continental consumer boom in African retail, with sales exceeding US $500 billion in 2018.

As one of Africa’s key consumer markets, South Africa has ridden the crest of this retail wave. The sector represents around 14 percent of total GDP in South Africa, a country rich with more than 2,000 shopping malls.

“The retail industry in South Africa is extremely exciting; each day is different from the last,” opens Laura Naidu, Group Head of Technology and Sourcing – Beauty and Personal Care at leading South African retailer, Woolworths.

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It was October 1931 when the first Woolworths store opened its doors in Cape Town, capturing the public’s imagination with dynamic store policies that set the company apart from its competitors.

A forward-thinking employer keen to attract and retain the best retail professionals, Woolworths was amongst the first local retailers to offer employee benefits such as a pension fund and maternity leave. The company was also an early adopter of technology, and by the early 1970s was already using a computerised merchandising system.

This dynamic thinking extends to the company’s product offering, as the first South African retailer to introduce sell-by dates on food packaging, and offer pre-washed lettuce and machine-washable wool clothing to consumers.

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WOOLWORTHS RETAIL

Now with over 400 store locations in South Africa, complemented by a strong online presence, Woolworths today offers a wide range of primarily private-label fashion, home, beauty, personal care, and food products.

BEAUTY ESSENTIALS For more than 90 years, Woolworths has been building its reputation for superior quality, exciting innovation, and excellent value.

Woolworths is one of three major operating divisions, along with David Jones and Country Road Group, that comprise Woolworths Holdings Limited (WHL), a leading retail group and one of the largest in the southern hemisphere with a strong presence in sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

As well as food, Woolworths today is focused on beauty and personal care in the era of wellness and self-care.

“The true purpose of make-up is to make everyone feel good about

WOOLWORTHS’ VALUES – AT A GLANCE Business values are taken seriously

by Woolworths. They aren’t just words in an annual report, but the very foundation of the business.

CUSTOMER FIRST – Make every moment memorable.

QUALITY – Live it every day, in every way.

INSPIRATION – Discover the difference.

IN TOUCH – Be relevant, accessible, and on-trend.

RESPONSIBILITY – Do the right thing, the right way.

INTEGRITY – Do what you say, and say what you mean.

COLLABORATION – Work and grow together.

124 | Africa Outlook issue 97

themselves, and feel empowered by the products that we launch and develop,” Naidu says.

“It’s about beauty with a purpose, where we want everyone to feel good from the inside out, and we can enable this through our beauty and personal care offerings.”

From skincare, make-up and fragrances to bath and body, the company has an extensive range of local and international beauty brands.

Consumers browsing Woolworths’ skincare collection, for example, can get all the beauty essentials they need to keep their skin looking young, fresh, and nourished.

With a wide selection of branded beauty products including bath and body treats, make-up, skincare, fragrances, perfume and beauty accessories, both men and women can stock up on the trendiest cosmetics and pamper themselves with top international beauty and fragrance

houses such as Estee Lauder, Loreal, Coty, Clarins, Chanel, Tom Ford, Armani and Versace to name a few.

“The customer comes first, and is at the heart of everything that we do. We aspire to bring global trends into the local market and make them accessible for local customers, who are now much more educated on beauty products, and it’s exciting to see science evolve. From a young age I was a true girly girl at heart but loved science, so I’ve been lucky to be able to merge it with my love for cosmetics!

“Seeing customers happy and able to access our amazing, innovative beauty and personal care products is what motivates us,” Naidu emphasises.

Woolworths acknowledges the importance of diversity and inclusion through its beauty and personal care products, and its responsibility to be an agent for positive change both within the workplace and society.

WOOLWORTHS RETAIL

Claman Claman is a passionate South African company that strongly believes in the importance of fragrance raw material creativity and the value we can add to our customers’ finished products.

We have earned the reputation of Private Label and New Product Development Fragrance Specialists through using extensive market research into global trends and relating these back to the local market, thereby creating the Distinctive African Edge that enhances our valued partnership with Woolworths.

We feel privileged to be a travelling partner on the Woolworths Good Beauty Journey.

WWW.CLAMAN.CO.ZA

In March 2022, Woolworths became the first major South African retailer to sign up to the UN Women Empowerment Principles. The company is striving to address all forms of discrimination and injustice; to this end, Woolworths is driving programmes aimed at building an

GBJ VISION FOR 2025+ AND BEYOND • Inspiring inclusive growth for all people.

• Net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

• All energy from renewable sources by 2030.

• Fully transparent and traceable supply chain by 2025.

• All private label products to be reused, repaired, or recycled by 2025.

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organisation that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, with a very specific focus on inclusive justice for women.

As the first large South African retailer to transparently publish its first-tier beauty, fashion, and home supplier list, Woolworths is also empowering customers to make better informed choices.

“We want to be as open and transparent as we can with our customers, and a brand of substance that says what it does and does what it says. It’s part of our transparency journey from the source right to the finished product,” Naidu shares.

AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY Meanwhile, Woolworths’ privatelabel beauty brand, WBEAUTY, is 100 percent vegan, anti-animal cruelty and does not contain parabens. With a range of skincare must-haves, colour for eyes, lips and cheeks, plus more than 20 shades of foundation, there is a flawless finish for every face.

Hodgsons Catherine and Nicholas Hodgson co-founded Hodgsons Importers in 1995, initially supplying the beauty industry in South Africa with promotional items.

Two years later Hodgsons supplied the first cosmetic brush range into Woolworths beauty department. Today, Hodgsons supplies the Woolworths Beauty department with cosmetic brushes, cosmetic accessories and cosmetic bags under the Woolworths private label brand. Their dedicated team partners with Woolworths to develop and design new products and ranges, as well as being involved in all aspects of packaging and technology.

“We see ourselves as an extension of the retailer’s team and work closely with them to meet their product needs, keeping quality and value top of mind,” says Catherine Hodgson, CEO of The Hodgson Group.

www.hodgsons.co.za

WOOLWORTHS RETAIL

Hodgsons is an integrated sourcing and importing company with more than 40 years of experience supplying customised ranges of quality private label merchandise. Our team of passionate professionals will collaborate with you to understand your needs and offer specialized door-to-door sourcing solutions, using our extensive network of international suppliers.

We offer a complete GLOBAL SOLUTION to our customer’s needs: • • • • • • • • • •

Product sourcing Product design Range development Packaging solutions Factory audits Product inspections Warehouse facilities Pre-retailing of products Management of stock Sales analysis

We specialise in products such as beauty accessories, cosmetic and cooler bags, kitchen utensils and gadgets, glassware, cutlery, bathroom accessories and gifting.

T: +27216837190 | E: info@hodgsons.co.za | W: www.hodgsons.co.za

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 127

The brand is endorsed by Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC), an animal rights organisation that educates and informs people about the exploitation, abuse and suffering of animals, and offers humane alternatives to cruel and harmful testing methods.

The focus of BWC is on the use of animals in research, however through peaceful and lawful means, it exposes and opposes all cruelty to animals, and lobbies national, provincial, and local governments in this regard.

Private-label products are not tested on animals, and as such, Woolworths has taken a stand 128 | Africa Outlook issue 97

against animal cruelty, with policies in place to ensure its products are animal-friendly.

“From a Woolworths privatelabel beauty brand point of view, all products are vegan and endorsed by BWC,” confirms Naidu.

