Cross Switch and Paysoft Team Up to Drive Smarter, Scalable Payments for South African Businesses

Posted on by africanretailteam | 2240 Views | 16 min read

Cross Switch, a global payments technology company, has found a strategic collaborator in its mission to bring faster, smarter, and more scalable payments to emerging markets. In partnership with South African fintech leader Paysoft, these two forward-thinking platforms are joining forces to swing the axe against digital transaction logjams that hamper South African businesses. Be

Cross Switch and Pesawise Unite to Power Seamless Retail Payments in Kenya

Posted on by africanretailteam | 3495 Views | 16 min read

Cross Switch, a provider of class-leading payment solutions, has strengthened its African presence by officially launching services in Kenya and partnering with licensed local payment provider Pesawise. This collaboration makes the most of Pesawise’s solid regulatory standing and trusted reputation, allowing Cross Switch to establish it’s footprint and, together with Pesawise, immediately deliver robust payment

AfDB Approves Guarantee for Zambeef’s Expansion Project

Posted on by africanretailteam | 2805 Views | 8 min read

The African Development Bank Group has approved a Zambian Kwacha-denominated Risk Sharing Credit Guarantee to support Zambeef Products Plc’s $100 million expansion programme across its core operations in Zambia. This guarantee is one of many innovative ways in which the Bank provides local currency to its borrowers, while also promoting collaboration with local commercial financial

South Africa’s Top Brands Thrive in 2025, Led by Retail and Banking Giants

Posted on by africanretailteam | 4159 Views | 38 min read

In 2025, the collective brand value of the Top 100 South African brands reached R688.6 billion, with banking, retail, and telecoms contributing over 62% of the ranking’s total brand value, as is often the case in emerging markets. This underscores the important role that the South Africa’s services sector plays in the economy and daily

ISF, AFSTA, and STAK Unite to Advance Africa’s Seed Sector and Food Security

Posted on by africanretailteam | 6509 Views | 14 min read

The International Seed Federation (ISF) has convened its Board Meetings in Nairobi, bringing together national, regional and global seed industry leaders to reinforce their commitment to Africa’s agricultural development, especially in the face of climate change and a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape. “Africa is on the verge of unlocking the transformative power of quality seeds,”

POP Warehouse Integration Enhances Provantage’s Retail Offering

Posted on by africanretailteam | 6259 Views | 11 min read

POP Warehouse, a respected leader in South Africa’s retail display and logistics sector, has announced its incorporation into Provantage, one of Africa’s largest integrated media and marketing companies. This integration enhances Provantage’s retail services offering and capabilities, strengthening its ability to provide clients with a seamless end-to-end integrated point-of-purchase (POP) supply chain solution. Founded by

GMG Partners with Frasers Group to Launch Sports Direct in MENA

Posted on by africanretailteam | 5425 Views | 10 min read

GMG, a global well-being and retail conglomerate, announced a 10-year strategic retail partnership with Frasers Group, to bring leading sports retailer, Sports Direct, to the region. This partnership is a bold stride in GMG’s strategic vision to be the number one sports player across all markets it operates in, and bring inspiration and innovation through

Shoprite & Standard Bank Partner to Boost Customer Rewards

Posted on by africanretailteam | 10013 Views | 6 min read

Africa’s biggest bank and Africa’s biggest retailer have teamed up to offer customers Africa’s biggest grocery rewards. This comes as the Shoprite Group doubles down on transparent partnerships that offer shoppers real value.  From April 2025, qualifying Standard Bank UCount Rewards members will receive the following benefits on every product, every day:  The Standard Bank

FNB Expands Partnership With Pick n Pay, Naming It as eBucks’ Primary Retail Partner

Posted on by africanretailteam | 11258 Views | 19 min read

FNB and Pick n Pay are proud to announce the expansion of their partnership to add more value for all their FNB and RMB Private Bank’s customers. The bank’s retail and commercial customers will all earn up to 30% of their spend back in eBucks when using Pick n Pay’s asap! on-demand delivery service, and up

