Prime Opportunity for Private Equity Funds to Rescue African Retail Companies

By Tobie Jordaan and Jutami Augustyn, Partners, and Paras Shah, Kenya Managing Partner, BowmansThe retail sector in South Africa has experienced significant distress in the last year, with several high-profile retail businesses entering business rescue proceedings. Retail giants like AutoZone, West Pack and Cross Trainer, for example, have all recently entered business rescue, highlighting the

“Tu-Sort Garage NA Shell Lubricants” Promotion Empowers Mechanics Countrywide

Tu-sort Garage na Shell Lubricants is a countrywide promotion that is empowering garage owners and mechanics by rewarding them with an upgrade of tools at their locations to elevate their workspace and educate them on genuine Shell Lubricants. The mechanics and garage owners can register by dialing 459200# and following the prompts to participate in

Keeping up With Order Fulfilment in an Always-on and Always-Growing Ecommerce World – Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI)

With online sales in Africa on course to top the trillion-rand mark by 2026, the race is on for ecommerce businesses to claim their piece of the pie. Research by Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI) indicates that in the next two years the digital commerce market is expected to reach US$72-billion across South Africa,

Belva Digital Partners With Infobip to Expand Its Product Portfolio Across Africa

Belva Digital, a marketing technology company based in Kenya has expanded and enhanced its product portfolio through its participation in the Infobip Partner Connect Programme, which has enabled it to widen its customer network. Client background Belva Digital is a marketing technology company based in Nairobi, Kenya. It was founded over a decade ago and

A New Market, New Partnerships – Trade Intelligence

Trade Intelligence, a respected market intelligence and research firm in the consumer goods sector, has announced its official foray into the Kenyan market with a Retail Trends presentation by Business Development Lead, Andrea Ellens. The presentation, held at the recent Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK) forum, provided an in-depth analysis of Kenya’s evolving retail

Mastercard SME Confidence Index: 76% of SMEs in Africa Project Similar or Increased Revenue in 2023

From surviving to thriving in the post-COVID world, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa are optimistic about 2023 revenue projections. These are the findings of the second edition of the Mastercard Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) SME Confidence Index. The 2021 inaugural SME Confidence Index delved into the impact of the pandemic

Kenya Breweries Limited and Murang’a County Sign Sorghum Farming Deal

Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) and Murang’a County have signed a partnership that will see KBL support farmers growing sorghum in the area. This is part of the efforts by the alcohol manufacturer to empower communities through gainful employment as well as contribute to the shared growth of KBL. Speaking during the official signing ceremony at

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Bets Big on Skills For the Future

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) is making significant investments in capabilities to create an agile workplace that is engaging and productive, developing the skills of employees to compete in a digital age of artificial intelligence and big data. “CCBA’s digital transformation journey is an integral component to take us into the future, remain relevant and future-proof

The Future of Trade Finance in Sub-Saharan Africa Amidst Hard Currency Challenges – Bank One

With foreign exchange shortages plaguing sub-Saharan African economies, Bank One’s Head of Trade, Gerald Ndosi, explains what measures can be taken to overcome US dollar liquidity challenges, promote trade finance, and foster sustainable economic growth in the region International Trade is conducted in the currencies of major economic powers, largely the US dollar, European Union

Carrefour Partners With Visa to Provide Customers With Online Discounts

KES 400 discount for goods worth KES 3,000 and above when customers shop on the MAF Carrefour Mobile app and pay with locally issued Visa cards The campaign will run every Tuesday for three months starting June 2023 Carrefour, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim in Kenya, has announced its partnership with Visa, the

Advanced Food Processing Technologies Could Make the Food Industry More Sustainable – SYSPRO

By Marius Wessels Manager: Professional Services for SYSPRO Africa Food goes to waste at every stage in the food manufacturing and distribution process – from farming and production to packaging, storage, distribution, retail and finally, once it reaches consumers. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), globally we lose or

Jumia Appoints Charles Ballard as New Kenya CEO

Jumia has announced today that Charles Ballard has been appointed as the new CEO of Jumia Kenya, effective from March. Charles takes over the mantle from Juan Seco who left after eight years at Jumia to join a pan-African player in the FinTech space. “I am excited to continue driving the e-commerce narrative in rural

Konga Named Most Innovative E-Commerce Brand in Africa

A new consumer-focused survey has projected Konga as the most admired and innovative e-commerce company on the African continent. The survey, which was published on March 15, 2023, coincided with the World Consumer Rights Day. The market-wide consumer-based survey examined the current state, performance and growth path of e-commerce in Africa. The poll, which cut