“85 percent of our private-label beauty brand is locally sourced, so the vast majority of our products are made, produced, and bought in South Africa.”

Not only do Woolworths’ privatelabel branded products contain ingredients that have a proven record of safety for general consumer use, but each ingredient is screened

to ensure that it is of the highest cosmetic quality grade, including the finest oils and extracts increasingly derived from natural botanical sources. A proud member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the company contributes to the production of sustainably certified palm oil.

Woolworths private-label branded formulations are also approved by renowned toxicologists, to ensure the ingredients and inclusion levels are in line with international and local safety regulations, and all cosmetics are dermatologically tested, which means they are mild and gentle on the skin.

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SUSTAINABILITY VISION Since its inception in 2007, Woolworths’ Good Business Journey (GBJ) programme has been the driving force behind the company’s vision to become one of the world’s most responsible retailers.

Last year, having taken stock of where it stood on its sustainability journey, Woolworths announced the company’s next set of ambitious GBJ goals – Vision 2025+.

Woolworths’ new commitments are broad-reaching and focus on three key pillars, namely to a thriving and resilient environment, to a fully transparent, traceable and ethical supply chain, and to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for employees, customers and communities.

“It is exciting to be part of Vision 2025+ as it feels like I am contributing towards a sustainable future for our generations to come,” Naidu says proudly.

However, by Woolworths’ own admission, it cannot enact profound, sustainable impact and progress on its own. Indeed, it requires collaboration amongst all stakeholders, including industry leaders, suppliers, customers, employees, government, business and NGO partners.

Nevertheless, the ambitious goals of Vision 2025+ elevate Woolworths into challenging yet exciting territory when it comes to sustainability, and the company is confident that it will inspire collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving amongst stakeholders to ensure the greater good of the planet and its people.

The meaningful impact on Woolworths’ business has already been significant, with GBJ having a cumulative financial impact of almost R2 billion in savings, and the company being nationally and globally recognised for its sustainability achievements.

Tel: (021) 407 9111 custserv@woolworths.co.za www.woolworths.co.za Africa Outlook issue 97 | 129

KEEPING THE CONTINENT

M OV I N G

130 | Africa Outlook issue 97

INARA INVESTMENTS LTD SUPPLY CHAIN

Inara Investments Limited is a one-stop shop logistics service provider.

We peel back the layers on the company’s international ambitions and competitive advantage Writer: Phoebe Harper Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

T

ransport services are the vital lifeline that keep industries moving. In Central and Eastern Africa, challenges are rife and business is not always simple in delivering goods to landlocked countries.

“The transport sector itself is a bit lacking on infrastructure right now, especially in rail transport. As such, there is a huge demand for trucking in Eastern Africa,” opens Ms Shelina Jetha, Managing Director at Inara Investments Limited (Inara).

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 131

As a transport specialist with significant trucking assets, Inara is the connecting link serving the crucial need of connecting landlocked countries across Central Africa. With the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, and South Africa all primarily relying on imported goods, Inara fulfils a vital need in the continental supply chain.

“We are the best in the market – if you speak about something new in

INARA INVESTMENTS EXPERTISE • Logistic services for Copper loading at various mines • Warehousing of precious metals and related products • Haulage and shipping • Freight forwarding • Inland clearing services • Providing transport related security services

132 | Africa Outlook issue 97

transportation or logistics services in Eastern or Central Africa, Inara should always be one of the top topics of discussion,” she continues.

Inara was incorporated in Zambia in 2003. Since that time, the company has grown to establish a regional footprint, with services and complementary operational entities in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Mozambique, and DRC. The company’s wide-ranging service offering encompasses

haulage, logistics, clearing services, and shipping.

“We have all our own trucks that provide haulage services from various ports around Africa to destinations across Central Africa. We focus on the East African region mainly from Dar Es Salaam Port, Tanzania and Beira Port, Mozambique to various destinations across Zambia and DRC,” elaborates Jetha.

Inara also holds warehousing

INARA INVESTMENTS LTD SUPPLY CHAIN

facilities at many of these port locations, so that clients can reliably and securely store their goods until the time of need. A partner of choice, Inara is on hand to play its role in liaising with local revenue authorities for the clearing and movement of goods in transit.

A major specialty of Inara’s involves loading services at various copper mines throughout Zambia, enjoying a fruitful working relationship with mining giants, Mopani Copper Mines Plc and Kansanshi Mines Plc. Operating out of Kitwe and Solwezi respectively, as one of the major logistics service providers for both mines, Inara transports approximately 20,000 tonnes per month of copper cathodes from Zambia to Beira Port in Mozambique, and to Dar es Salaam port and other warehouses in Tanzania.

The company’s various assets encompass roughly 150 trucks to operate routes to/from Beira, over 350 trucks in Tanzania, 20 forklifts, cranes, and several pickup vans, with plans for expansion underway to enhance the company’s load management infrastructure.

“The majority of our trucks are brand new, and we obsolete them in five years. In that way, we ensure that our fleet is optimised and our contribution to pollution is minimised.

We are strong believers in “Go Green” Community.”

THE INARA ADVANTAGE “We at Inara focus on providing our clients with unparalleled end to end logistics services with our expertise and knowledge throughout Central and Eastern Africa. We are a leading integrated logistics and warehousing solution provider across Central and Eastern Africa with almost two decades of experience.

“We offer warehousing along with end-to-end logistics solutions such as clearing, transportation and freight forwarding.”

Quality and consistency are

“ W E G I V E T H AT P E R S O N A L T O U C H T O C U S T O M E R S AT I S FA C T I O N , R E L I A B I L I T Y, I N T E G R I T Y, T R A N S P A R E N C Y, S A F E T Y A N D TIME SENSITIVE DELIVERY” – S H E L I N A J E T H A , D I R E C TO R , I N A R A I N V E ST M E N TS L I M I T E D

two characteristics that define Inara’s operations in the delivery of all ancillary services. In such a competitive sector, reputation and integrity are everything.

“More than the actual services that we provide, we want to be known for the quality of those services. The sector that we are working in right now is competitive with many players in the market,” says Jetha.

Inara prides itself on providing a personal touch. As Jetha affirms, “we always get in touch with our clients, and they know that they can get in touch with us at any time.”

Although this often involves going the extra mile, working around the clock to be continually responsive to a client’s needs is just part of the service at Inara.

“We go out of our way to maintain timelines and professionalism, always

providing whatever the client needs.

Our staff and our motto are built with resilience, and hence give that personal touch to each and every client to keep them satisfied with our work. At any given time of the day, even the tiniest bit of work is attended to with utmost zest.”

Inara’s greatest differentiators and competitive strengths lie not just in the quality of service, but also in the speed and consistency at which it delivers.

“We provide services within the minimum time frame – if we make the commitment for transport and clearing, we ensure that the goods reach their destination in the fastest and safest possible way, keeping in mind that all areas of compliance are maintained including transparency,” she shares proudly.

At the backbone of Inara’s logistical prowess is a highly dedicated, Africa Outlook issue 97 | 133

INARA INVESTMENTS LTD SUPPLY CHAIN

INARA INVESTMENTS LTD - AT A GLANCE Inara was established in 2003 to provide the safe, efficient and timely delivery of cargo to various destinations, keeping in mind the availability of the services and safety of the cargo being imported and exported. The company has developed an efficient system through professional teams to ensure that the cargo is delivered in a time sensitive manner to its destination. Inara has strategically located regional offices that ensure the cargo is tracked constantly, thereby allowing the company to immaculately deliver on its goals.

professional and trained workforce.