UPD Launches South Africa’s First Solar-Powered Refrigerated EV Fleet

Posted on by africanretailteam | 7381 Views | 12 min read

The Clicks Group and United Pharmaceutical Distributors (UPD) have partnered with Everlectric and Investec Sustainable Solutions to introduce South Africa’s first fleet of zero-emission, pharma-compliant electric vehicles (EVs) with solar-powered refrigeration. Rolling out in Gauteng and the Western Cape, the fleet of 42 Maxus eDeliver 3 panel vans, manufactured by SAIC Maxus and supplied by

AW Rostamani and Groupauto MEA&I Forge Strategic Partnership

Posted on by africanretailteam | 5792 Views | 10 min read

AW Rostamani Trading Company, the strategic arm of AW Rostamani Group’s mobility services division, and Groupauto Middle East, Africa & India, a regional subsidiary of Groupauto International, one of the world’s largest international automotive trading groups, have entered a strategic partnership to drive innovation and growth in the automotive aftermarket sector. The agreement was formalised

Mr Price Foundation and Zapper Launch Initiative to Combat Youth Unemployment

Posted on by africanretailteam | 6135 Views | 14 min read

In a bold new partnership, Mr Price Foundation and Zapper have joined forces to address South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis. Mr Price Foundation is leveraging Zapper’s streamlined digital payment solutions to raise awareness and drive donations for its Hope4Youth campaign. Founded by Mr Price Group 20 years ago as a registered non-profit, Mr Price Foundation

AFC and CEXIM Strengthen Africa Trade and Infrastructure

Posted on by africanretailteam | 4402 Views | 8 min read

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Africa’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) to deepen collaboration in financing strategic infrastructure and trade projects across Africa. The agreement builds upon an existing relationship between the two institutions, dating back to 2018, and reinforces a shared commitment

Vodacom and Orange Create a Joint Venture to Expand Network Coverage in Rural Areas in the DRC

Posted on by africanretailteam | 5784 Views | 12 min read

Vodacom and Orange have joined hands to form, a first of its kind, rural towerco partnership in Africa. Through this partnership, the companies will collaborate to build, own, and operate solar-powered mobile base stations in underserved areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The initiative will extend network coverage and enable access to telecommunications

South African Agribusiness at a Crossroads

Posted on by africanretailteam | 13084 Views | 23 min read
South African

South African farmers need to adopt new approaches and technologies to combat the country’s food security pressures Up to 20 million South Africans experience severe food insecurity, with the volume of food and beverages sold per capita across the country declining by more than 3% in 2023. South African agribusiness is at a crossroads. After

Global Retail Specialist Smollan Announces Strategic Alliance With Impact HD Inc.

Posted on by africanretailteam | 15868 Views | 11 min read

Smollan, a leading global retail specialist representing some of the world’s loved brands, has officially entered into a Capital and Business Alliance Agreement with Impact HD Inc. a prominent Japanese company specializing in sales promotion and data marketing. The alliance aims to leverage the strengths of both companies to create enhanced value and develop innovative

Shipping Technology Tackling South Africa’s Tricky Last-Mile Delivery Challenges – Bob Group

Posted on by africanretailteam | 29983 Views | 14 min read

Bob Group’s Ship Logic platform is helping the country’s courier companies overcome faulty address details, failed delivery attempts and poor communication with customers South African ecommerce ecosystem Bob Group is playing a leading role in optimising courier services around the country through its Ship Logic platform, a software solution that enables delivery specialists handling high

Retail and Wholesale Sector Faces Growing Business Interruption Risks, Allianz Risk Barometer Reveals

Posted on by africanretailteam | 23643 Views | 19 min read

Business interruption is the primary concern for the retail and wholesale sector in 2024, according to the Allianz Risk Barometer. It is followed by Natural catastrophes (31%), Cyber incidents (25%), Fire, explosion, and Macroeconomic developments (both with 20%). The report, based on insights from over 3,000 risk management professionals and business leaders, highlights the growing

Payment24 Offers Innovative Fuel Voucher Solutions to Modernise Fleet Management and Loyalty Programmes