A New Era of Digital Retail in Africa

Exploring innovation coupled with cutting-edge tech is on the up as brands and retailers consider what, when and how to ride the new wave of consumerism in Africa. With the future of digital retail in Africa an exciting and ever-changing landscape. Africa Overview Customer expectations are forcing retailers to reassess the service they provide, not

Jumia Kenya Announces New Packaging Measures Ahead of World Zero Waste Day

Jumia Kenya consumers will now receive their online orders in their original packaging from the manufacturer without any extra wrap from Jumia. This follows the company’s recent announcement, which aligns with its ESG strategy aimed at environmentally friendly activities in the countries it operates in. “In line with our sustainability agenda, we will continue cutting

Bolt to Invest Over €500 Million in Africa Over Next Two Years as It Surpasses 1 Billion Rides on the Continent

Bolt, the leading mobility app in Africa, has announced plans to invest €500 million in its operations on the continent over the next two years. The funds will be used to expand Bolt services in Africa and create opportunities for over 300,000 new drivers and couriers to join the platform in 2023. Having launched in

MACmobile: Driving Adoption of Digital FMCG Solutions in Kenya

By Andrew Dawson, MD of MACmobile Mobile penetration is exceptionally high in the Kenyan market, and the adoption of mobile technologies is well accepted. The strength of this market presents a massive opportunity to grow and optimise the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) space, but several factors need to be considered to drive successful adoption. The

3 Key Trends for Africa’s Informal Retail Sector in 2023

According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Africa’s informal retail sector accounts for more than 70% of food, beverage and personal care products provided to consumers across the continent. However, despite their importance, local informal shops throughout Africa have been consistently held back for decades by a host of major challenges including frequent stockouts, limited access

Jumia Kenya Targets 15% Growth in Rural Areas in 2023

From next year,  2023, Jumia customers in Nyanza and Western regions in Kenya will benefit from the Jumia City Penetration program giving them access to millions of products on the online platform at a reduced delivery fee. Jumia plans to expand its reach to rural areas by 15% in the coming year as part of

Africa’s Changing Shopping Trends Allow E-tailers to Meet Customers’ Evolving Expectations to Gain Long-Term Loyalty

By Darijan Bošković, Sales Director: Africa at Infobip The African continent is widely considered retail’s next big gold rush, based on its population of 1.4 billion people, which includes more than 500 million internet users and over 330 million eCommerce consumers. Additionally, with 19 of the top 20 fastest-growing countries in the world, the continent’s

Jumia, Coca-Cola Partner to Provide Online Shopping to Consumers In Africa

Jumia (NYSE: JMIA), the leading e-commerce platform in Africa, has today announced a partnership with Coca-Cola Africa Operating Unit to offer consumers access to Coca-Cola products from the comfort of their homes. The partnership will provide a steady supply of Coca-Cola’s beverage portfolio to consumers who prefer to shop online through the Jumia platform and

Wasoko Launches Innovation Hub In Partnership with The Government of Zanzibar

Africa’s Largest B2B E-Commerce Network Becomes Official Private Sector Ambassador for “Silicon Zanzibar” Initiative  Wasoko, the African e-commerce company leveraging innovative technology to transform the informal retail supply chain, has announced the official launch of the “Wasoko Innovation Hub” in partnership with the Zanzibar government. Located in Fumba Town, Zanzibar, the new Hub will focus on

Sabi Opens an Office in Johannesburg to Enable the Digital Transformation of South Africa’s ZAR 157 Billion Informal Economy

South Africa’s micro, small and medium-sized traders can now improve their cash flow with more reliable supply chains and better customer marketing using Sabi, Africa’s leading B2B platform for goods and services distribution. SABI is partnering with Vumele to enable and empower South Africa’s informal economy. Sabi recently opened an office in Johannesburg and already

Nestlé Appoints Arvind Bhandari as Cluster Head for East and Horn of Africa Region

Bhandari has 18 years’ experience of driving growth of the Nestlé business Nestlé has appointed Arvind Bhandari as the new Cluster Head for East and Horn of Africa, which forms part of Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR). In this role Bhandari will manage operations in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan,

Bolt Announces Ongoing Post-pandemic Growth to Mark Ninth Anniversary

The company has quadrupled its business globally since the start of the pandemic and launched two products in the same period As of today, Bolt is present in 45 countries and over 500 cities, an increase of more than 200% before the pandemic  In South Africa, Bolt is available in 9 provinces and a total

Nestlé for Healthier Kids Celebrates Ten-Year Anniversary in Kenya

In partnership with The Ministry of Education and The Ministry of Agriculture, to support parents and caregivers on a healthier lifestyle for their kids. Nestlé Kenya together with its partners, The Ministry of Education and The Ministry of Agriculture, have launched the Nestlé for Healthier Kids Programme in Kajiado County which will benefit 128 schools

