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he said. “Nations like Botswana, Zimbabwe or Senegal may not be as attractive from a sheer size perspective, but the ease of doing business changes perceptions. “It’s clear that Nigeria gets through in spite of trade policy and infrastructure, not because of it. In order to achieve a higher level of trade openness, Nigeria will need to address a range of business environment factors while investing more heavily in transport networks and power provision. “Kenya and South Africa by contrast set an example to follow. Countries such as Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe essentially support South Africa’s trade policy and logistics offer to mutual benefit.”
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prove to revolve around South Africa’s status as a role model and African investment starter pack, if not the beall-and-end-all that it once was. While the country is being urged to not only stay open but to smooth over its recent challenges, there is also a realisation that - for new entrants into the African market - businesses should look beyond South Africa before making a decision on where to invest. “For now, traders with an interest in Africa would do well to broaden their focus; South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya will remain hotspots, but investing now in the sleeping giants of Ethiopia, DR Congo, Mozambique, Kenya and Tanzania may present
future growth opportunities,” Winter admitted. “Rapidly developing consumer markets are not only increasing the size of the market opportunity but the opportunity is also becoming more accessible, thanks to continued progress in improving soft and hard infrastructure. “Africa is evidently a continent on the move and nowhere is this more evident than in improvements in trade openness.”
Broadening focus
So in terms of conclusions and outlooks generated at the SA Tomorrow Investor Conference, the overall fallout may well
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