Posted on by africanretailteam | 18396 Views | 13 min read

Payment24, a leading provider of advanced payment, loyalty, and fuel management solutions, is proud to announce the availability of its fuel voucher offering. This innovative product is set to transform how Payment24 partners incentivise customers, loyalty subscribers, internal teams, and even drivers. With seamless integration across a vast network of over 1,000 service stations, these

South African Business Leaders Believe That Ecommerce Is Growing Faster Than They Can Adapt, Accenture Study Finds

Posted on by africanretailteam | 29782 Views | 20 min read

A new report from Accenture reveals that 95% of South African leaders (vs 83% globally) think that eCommerce is growing faster than they can adapt, and are finding it costly to be where customers are. This shared feeling of falling behind affirms how difficult it is to keep up with the pace of change. Additionally,

South Africa’s Last-Mile Delivery Game Needs to Be on Point – Bob Group

Posted on by africanretailteam | 38811 Views | 12 min read

Africa’s last-mile delivery market is expected to be worth $2.3 billion (R43 Billion) by 2030. If one considers that the continent will be home to some two billion people by 2050, it becomes clear that this sector will grow exponentially and offer many new business opportunities. Meanwhile, South Africa’s total ecommerce market is on track

Retail Infrastructure Transformation Across Africa: An Evolution and Revolution – Vertiv Africa

Posted on by africanretailteam | 29106 Views | 34 min read

By Henry Myburgh, strategic key account manager at Vertiv Africa In the dynamic and ever-changing retail landscape, ongoing transformation is a strategic necessity to cater to the primary reality that ‘the customer is king’ – retailers must be adaptive to change in order to meet new customer demands. The intricate interplay of consumer behaviours, driven

Four Business Trends to Navigate the Economic Future – Yoco

Posted on by africanretailteam | 48441 Views | 14 min read

Physical retail businesses remain crucial in the South African landscape, catering to the preferences of many customers. However, as eCommerce continues to surge, these businesses will experience challenges competing with industry giants like Amazon. The trends outlined below are essential considerations for a thriving retail business in an increasingly online world. While they’re not a

Navigating FICA Compliance for the South African Retail Industry

Posted on by africanretailteam | 25955 Views | 17 min read

The South African retail industry operates in a complex and challenging environment. Economic uncertainty, rising costs, and unpredictable consumer demands have created conditions in which retailers must constantly adapt to survive. Loadshedding further disrupts operations and sales, while compliance with regulations like FICA and KYC (Know Your Customer) increases the administrative burdens for retail businesses.

Embracing the Future of Customer Loyalty – LoyaltyPlus

Posted on by africanretailteam | 33695 Views | 14 min read

By Mariette Fouche, Head of Product Development and Solution Design at LoyaltyPlus Few people would dispute the importance of customer loyalty for business success. Companies have realised the need to create tailored solutions that meet the unique requirements of individual clients. This can at least partly be attributed to more efficient data analysis resulting from

Retail Tech | What to Expect in 2024 – Smollan

Posted on by africanretailteam | 44584 Views | 18 min read

Once upon a time (literally like last week!) a shopper popped in for a quick pre-holiday shop. Welcomed by a Bot that offered personalised suggestions based on previous purchases – a hassle free push to make their experience “more than”. Drawn into the clothing section, smart mirrors gave them the option to virtually try on

Merchants Support Call for Testimony by Visa and Mastercard CEOs at Hearing on Credit Card ‘Swipe’ Fees

Posted on by africanretailteam | 31512 Views | 12 min read

The Merchants Payments Coalition today welcomed the announcement that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin, D-Ill., has invited the CEOs of Visa and Mastercard to testify at a hearing on the lack of competition in the credit card market. “It’s time for the CEOs of Visa and Mastercard to answer for decades of their companies

African E-commerce Giants Wasoko & Maxab Announce Landmark Merger

Posted on by africanretailteam | 41753 Views | 14 min read

Two of Africa’s most prominent e-commerce companies, Wasoko and MaxAB, announced today that they have signed preliminary merger terms to join together as a combined entity to drive the transformation of Africa’s informal retail sector. This merger-of-equals will bolster the growth and development of the e-commerce pioneers to establish the most successful digital retail platform