Nomanini launches StockNow, a digital retailer solution, to bring affordable working capital to Africa’s informal retail markets

Nomanini (https://Nomanini.com), a fast-growing fintech platform in Africa, has today announced the launch of a new supply chain finance solution called StockNow that connects FMCGs and financial service providers to serve Africa’s informal retailers at scale. StockNow, an easy-to-use app for retailers developed by Nomanini, makes it possible for informal micro and small retailers to

Kenya Bankers Association: Bankers, Payments Firms and Retailers in Drive to Reduce Consumer Exposure to Fraudsters

Consumer education will play a central role in addressing emerging security challenges. During the launch of the Kaa Chonjo! (Be Alert!) card, mobile and online safety awareness campaign, players in the financial, payments and retail sectors highlighted the importance of continuing to empower the public with information on fraud prevention. In his remarks, Kenya Bankers

Infobip’s Omnichannel Solutions Enable Kenya’s Stima Sacco to Offer a Superior Customer Experience and Lower Costs

Infobip, a global cloud communication company for businesses and a leader in omnichannel customer engagement, has deployed an omnichannel platform for Stima Sacco, the second-biggest saving and credit cooperative in Africa. This platform enables the organisation to enhance customer engagement and thus improve customer experience. Client Background Stima DT Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited

Tushop Raises $3M to Scale Community Group-Buying in Kenya

4DX leads the round with participation from Wasoko Tushop, the Kenyan social-commerce platform that enables communities in Nairobi to buy groceries more cheaply with free delivery, has secured $3M in a pre-seed funding round, led by 4DX Ventures and with participation from JAM Fund, Breyer Capital, Chandaria Capital, TO Ventures, Golden Palm Investments, FirstCheck Africa,

KITEA Acquires the Leader in Furniture Distribution in Kenya

The KITEA Group, leader in the distribution of furniture in Morocco, has just announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Furniture Palace Limited, leader in the distribution of home furniture, office furniture and house in Kenya. This transaction in East Africa is KITEA’s first acquisition outside the borders of Morocco and is in line

Mastercard Economics Institute: Lodging Small Businesses Thrive in Middle East and Africa in 2021

Small businesses globally go digital at three-times pre-pandemic levels   To shed light on the impact the global health crisis – and ongoing recovery – has had on small businesses globally, Mastercard released Recovery Insights: Small Business Reset. The report revealed that in the Middle East and Africa, lodging small businesses have consistently outperformed larger businesses in 2021

DP World Launches E-Commerce Platform DUBUY.com in Kenya

The wholesale platform brings efficient, reliable B2B eCommerce to Kenya, enabling market access for businesses of all sizes Backed by leading global logistics provider DP World (DPWorld.com), DUBUY.com opens a new digital trade corridor for Kenya and the East Africa region; The wholesale platform brings efficient, reliable B2B eCommerce to Kenya, enabling market access for businesses of all

Nestlé Holds Agripreneurship Training to Support Coffee Farmers

Nestlé held an agripreneurship training workshop for coffee farmers in Mutheka, Nyeri. The workshop aims to help farmers build on entrepreneurship skills, learn about food waste and preservation, investigate price fluctuations and market seasonality, as well as gain trader knowledge on nutrition. At the agripreneurship workshop in Mutheka, coffee farmers learned about potential market links

Smollan | What Retailers Need to do to Succeed in the African Market

Africa can be a challenging place to do business from infrastructure issues, complex compliance, fragmented markets and dispersed populations and particularly post pandemic, harder lives for ordinary people. One cannot ignore those who have gone before with Massmart announcing earlier this month the sale of Game stores in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania, citing

NESCAFÉ wins Best Coffee Brand at the 2021 Kenya Beverage Excellence Awards

NESCAFÉ emerged the winner in the coffee category, as chosen by Kenyan consumers, during the 2021 Kenya Beverage Excellence Awards (KBEA) that took place on 24th September 2021 at Movenpick Hotel, Nairobi. The KBEA are designed to recognize, celebrate, and award excellence and innovation across every category of the Kenya beverage industry. The awards are

Finserve Africa Bags 2021 Best in E-Commerce Category at the 3rd Edition of the Kenya ECommerce Awards

The award recognises Finserve’s commitment to innovation and customer centricity Equity Group’s fintech subsidiary, Finserve Africa, has been named the best in E-commerce – Banking/Financial and Insurance Services Gold Category at the 3rd Edition of the Kenya E-Commerce Awards 2021 held in Nairobi. The award recognises Finserve’s continued commitment to innovation and customer-centricity in Kenya

Women Entrepreneurs Lead the way in Digital Presence, According to Mastercard SME Research in Middle East and Africa