“At Inara we believe in promoting the local community and so we pay special attention in our company’s hiring process to the local workforce,” comments Jetha.

By so doing, the company leverages local expertise whilst also adding value to the community. Currently, with a workforce numbering roughly 100 people across all operations, approximately 90 percent of staff

134 | Africa Outlook issue 97

“ O U R M OT TO I S TO B E T H E B E ST S E RV I C E P R O V I D E R S I N T H E F I E L D O F T R A N S P O R T, LOA D M A N AG E M E N T A N D C L E A R I N G S E C T O R S I N Z A M B I A , D R C , TA N Z A N I A A N D M OZ A M B I Q U E , S O AS TO B R I D G E THE INFRASTRUCTURE GAP IN THE S U P P LY C H A I N O F P R E C I O U S M E TA L S A N D VA R I O U S O T H E R C O M M O D I T I E S I N A F R I C A” – INARA INVESTMENTS LIMITED

originate from the local communities.

“We believe in growing the local community - you can always find good talent locally,” she states.

“It’s also cost-effective, but more importantly, it creates an opportunity for local communities to learn and grow with us. The resultant factor is that most of our staff prefer to continue with the company for a longer period of time. ” Safety and health education is

given utmost importance at Inara.

The team is educated thoroughly on the health and safety protocols to be followed while handling cargo or operating any equipment on site. At Inara, the company ensures that the team on the ground is fully geared up to handle minerals with health and wellbeing in mind. Meanwhile, the workshop team make sure the equipment is up to the standard and maintained on a regular basis to avoid mechanical accidents.

“We have an experienced team with strong industry domain, and we also encourage new talent into the industry. The new talent undergoes one to one educational training about the industry, the process and most importantly Inara’s work ethics and morals.

“The trained staff are under the constant supervision and guidance of our experienced team members.

We at Inara believe in creating opportunities and having new ideas flow in through acquiring new talent and educating them.”

BOLD AMBITION Inara is currently pursuing a trajectory of major expansion as it endeavours to become a one-stop-shop for the provision of all logistics services in Africa.

Adjacent to this, Inara hopes to establish an international reputation with an increasingly global presence.

Although its operations are presently bound to Africa, the company endeavours to have a stake on the worldwide logistics market and a reputation to match.

“We want to be globally recognised, not just in Africa.

Eventually we hope to be a multinational.”

On this ambitious journey, Inara has plans to invest in new assets, including land at various locations within the region, heavy-duty vehicles such as cranes and forklifts, a fleet of new trucks, pickup vans to assist mine operations and road patrolling, and finally the necessary regional offices for effective operations.

With the demand for trucking at an all-time high, this will effectively position Inara as a logistics partner of choice whilst increasing its operational capabilities. Apart from increased transport capacities, other key areas to focus on include handling various commodities, increased warehouse capacities and a container terminal.

“We are happy to state that we have recently introduced additional warehousing capacities in Lusaka which now handle a variety of products.”

In the realm of different opportunities, Inara is exploiting the manufacturing surge in Eastern Africa, adding more warehouses, equipment and infrastructure to be able to cater to this demand.

“At Inara, we are constantly pursuing new ideas, new opportunities and are very bold with our approach towards the same,” Jetha tells us.

“We want to be known in this sector just by our name itself.”

INARA INVESTMENTS LTD Tel: +260 975970117 ; +1 5879996672 info@inarainvestments.com www.inarainvestments.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 135

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED SUPPLY CHAIN

ZAMBIA TA K E S FLIGHT Zambia Airports Corporation Limited oversees the management and development of the nation’s commercial aviation facilities. Maggie B. Kaunda, Managing Director, shares more details Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Cameron Lawrence

L

ocated at the crossroads of Central, Southern and Eastern Africa, the Republic of Zambia contains an abundance of natural resources, including minerals, wildlife, forestry, freshwater and arable land. In 2010, The World Bank named Zambia one of the world’s fastest economically reformed countries, with a vast array of opportunities available for those willing to grasp them.

For Maggie B. Kaunda, Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) has provided exactly that opportunity, as well as offering great scope for career progression, leading her to the eventual position of Deputy Managing Director (MD).

“A lawyer by profession, I have been practising for 17 years now. I joined ZACL in November of 2012,

as the Head of Legal, Procurement and Administration and Company Secretary, where I served until April 2021. I was promoted to the position of Deputy Manager where I am still substantively serving, although I am also currently taking on the role of Acting Managing Director,” opens Kaunda.

Despite the nation’s recent economic upswing, all Zambian industries still face many difficult challenges and obstacles to their working practices and everyday operations.

“We are still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry. Anyone operating in this space will testify to the many difficulties we’re facing, from financial to operational, that are still being experienced,” continues Kaunda.

However, despite this adversity, the aerospace sector in Zambia has started to gradually show cautious signs of recovery, with passenger numbers slowly recovering to about 70 percent of the pre-COVID-19 statistics, when you compare January to April 2022 to the same period in 2019.

“We are confident that the aviation industry will make a full recovery as projected by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) by 2023 for domestic, and 2024 for international traffic, in countries with large domestic markets. In our case, we anticipate full recovery for both domestic and international traffic by the end of 2024,” Kaunda details.

ZACL is a company limited by shares, registered under the Companies Act No. 10 of 2017 and wholly owned by the government of the Republic of Zambia, commencing 140 | Africa Outlook issue 97

operations on 11th September 1989.

The principal business activity for the corporation is to develop, manage, and maintain a network of 14 airports, comprising four international and 10 domestic airports.

Further, ZACL operates a number of provincial aerodromes, namely Chipata, Solwezi, Mansa, Kasama, Chinsali, and Mongu, as well as three strategic aerodromes: Kalulushi, Kasaba Bay and Mbala. ZACL also provides air navigation services across the entire Zambian airspace. The Corporation mainly serves airlines, passengers and airport tenants, with a team currently totalling over 1,000 employees directly and over 4,000 more team members indirectly.

The business contributes greatly to Zambia’s industrialisation and economic diversification by facilitating trade and tourism, which in turn spurs economic growth, creates

jobs and increases government revenue.

CONNECTING AND SERVICING THE NATION “At ZACL, we pride ourselves on the quality of services and customer assistance that we offer to our esteemed clients. Our skilled and dedicated staff are our biggest asset, offering professional services across our network. We have the largest network in the country, offering airport and ground handling services at all our airports. We also have the flexibility to offer special VIP services in our smaller aerodromes, even at short notice,” acclaims Kaunda.

Zambia has eight neighbouring countries which makes it a natural connectivity hub. This is also espoused in the country’s eighth National Development Plan, with ambitions of turning Zambia into

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED SUPPLY CHAIN

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN 2026: 1. To enhance financial sustainability and resilience 2. Customer experience reimagined and refined 3. Reinvent the corporation 4. Aviation safety and security leadership 5. Create a positive work environment 6. Transform KKIA into a SADC aviation hub

a regional hub for aviation and meteorology in the Southern African hemisphere.