6 Ways Payment Technology Has Revolutionised Opportunities for Companies – Paystack

Posted on by africanretailteam | 85068 Views | 28 min read

It doesn’t matter whether a company is a small to medium-sized enterprise or a large corporation, or where it’s based, we are all now operating in a global economy. Irrespective of the size of an enterprise, its location or what its product offering is, with the right payment and transaction mechanisms, it can compete equally

Putting You in Control: The Power of Consent – Comcorp

Posted on by africanretailteam | 33005 Views | 14 min read

In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, the concept of consumer consent has taken centre stage for companies. Gone are the days when consent was assumed; today, the control is firmly in the hands of the consumer. For those companies who handle consumer data, consent has to be a priority. While consumers want the services they can

Disruptive Technology Is Driving Progress in Smart Manufacturing – SYSPRO

Posted on by africanretailteam | 45059 Views | 20 min read

By Mark Wilson, CEO, SYSPRO EMEA & APAC The manufacturing industry is a tough industry, vulnerable to impacts from the economy, geo-political events such as conflict and pandemics, and other stresses that impact the global and local supply chains and markets. Manufacturers constantly need to seek out a competitive advantage to stay at the forefront

DP World and Standard Bank Conclude Us$ 365.1 Million Facility Agreement to Drive Logistics and Market Access Expansion Across Sub-Saharan Africa

Posted on by africanretailteam | 41499 Views | 9 min read

DP World has extended its long-standing partnership with leading pan-African bank, Standard Bank, by concluding a US$365.1 million facility agreement to support its logistics and market access expansion across the sub-Saharan (SSA) region. The facility offers DP World’s SSA logistics and market access businesses access to a multi-product, multi-jurisdiction, and multi-currency facility. This solution has

Women in the Lead in E-commerce – Mr D

Posted on by Initiator | 73074 Views | 13 min read

As e-commerce grows globally with online shopper numbers expected to continue to increase by 18 percent annually in Africa, a report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) projects that such growth could be higher if we invest in the women entrepreneurs on e-commerce platforms. The industry presents South Africa with a clear opportunity for women

Innovative Unpackaged Retailing Shows Promise for Mass Market Affordability – DYDX Smartfill

Posted on by Initiator | 38601 Views | 12 min read

By Nevo Hadas, Partner at DYDX Smartfill Packaging costs can contribute significantly to the overall price of products and services, with estimates suggesting that it can account for up to 40% of the total cost, although some products may see as low as 10%. However, groundbreaking experiments conducted in Tembisa by retailing services powerhouses Smollan

How ERP Can Help Retailers Better Understand Their Customers – Times 3 Technologies

Posted on by Initiator | 47300 Views | 16 min read

Have you ever heard the saying: “Good customer service costs less than bad customer service”? This is particularly true today because modern customers aren’t afraid to share a negative experience and they have plenty of options when looking for places to do so. Here’s where the right ERP solution can help. When retailers deploy an

Tackling Payment Fraud Head-On in South Africa’s Mining and Construction Industries

Posted on by Initiator | 56738 Views | 19 min read

As one of the top ten mining countries in the world, South Africa’s economy relies heavily on this industry as well as those closely related to it, such as construction. Yet this also makes these industries attractive targets for cyber criminals. The mining industry is among the most at-risk industries for fraud and in some

Spur Corporation Strengthens Position in Day-Time Specialty Dining and Enters Coffee specialty Market

Posted on by Initiator | 38131 Views | 9 min read

Spur Corporation is to acquire a 60% stake in the Doppio Group, owners of speciality restaurant brands Doppio Zero, Piza e Vino and Modern Tailors with a portfolio of 37 franchised and company-owned restaurants as well as a bakery and central supply business. The business is being acquired from founders Paul Christie and Miki Milovanovic

Makro Marketplace, Retail Capital Partner to Educate SMEs on Business Funding Options

Posted on by Initiator | 48001 Views | 5 min read

Last week, Massmart, together with Retail Capital, a division of Tyme Bank, hosted a Business Funding Information session for its Marketplace seller base. The webinar provided these small business owners with key insights about the funding options available to them. The partnership initially began in 2021 and has, since inception, provided significant funding to enable