81% of women entrepreneurs across the Middle East and Africa have a digital business presence according to Mastercard MEA SME Confidence Index Latest research by Mastercard highlights high digitalization among women-owned businesses as opportunity for broader SME recovery and digital economy growth Despite the gender gap and social challenges, entrepreneurial women across the world and

Kenyan, Tanzanian Manufacturers Hold Three-day Trade Talks

Associations from both countries will engage Government Representatives in talks  Manufacturers from Kenya and Tanzania shall meet from Today, (7th July) to Friday (9th July) to deliberate on trade promotion and market access between the two countries. Food and Beverage, Edible Oils, Chemicals, Automotive, Leather and Footwear sectors are some of the manufacturing sectors that shall participate in the trade mission, hosted

Kenya Among Top Drivers of eCommerce Volumes in Sub-Saharan Africa – Visa

A recent report by Visa, the world leader in digital payments, has shown that Kenya is among the top market contributors to eCommerce in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over the last 3 years. Visa’s white paper, titled eCommerce developments across Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), confirmed that, the Kenyan eCommerce scene has showcased growth, as the market’s financial

Kenyan Retail-tech Startup Tanda Secures Funding for Regional Expansion from HAVAÍC

Kenyan agency banking startup Tanda is expanding its operations regionally after securing funding from early-stage African tech investor HAVAÍC, Zedcrest Capital, DFS Lab, Victor Asemota and three other investors. Tanda has also secured key strategic partnerships with Mastercard and Interswitch which will further accelerate its growth. The company’s expansion comes on the back of successfully

79% of Kenyan Consumers are Shopping More Online Since the Start of Pandemic, Reveals Mastercard Study

Data top-ups (92%), clothing (67%) and computer equipment (56%) top the virtual shopping list in Kenya Top learning experiences include cooking, dancing, learning a language, and mastering DIY projects Social media has become an integral platform for connecting consumers to online businesses Secure checkout experience recognized as fundamental for online shopping A Mastercard study on consumer

Mastercard, Unilever and KCB Bank Strengthen Partnership to Support Micro-retailers in Kenya

Micro-retailers to receive $150,000 worth of financial support, free health products and training, to ease the economic impact of the pandemic. Mastercard, Unilever and KCB Bank have built on their partnership to support micro-merchants in Kenya by expanding their current Jaza Duka program to provide an extensive COVID-19 relief package to retailers. Micro, small and

Smollan Invests in the Circular Economy through Partnership with Fair-Trade Plastics Recycling Company, Mr. Green Africa

International retail solutions company, Smollan, have announced their partnership with Mr. Green Africa through an investment made in the fair-trade plastics recycling company based in Kenya. Mr. Green Africa aims to close the loop from consumer to plastics manufacturer through its supply network and high value recycled plastics. The company is on a journey to

phos and Stanchion Collaborate to Connect Merchants in Africa to the Contactless Digital Payment Ecosystem via their Existing Android Mobile Devices

Partnership is a game-changer in enabling contactless acceptance for smaller merchants across the continent phos, the fintech behind the first-ever software-only Point of Sale (SoftPOS), and Stanchion Payment Solutions, a global specialist in payments systems and integration, today announced that they have partnered to help payments processing companies and banks to accelerate time to market

Mondia and Jumia Launch Exciting New Gaming Service on JumiaPay App for Consumers in Africa

Mondia (https://Mondia.com), a leading technology company which specialises in the marketing and distribution of digital content and Jumia (NYSE : JMIA) (www.Jumia.com.ng), Africa’s largest e-commerce platform, today announced the launch of Jumia Games, a competitively priced entertainment category on the JumiaPay App. In its first phase, the fully branded gaming portal is available in five

Builders Finally Arrives in Kenya

Africa’s leading retailer of home improvement and building material products and service solutions, Builders, is set to open its doors and launch online trading to residents of Nairobi at the Waterfront Karen on 20 August 2020. Slightly delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions, this is the retailer’s first venture into East Africa and one that will

Uber Launches its Largest Region-Wide Initiative in Partnership with Mastercard to Provide 120,000 Free Trips to Frontline Workers in the Middle East and Africa

The partnership with Mastercard is setting the benchmark for Uber across the MEA region. Our teams are working 24/7 to assist health and medical care authorities as well as workers supporting our communities in responding to the pandemic. We have partnered with Mastercard, who have committed 120,000 free trips and meals to workers who are

Visa Launches New ‘Where You Shop Matters’ Initiative to Support Small Businesses in Kenya

Initiative comes as new study finds consumers are increasingly embracing ecommerce and digital payments over cash and cheque. Study finds consumers are considerably more cautious with 69% avoiding rush hour. Shopping habits transformed during COVID-19 with 69% of consumers only visiting shops for essentials, though 30% of consumers say that they still use cash on