With these ambitions for future expansion, the government of the Republic of Zambia recently commissioned two projects at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International airport (SMKIA). The project at KKIA was commissioned on 9th August 2021 and comprised construction of a new four million annual passenger capacity terminal, fire station,

control tower, cargo terminal, office block and presidential pavilion. The old two million annual passenger capacity terminal will now be used exclusively for domestic passengers.

The latest project based in Ndola was commissioned on 7th October 2021.

This is a new greenfield airport with a one million annual passenger capacity terminal, 3.5-kilometre runway and ancillary airport facilities. The two projects will simultaneously enable the corporation to provide quality and efficient services in modern facilities.

The new airport in Ndola will now be able to land large aircrafts and therefore open new opportunities for long-haul passenger and cargo flights out of Zambia.

With these two major projects still ongoing and with the financial stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the corporation has limited airport and air navigation infrastructure development in the immediate term.

However, ZACL will be undertaking various developmental projects at several aerodromes, aimed at improving domestic connectivity.

Further, ZACL has been working towards enhancing existing services through the continued specialist training of staff and general strengthening of processes.

NAC2000 NAC2000 Corporation Limited is the only ISAGO registered and certified and leading ground services provider in Zambia. A Zambian company, it has been in operation for more than 22 years at all the international airports in Zambia supporting airlines as well as ad hoc operators.

The business, focused on aircraft ground handling, cargo warehousing, and cold storage, continues to evolve, becoming an industry leader in the service of support logistics relating to the movement of cargo and passengers. Services include cargo sales and clearing, freight forwarding, imports and exports, as well as corporate aviation and meet and greet services.

NAC2000 has specialised equipment to handle all size of aircraft, as well as cargo scanner with import and export warehousing and sufficient cold storage to fill a large wide-bodied aircraft. Recent procurement of new high loaders, tow tugs and conveyor belts, add to the inventory of industry specific equipment.

NAC2000 look forward, understanding the trends and forces that shape our customer requirements; in so doing we strive for excellence and innovative solutions, recently handling Zambia’s very first export shipment of avocados. With seasonal growth in the export of perishables, investment in to cold storage allows us to meet market demand.

Team work and commitment in to continuous industry training of all our staff is at the fore front of our Customer Service Charter; ensuring the business is living up to “taking the load off your shoulders”.

www.nac2000.com

142 | Africa Outlook issue 97

TAKING THE LOAD OFF YOUR SHOULDERS

Warehousing and Cold Room Storage

Aircraft Ground Handling

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“ W E P R I D E O U R S E LV E S ON THE QUALITY OF SERVICES AND CUSTOMER S E R V I C E T H AT W E O F F E R TO OUR ESTEEMED CUSTOMERS” – M AG G I E K AU N DA , D E P U T Y M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , Z A M B I A A I R P O R TS C O R P O R AT I O N L I M I T E D

UTILISING STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT ZACL is currently collaborating with strategic partners to develop 550 hectares of land adjacent to the KKIA. “The land use plan we have developed has the overarching goal of turning KKIA into an aerotropolis, with development of infrastructure such as hotels, an Agric processing plant, university, accommodation and some light manufacturing sites.

This will greatly assist the corporation rebalance, as its revenue portfolio is currently skewed at 92 percent aeronautical and eight percent nonaeronautical,” Kaunda adds.

Keeping operations at an optimum level, means a reliance on many key suppliers.

144 | Africa Outlook issue 97

“We have built numerous strong relations with key suppliers and partners in the industry over the years. The Corporation is further considering outsourcing other noncore functions to concentrate on its key mandate of providing worldclass airport and air navigation services in the medium to long term future,” she elaborates.

“We take immense pride in our staff as they form the core of our operations. Being a service-oriented organisation, we have invested in our staff and ensure their welfare is well looked after. The Corporation currently has a Performance Measurement System which recognises and rewards outstanding staff.”

PRIORITISING COLLABORATION “Air fares are a function of numbers.

As a corporation, we desire to reduce the cost of doing business for airlines so that they in turn may charge less as a direct result. Strategies we aim to employ include boosting air traffic and growing non-aeronautical revenue,” shares Kaunda.

Currently in talks with several major airlines, ZACL is looking to collaborate more and work towards growing the industry. The Corporation already runs an incentive policy that supports new airlines, as well as the opening of new routes. New airlines get 50 percent, 40 percent and 30 percent on landing, parking and ground handling for the first three years respectively. Existing airlines opening new routes also

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED SUPPLY CHAIN

benefit from discounts of 20 and 10 percent on landing charges, as well as 20 and 10 percent on ground handling fees in the first and second year.

ZACL also rewards existing airlines with load factor incentives of up to 25 percent discount on ground handling fees. All these measures aim to proactively reduce air ticket fares, whilst simultaneously supporting the growth of the aviation sector.

“We have generally always been perceived as an expensive destination, due to our inland location. However, with the efforts being made to increase contributions from nonaeronautical revenues, we hope to significantly reduce operating costs for our airline operators. We also continue to make efforts to attract

new airlines into the country through our route development efforts, through a collaboration with the Zambia Tourism Agency, Zambia Development Agency and other key stakeholders,” explains Kaunda.

ZACL realises that in order for the industry to grow, the Corporation needs to synergise and pull in the same direction. The government of the Republic of Zambia recently reduced Visa fees by 50 percent, so that fees for single entry are now just US$25.

“We also continue to lobby the government to increase the list of countries that can obtain Visa on arrival,” adds Kaunda.

The nation is being positioned to fully take advantage of the

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), through the promotion of manufacturing and export into the SADC and COMESA areas, which will certainly spur growth in the aviation industry.

“Zambia has ratified the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) but now needs to domesticate it. We remain optimistic for a full recovery as the vaccination roll outs increase and travel protocols become more predictable,” concludes Kaunda.

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED Tel: +260 211 271313 zacl@zacl.aero www.zacl.co.zm Africa Outlook issue 97 | 145

BURN MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING

CLEAN COOKING Through fuel-efficient cooking appliances, we find out how BURN Manufacturing is impacting lives and saving the environment with CEO, Peter Scott Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

Peter Scott

F

uel-efficient cookstoves are a critical climate solution in Africa.

A clean alternative to burning wood or charcoal on open fires or inefficient stoves, they can dramatically improve people’s lives by reducing carbon emissions and smoke pollution.

After all, the use of open fires and solid fuels for cooking is one of the 146 | Africa Outlook issue 97

world’s most pressing health and environmental problems, directly impacting close to half of the world’s population and causing nearly four million premature deaths each year.

In countries where biomass fuels are the largest source of primary energy, however, the continuous collection of firewood and charcoal can lead to deforestation and devastate biodiversity, as the CEO of BURN Manufacturing (BURN), Peter Scott, found out back in 1990.

“I was travelling through Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), when I witnessed the deforestation caused by charcoal production,” he recalls.

“I’ve always been concerned about the state of the planet, so it wasn’t a total curveball, but I’ve wholeheartedly dedicated my life to saving forests in Africa ever since, and it wasn’t until 1997 that I realised I could do that with cookstoves.”

VERTICALLY INTEGRATED MANUFACTURER After spending 13 years as a cookstove consultant in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa, Scott launched BURN in 2010, assembling a worldclass team of designers and engineers who were just as committed as him to creating the world’s most fuelefficient cookstoves.

Production team working on the assembly of parts

Within four years, the company launched sub-Saharan Africa’s first and only modern cookstove facility in Kenya. Today the solar-powered facility has an impressive production capacity of 150,000 stoves per month (one every 30 seconds), and BURN is now the only vertically integrated modern cookstove manufacturer in the region, providing world-class R&D, manufacturing, and carbon offset projects from its Kenyan headquarters and across 13 countries in Africa.

Whilst most companies have taken to distributing stoves to consumers in developing countries, BURN adopted a different model and invested in local manufacturing in Kenya to reflect the

needs of the community rather than focusing on distribution.

“When most people talk about manufacturing in Africa, they’re really just talking about assembly as opposed to full manufacturing,” says Scott, who today is recognised as a global leader in cookstove commercialisation.

“There’s no other cookstove company that makes their own products. They might design their own stoves, but they certainly don’t manufacture them – our manufacturing expertise is unmatched.

“Our in-house R&D is all in Kenya, and nobody else does anything

like that; they all perform their R&D outside the continent. We also manage our own carbon offset projects, so all of that makes us very vertically integrated, and that’s difficult to replicate. We have spent more than 10 years and invested tens of millions of dollars to get to this point,” he continues.

More than 500 people are directly employed at the Kenyan manufacturing facility by BURN, whose operations have also created more than 300 additional jobs for sales, marketing, distribution, and monitoring staff.

“We’re growing enormously, and what is interesting is that people Africa Outlook issue 97 | 147

BURN MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING

BURN’S REVOLUTIONARY COOKING APPLIANCES JIKOKOA CLASSIC – East Africa’s

don’t recognise that Africa is a really great place for manufacturing. The grid is very green, it’s 75-80 percent renewable, and the workforce is spectacularly hardworking and committed.”

best-selling charcoal cookstove.

JIKOKOA XTRA – The biggest and most durable household charcoal appliance in Africa.

JIKOKOA PRO – The most efficient commercial charcoal cookstove in Africa.

KUNIOKOA – The world’s most fuel-efficient rocket stove for household use.

KUNIOKOA TURBO – The forceddraft Kuniokoa can burn dry or wet wood, or non-carbonised briquettes.

PRO 100-300 – The most affordable cooking solution for hotels, restaurants, and schools.

148 | Africa Outlook issue 97

MAKING AN IMPACT BURN’s revolutionary, fuelefficient cookstoves, designed and manufactured in Kenya and used around the world, are proof that cooking appliances can have a tangible socio-economic and environmental impact.

The company has been widely accoladed for its cutting-edge innovation as a result, from the likes of Bloomberg’s New Energy Finance Award, the Global Leap Awards, and Ashden International.

Studies from UC Berkeley, meanwhile, show that a mere $40 household investment in one of BURN’s Jikokoa charcoal stoves, a best-seller in East Africa, generates a staggering return of $1,000 for society.

Use of the Jikokoa cookstoves helps

families to save significant time and money that can be utilised for other needs, such as education, healthcare, and income-generating activities. In Kenya, the average household of five people spends approximately two dollars a day on fuel, which makes cooking an expensive affair, and whilst traditional stoves are often the cheapest option available to most, many remain unaware of the financial drain and health implications of cooking in this way.

Jikokoa also contributes to the reduction of indoor air pollution (smoke, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide), resulting in a decrease in respiratory diseases, headaches, and itchy eyes, whilst quicker cooking times compared to traditional stoves enable children, particularly girls, to dedicate more time to education and school.

As women are mostly responsible for cooking and procuring fuel, the use of more efficient cookstoves such as the Jikokoa allow them to spend more of their time on more productive

BURN MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING

HLM Powder coating CO. LTD www.hlmpowder.com HLM Powder coating CO. Ltd, located in beautiful Zhongshan City, the centre of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is a collection of powder coating research and development, production and sales departments in one high-tech enterprise. Our main products are indoor and outdoor powder coating, metal bonding powder coating, heat resistant powder coating, weather resistant powder coating, plus more. These services are widely used on appliances, lights, hardware, motors, all kinds of grills and fireplaces, etc.

The plant covers an area of nearly 10000m2, with more than 20 sets of advanced automatic CNC powder production lines and metal bonding equipment, our annual output can reach more than 10,000 tons, and our products are sold both home and abroad.

Our company has a perfect management system and strong research and development strength. We have an established ERP electronic information management platform, passed ISO9001 quality management system and ISO14001 management system certification. Our independent R&D centre was successfully approved for the powder coating experimental engineering centre project, and attained a number of independent patents, we are the member of China committee and national high-tech enterprise.

People oriented, green first.

We are devoted to building a leading powder coating brand around the world.

NO.7 Huanmao 2nd Road ,National Torch High-Tech Development zone,Zhongshan City,Guangdong,China

+86-18925358697 amy@hlmpowder.com www.hlmpowder.en.made-in-china.com

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Africa Outlook issue 97 | 149

BURN MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING

tasks, as well as education.

Independent findings elsewhere further validate the benefits of the Jikokoa and Kuniokoa cookstoves, the latter of which is the world’s most fuelefficient household woodstove.

Over 1.4 million cookstoves have been manufactured and nearly eight million lives subsequently transformed by BURN, who believes that it is imperative to provide super fuel-efficient solutions to households that only have access to biomass fuels.

In sub-Saharan Africa, biomass currently provides around 85 percent of all household cooking energy, equating to 950 million people in the region who rely on wood and charcoal for cooking. By 2050, this will grow to 1.67 billion people, with an additional 75,000 people on the continent

relying on biomass each day due to population growth alone.

Nevertheless, BURN is now poised to also bring its revolutionary range of electric, hybrid, and liquid fuel stoves to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

“We’re rolling out a whole liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) line that is really Africa’s first locally designed and manufactured two burner LPG stove,” Scott reveals.

DIVERSE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BURN is committed to creating a world where all families have clean, safe, and affordable cooking solutions. Indeed, the company’s appliances have helped millions alleviate their fuel expenditures, whilst also reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

As a social enterprise, BURN

“ T H E R E ’ S N O OT H E R C O O K S TOV E C O M PA N Y T H AT M A K E S T H E I R O W N P R O D U C T S …

O U R M A N U FA C T U R I N G E X P E R T I S E I S U N M AT C H E D ” – P E T E R S C O T T, C E O , B U R N M A N U FA C T U R I N G

150 | Africa Outlook issue 97

reinvests all of its profits to achieve sustainability, grow its reach, and ensure the fulfilment of its mission.

“The goal of the company is to save lives and forests on the continent by revolutionising the global cookstove sector. There’s a whole range of things that complement our clean cookstoves, from green economic development to female empowerment and poverty reduction, because people spend so much

BURN’S IMPACT – IN NUMBERS 1.4 million stoves sold 10.2 million tonnes of CO2 reduced $445 million in household savings 5.8 million tonnes of wood saved 7.8 million lives impacted 800 jobs created since 2013

money on fuel,” notes Scott.

BURN has achieved a unique and impressive 50-50 gender balance amongst its talented workforce, who in 2019 achieved 99.95 percent “right first time” production.

An equal opportunities employer, BURN is committed to creating the best possible workplace for its employees, fostering positive, measurable change for people, forests, and the climate.

“We have lots of capacity training programmes that we provide to our employees, and most of our staff on the manufacturing side have been with us for many years. BURN is therefore an employer that people like to stay with for a long time.”

In the coming years, BURN aims to expand distribution across the continent, including into the likes of Tanzania, Uganda, DRC, Nigeria and Ghana, while over trebling its production capacity across Africa to 500,000 units per month amongst East, West, and Central African facilities. As such, BURN’s stoves are

set to impact the lives of 25 million people by 2023.

“We’re in this rapid expansion phase across multiple markets and now opening assembly facilities throughout the continent, all of which will have the complete BURN portfolio of biomass, electric, hybrid, and LPG stoves.

“All of our new facilities will be up and running by the end of the year,” Scott informs us.

Now the largest cookstove company in the world, BURN will have manufactured over six million units across the continent by 2023, as it continues to revolutionise cookstoves and save the planet.

BURN MANUFACTURING Tel: +254 700 667 788 kenya@burnmfg.com https://burnstoves.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 151

MARINE PLATFORMS OIL & GAS

L AY I N G A P L AT F O R M FOR SUCCESS From sustainable solutions to strategising for the future, we explore how Marine Platforms continues to offer outstanding service deliveries from surface to seabed Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Joshua Mann

B

orn out of the need to deliver sustainable solutions and services for the vast oil and gas industry in Nigeria, Marine Platforms (MP) has consistently been driven by collective integrity, unrelenting humility and the intense desire to make a lasting difference.

MP is an oil service company, with a laser sharp focus directed on providing a diverse range of services to the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and across the African continent in a sustainable 152 | Africa Outlook issue 97

manner.

With services including brownfield development, subsea solutions, well services and vessel chartering, MP adheres to the highest standards of professionalism and strives to exceed the expectations of its clients through integrity, imbibing a very strict safety culture and quality service delivery. To MP, safety is not an act but part of the culture which ensures the delivery of quality services safely.

Initiating operations in 2001, MP started by surgically constructing

relationships with globally reputable service providers, to gain the necessary technical support and range of equipment required for selected service offerings.

STRATEGY AND EXCELLENCE MP operates a five-year strategy span on all new projects, aiding in the articulation of its objectives.

Each span defines every essential detail of the strategy and how it is to be achieved by the company.

However, every phase maintains a

major decision-making process to reinvest profits, which in turn ensures capacity development in assets while delivering effective and efficient solutions, in order to secure and preserve a leading position in the oil and gas industry.

Today, MP has emerged as a dynamic service company, offering quality specialised solutions to the entire industry. With a fleet of stateof-the-art remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), high technology tooling, an array of modern support vessels and

crucially, a very experienced pool of personnel, MP continues to deliver high-quality brownfield development, subsea solutions, well completions and vessel chartering services safely and on schedule.

Continuously guided by a strong culture and value system that prioritises the pursuit of excellence in service delivery, MP continues with a never-ending passion to exceed the expectations of every client.

The two pillars of excellence upon which the groundwork for all MP’s

success lays, is the fertile combination of the company mission and vision.

The unwavering vision for MP is to cement itself as a globally respected company offering innovative quality services safely to the oil and gas industry. The mission is to be recognised as the preferred deepwater service provider, delivering exceptional results even in very challenging situations. As well as this, MP adheres to a set of strict standards across all functions of the business.

In today’s working environment, Africa Outlook issue 97 | 153

MARINE PLATFORMS OIL & GAS

MP has core values which it imbibes as guiding principles that define the personnel culture and mode of behaviour that is expected.

Further, safety is a way of life throughout the company, deeply entrenched in all that MP does. From the wellbeing of employees, partners, clients, communities and varying stakeholders, safety must not be compromised. All personnel have a right to stop any operation that is unsafe, meaning ‘stop work authority’ is everyone’s responsibility.

Humility is also a characteristic that MP has identified as a required core value for the business. No matter the feats that are achieved, MP believes in learning, absorbing, and remaining open to feedback and change, which the company believes will give way to continuous improvement, acknowledging and learning from past mistakes and successes in equal measure.

With quality service delivery being 154 | Africa Outlook issue 97

the core expectation of clients, all operations are in accordance with international standards such as DNV, which has helped MP in meeting or in many cases exceeding expectations.

QUALITY OF SERVICE As a rapidly growing indigenous Nigerian oil service company, focused

on providing diverse services across the African continent, MP is proudly 100 percent owned by Nigerians, who are also directly involved in the management of the daily activities and operations, forming a strong company backbone collectively with the other 300 employees within the company.

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Pledging to always treat the company’s stakeholders with respect, honesty, and openness, MP possesses the strong belief that transparency is key to establishing the best working relationships. This entails being ethically unyielding and inspiring trust by saying what it means and doing what it says. It is an unbreakable rule for MP to conduct all aspects of business in accordance with the best possible global practices.

Regarding local content, the guiding principle of how MP operates and how its operations impact positively on the development of host communities, is carefully strategised and every eventuality of the process is prepared for. MP identifies the quantum of composite value added to or created in the Nigerian economy by a systematic development of capacity and capabilities through the deliberate utilisation of Nigerian human and material resources in the country’s petroleum industry.

MP is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance in all its activities. It is ingrained in the company’s core beliefs that sound corporate governance provides the right framework for attaining all objectives and ensuring optimum performance.

This has been found to be fundamental in both earning and retaining the trust and confidence of stakeholders, and to ensure this remains a reality, MP is strongly guided by the principles as ushered by its regulatory bodies.

BROWNFIELD DEVELOPMENT As MP continues its entry through new frontiers, the company has recognised the offerings deeply rooted in the ever-shifting dynamic and challenging offshore environment.

Therefore, the company has stepped up to provide an extended range of brownfield development services to its customers. The

engineering, procurement, installation, and commissioning division is fully developed to deliver with ace expertise. This rapid development in capacity has empowered MP in servicing the complex demands across several areas.

For example, MP brings a hands-on approach into the SURF (Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers and Flowlines) market. Because MP believes in exceeding the client’s expectation, the company culture promotes highly dedicated project teams to all onshore and offshore subsea operations in order to increase efficiency and mitigate risks.

The project management team has extensive experience and expertise in planning, engineering and design, offshore construction, offshore installation, commissioning as well as decommissioning, and as MP continues to proactively develop this capability, it aims to significantly add value to every phase of all projects.

Africa Outlook issue 97 | 155

TAF AFRICA GLOBAL LIMITED CONSTRUCTION

HOUSING AFRICA

With the mission to build one million homes across sub-Saharan Africa, we discuss redefining the real estate landscape with Mustapha Njie, CEO of TAF Africa Global Limited Writer: Phoebe Harper Project Manager: Ryan Gray

156 | Africa Outlook issue 97

F

acing a rapidly growing population, uncontrolled levels of urbanisation, and rising costs of construction materials, Africa has a mighty housing challenge on its hands. The increasing number of unplanned informal settlements sprouting up across the continent is testament to this crisis.

“Housing deficit in Africa is estimated to be around 58 million housing units, with approximately 52 million of those units ascribable to affordable housing,” opens Mustapha Njie.

As CEO of TAF Africa Global Limited (TAG), Njie is fully cognisant

to continental housing trends, presiding over a leading indigenous real estate company.

For the past 32 years since its inception in The Gambia, TAG has tasked itself with answering the call of the African housing crisis, leading with its pledge to build one million homes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 20 years.

From a humble carpenter to industry-renowned CEO, Njie has honed his construction skills and expertise over the years, having worked for Balfour Beatty Construction Intl Ltd, and closer to home, the Gambian company Ceesay

TAF AFRICA GLOBAL LIMITED CONSTRUCTION

Construction Company Ltd. “After working for top tier international construction companies for over 13 years and earning a qualification in site management from the Crown Agents Training Centre in Hove, United Kingdom, I left to start my own company, TAF Africa Global in 1990,” he explains.

Originally registered as TAF Construction Company LTD (TCL), in 2017 the company entered its new incarnation as TAF Africa Global Limited (TAG), with its parent company registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Now, Njie sits comfortably at

the helm of operations at what is generally acknowledged as, “the best private real estate developer in the business.” A household name throughout Africa, TAG boasts a footprint in eight African countries, with particular dominance in both The Gambia and Nigeria.

PRIDE IN PROJECTS As evidenced by the altruistic mission behind its operation, TAG takes great pride in its work, recognising its social responsibility as people entrust the company to build their homes.

In recognition of its pledge for one million homes in SSA, in 2000 TAG Africa Outlook issue 97 | 157

TAF AFRICA GLOBAL LIMITED CONSTRUCTION

ventured into large-scale housing developments, under ‘Operation House the Nation’.

Two major housing estates in The Gambia ensued, both of which were co-financed by Shelter Afrique.

These include the Yarambamba Housing Estate in Yundum, and Brufut Gardens. The latter, located in Brufut, comprises 500 high-income houses and apartment buildings.

The success of these projects and recognition of the need for similar efforts elsewhere, led to further expansion across West Africa, with TAG soon entering the Nigerian housing market.

Back on Gambian soil, development on several subsequent estates soon 158 | Africa Outlook issue 97

got underway, including the Dalaba Estate, The TAF Murraya Gardens, the Triple Ms, and the TAF Tulip Gardens.

But for Njie, and TAG by extension, the jewel in the company’s crown is its visionary flagship project – TAF City.

“TAF City is eco-smart and designed to be a live, work and play city,” he explains. “It will be a multipurpose city that is welldesigned and properly master planned. It will be affordable, sustainable and an eco-friendly environment that is aesthetically appealing with beautiful landscaping.”

The site will occupy roughly 500 hectares of land, which is twice the size of The Gambia’s current capital of Banjul, and is strategically

positioned just 30 minutes away from the principal airport and extremely close to the Allahein river border with Senegal.

Located in Kombo South, between the villages of Gunjur and Sifoe, the project will follow a phased development. In its entirety, this impressive undertaking will encompass 5,000 units of affordable homes of various house types, all of which will be equipped with water and sewage reticulation systems, and a constant electricity supply based on power generators and solar.

The homes will be divided into 10 residential estates, with each named after various ethnic groups native to the country.

TAF AFRICA GLOBAL LIMITED CONSTRUCTION

TAF AFRICA FOUNDATION As part of its corporate social responsibilities, TAG dedicates one percent of its total revenue to advance meaningful development and growth of the communities that it serves. The foundation has developed a series of initiatives targeting different members of society, particularly the youth, which constitutes 66 percent of The Gambia’s populace, and the differently abled who are mostly ignored by society at large. As a pan-African organisation, TAG sees it as a moral obligation to not only nurture and groom the next generation of African leaders to advance SDGs, but also to make a difference in the lives of the communities it serves, who have given a lot to the organisation over the past 32 years.

“ W E A R E C O N F I D E N T T H E TA F C I T Y W I L L B E O N E O F O U R G R E AT E S T S I G N AT U R E AND LANDMARK PROJECTS, WHICH W I L L I M P R OV E T H E Q UA L I T Y O F L I F E O F G A M B I A N S A N D O T H E R N AT I O N A L S W H O RESIDE IN THE CITY” – M U S TA P H A N J I E , C E O , TA F A F R I C A G L O B A L L I M I T E D

“Given the magnitude of TAF City and the need to ensure an absolute implementation of design as well as efficiency in the management of resources, the project will be developed in phases.

“The first phase will be a gated community comprising 277 housing units surrounded by paved roads, solar lights, about 2,000 trees, gardens and green areas, religious institutions, stalls, jogging track, a creche, parks and community centres,” he elaborates.

This landmark project will have a

huge impact on the country. “TAF City is one of its kind and second-to-none in The Gambia,” Njie acclaims.

Aside from the housing units themselves, the development includes jogging tracks and parks, apartment blocks, a boutique hotel, agricultural zones, wellness centre, shopping centre, educational facilities, restaurants, shops, transit centres, government institutions, industrial/ logistics areas, and a retirement village.

Throughout all phases of the development, TAG will strictly adhere Africa Outlook issue 97 | 159

PROJECT AT A GLANCE – TAF TWINS After identifying an absence of quality business complexes in The Gambia, TAG embarked on the construction of an office complex to rival the most prestigious business centres of the world.

TAF Twins comprises two ultra-modern office buildings, with each spanning 7,000 square metres. Located in a highly strategic business area, both spaces will include: • central air conditioning system; •

two elevators in each complex;

•

two staircases in each complex;

•

reliable electricity with back-up power sourced from solar and generators;

•

accessibility for the physically challenged;

•

parking lots for 215 cars;

•

fire-fighting systems;

•

reliable internet connectivity;

•

water supply;

•

public/green areas; and

•

well maintained toilet facilities.

Following a phased development, both complexes will be completed within 12 months of construction commencing.

“We are known for quality and aesthetics, and we remain a leader in the development of quality real estate with style. Without any iota of doubt, we are confident that the TAF Twins will change the entire landscape of the Kanifing Institutional Area” - Mustapha Njie, CEO, TAF Africa Global Limited

160 | Africa Outlook issue 97

to and promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. One key tenet of this is providing gainful employment opportunities for the local community.

“As a 20-year-long project and as part of TAG’s drive to continuously provide solutions to societal challenges, 60,000 jobs will be created for Gambian youth and other nationals in SSA. “This will help to accumulate human capital, promote social stability and lower the unemployment rate challenge across Africa. TAG will directly create jobs from lower income earners to higher income earners which will boost economies, lower crime rates and change the landscape especially for The Gambia,” he explains.

Other key priorities include ensuring gender equity in the hiring of contractors to undertake the work, providing economic opportunities for community members, and reserving a significant portion of the entire estate as green and public spaces. Urban farming initiatives are an exciting and dynamic part of this for TAG.

TAF AFRICA GLOBAL LIMITED CONSTRUCTION

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“Over the years we thought of ways to incorporate an agricultural value chain into our real estate business, and we are proud that TAF City will also provide a space for urban farming. This will grant residents opportunities to engage in farming for both subsistence and commercial purposes.”

TAF City’s inhabitants will have the chance to absorb themselves in practices including horticulture, aquaculture, hydroponics, poultry and animal husbandry, light industry and many more. Homeowners in TAF City will be encouraged to grow what they eat and assist in lowering the costs of importing products through intensive farming.

“This will also boost our economy and attract foreign exchange as any excess will be for the open market and exportation,” Njie adds.

The first phase is due for completion within the next two

years, following a grand and hotly anticipated foundation laying event.

Elsewhere, the company has its hands full with the development of modern office complex, TAF Twins, and the RIVTAF Golf Estate in Rivers State, Nigeria. Njie describes the latter as, “a bespoke transformation of about 40 hectares of swampy and inaccessible land into a piece of heaven on Earth, which is also the largest functional luxury estate that has been delivered and developed in the southern part of Nigeria.”

LOOKING AHEAD In the years to come, expansion is top of the agenda for TAG, with new growth on the horizon.

“In our quest to build one million homes across SSA, TAG has recently invested in Sierra Leone.

“There are plans to start work there later this year. As we have done in The Gambia and Nigeria, TAG will build

affordable homes in Freetown with requisite social amenities. We are confident that the execution of TAG projects in Sierra Leone will positively disrupt the country’s real estate landscape, reposition the economy and improve the living standards of the good people of Sierra Leone,” closes Njie.

As The Gambia’s leading real estate developer, and with a handful of exciting projects in the pipeline, TAG will continue to house Africans affordably, comfortably, and sustainably for generations to come.

TAF AFRICA GLOBAL LIMITED Tel: (+220) 7762333/3762333 info@tafafricaglobal.com www.Tafafricaglobal.com Africa Outlook issue 97 | 161

THE FINAL WORD To round off each issue, we ask our contributing business leaders for their views on the same question

What is your greatest motivator at work?

Agnaldo Laice

Laura Naidu

Group Head of Technology and Sourcing (Beauty and Personal Care), Woolworths

“Seeing the customer happy and able

Country Manager, Syrah Resources Ltd to access our amazing, innovative

“What originally motivated me to join was how impressed I was by the company’s community development initiatives and the impact that they have on the neighbouring villages in Balama. It was a perfect fit for the next step in my career, and we still have a huge focus on sustainability at Syrah, not only in terms of health and safety performance and environmental protection, but with the work we do with the communities.”

162 | Africa Outlook issue 97

beauty and personal care products is what motivates me.”

Shaun McCann

Peter Scott

CEO, BURN Manufacturing

“It's really the impact that we're having on people and the planet. Every month, we're impacting the lives of over 500,000 people. That's the kind of thing that gets me and everyone else motivated and excited.”

Director, JVChantete Earthworks Ltd

“Building a better and sustainable tomorrow in Zambia for JVChantete, our clients and our employees. JVChantete needs to provide our employees with challenging work, recognition, employee involvement, job security and compensation.”

Are you a CEO/Director interested in telling your story?

Contact Africa Outlook now!

Changing the face of African healthcare...

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46 68 THE LEADING D I AG N O S T I C S N E T WO R K

CERBA LANCET AFRICA HEALTHCARE

BD

World-class medical diagnostics for Africa

Together towards a healthier world

Backed by over 50 years of expertise, Cerba Lancet Africa is pioneering a pan-African diagnostics network to better lives across the continent. We speak to CEO Stéphane Carré, to learn more

Advancing the world of health is a goal that we share with you. But we cannot step towards the future of improved cancer care – to heal every patient and prevent cancer before it takes hold – until we tackle today’s issues.

Every stakeholder has unique but interdependent needs. CEOs want to deliver high quality care without raising the total cost of care. Procurement requires comprehensive, reliable equipment portfolios of high quality. HCPs need access to genuinely impactful resources and education. Patients deserve consistent care and safety across the whole patient journey.

Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Callam Waller

We acted promptly in 2020, despite the many pressures and bottlenecks induced by the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain worldwide. We mobilised a lot of capital to setup and deploy more than 10 PCR platforms by creating laboratories dedicated to combatting COVID-19.”

The words of Stéphane Carré, CEO of Cerba Lancet Africa and Vice President International for Cerba Healthcare lay bare both the international challenges of the past two years, as well as the company’s

ability to adapt and operate all over Africa, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cerba Lancet Africa is a clinical pathology and medical imaging laboratory service provider serving over three million patients per year. The company has the largest amount of diagnostics equipment in Africa, as a private operator, with laboratory facilities ranging from basic levels to the most advanced across the continent. On top of this, Cerba Lancet Africa provides medical logistics and regulatory services to

ensure the provision of high-quality equipment and services supported to African communities in a multitude of different countries.

“Cerba Lancet Africa is the leading network of clinical pathology and medical diagnosis in Africa, with the ambition to become the leading diagnostic services provider offering world-class standards of pathology services to patients and medical communities across the continent,” S. Carré tells us.

Cerba Lancet Africa operates a network of 170 sites, across Botswana,

the detection of newdecisions, and different Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, and this allows doctors to variants. your oncology care needs, BD can Nigeria, Rwanda, Eswatini, Tanzania, tailor appropriate treatments about For “All our laboratories have played a be your partner for a better world. We key role in their respective countries are one of the world’s largest medical Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, their patients’ health or any medical technology companies, with 75 000 when responding to the COVID-19 associates across 190+ countries and ensuring each facility is conveniently conditions. spread, in collaboration with the local 120 years of addressing healthcare’s Our goal was to enable biggest challenges. located for the communities. authorities.

“In response to the COVID-19 the health system to be as effective as Though our footprint is global, we are possible in combating this pandemic we trained our staff The company offers a portfolio of pandemic, local to you. We have invested in the and facilitating economic recovery. infrastructure within Africa so we can over 4,000 pathology testingThus, services passed we were one ofand the first partners the audit and health support your specific needs at the of the Africa Centres for Disease frontlines of healthcare. ranging from routine screening regulations, imposed by the Control and Prevention (CDC) to We are well positioned to partner tests to highly specialised clinical governments and installed a global and set up the Panabios Trusted Travel to support you in elevating platform to increase the security on efficiencies, boosting safety standards testing for research, screening, logistical eco-system to guarantee and improving cost efficiencies. the validity of COVID-19 tests in Africa and the rest of the world.” of each other 24 for industrial, and occupational health, a turnaround “Having time known of less than We have solutions for every step of many years, the first partnership was the care continuum, from intensive under the direction of more than 20 hours,” he elaborates.

“The technique care to surgery, polyclinics to formed in South Africa in the field BORN FROM COLLABORATION pharmacy, and radiology to the lab.

Cerba Lancet Africa’s mission is to clinical trials, in association with pathologists. Cerba Lancet Africa’s we selectedofwas and remains one support the evolution from curative Bio Analytical Research Corporation And when we have built a strong pathologists assist doctors in health making ofathe and systems towards more most reliable (BARC) South Africa.accurate This long foundation, that is when we can look to the future. Together, we will preventive system, drawing on more history between Cerba Healthcare diagnoses and taking informed available in the world. It also allows advance towards earlier detection, than 50 years of expertise in clinical and Lancet Laboratories allowed pathology to reveal the full potential of diagnosis.

“Cerba Lancet Africa is a joint venture created in 2019 by the French group Cerba HealthCare, a leading international player in medical diagnosis, and Lancet Laboratories, the foremost name in clinical pathology in sub-Saharan Africa.

2 | Africa Outlook issue 97

each company to check essential alignments between themselves and other necessary partners when Africa Outlook issue 97 embarking on such endeavours. Both companies already had a long history and experience on the continent as well. Lancet Laboratories, as a native company to sub-Saharan Africa, and Cerba Healthcare have been

earlier intervention and help you deliver better care through education and optimal access to resources

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Company ©2022 BD.

4 | Africa Outlook issue 97

Cerba Lancet Africa has told its story.

Now, why not tell yours? Our bi-monthly magazine Africa Outlook is essential reading for business executives wanting to keep up with the latest in global news and trends affecting African businesses across all industries.

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