CATEGORIES

Seed Capital

Momoko Harada is turning macadamia nuts in Rwanda’s verdant, virgin fields into valuable export currency, in turn also helping the farmers and protecting the environment.

The Problem-solver

From teacher to actuary to entrepreneur, CEO and corporate titan, Sello Moloko has had an illustrious journey that could inspire any young African. Taking over as chairman of the Absa group from April 1, he is all set to make his mark in defining the future of banking.

Hacking the Blockchain

High volatile and high-risk – just how safe is the world of cryptocurrency?

Stepping Up On EV Growth

The South African electric vehicle (EV) landscape is set to accelerate in 2022 with a slew of new models. But with all its power and load-shedding issues, is South Africa ready?

All Work and More Play

Only 24, South African footballer Fagrie Lakay has seen a resurgence in his career over the last year, moving to top Egyptian Premier League side Pyramids FC.

Have We Not Learned Anything At All?

The War in Ukraine has dominated the news over the last few weeks. There are no winners in war; sadly, as always, it is people who will suffer.

Amend Acts or Amend Actions?

Questions abound! With newly-amended gender-based violence bills in South Africa, activists ask: will there be a significant decrease in the number of cases, will more victims report their perpetrators, and will reported cases finally be fairly prosecuted?

Boom or Buzz: Drones on the Rise

The drone market is on a growth trajectory. In rural Africa, they are being increasingly used for transporting life-saving drugs and for collecting data for geographic information systems, agriculture and even film-making.

A Waste Of Time

Plastic rarely gets recycled, ending up in landfills and our seas. From waste-reclaimers to waste-preneurs laboriously upcycling all kinds of material, will the circular economy become mainstream before we choke up our oceans and the planet with immutable rubbish?

Marketer Mantra

What are the marketing trends that will define 2022 for Africa? We asked some of the top CMOs – all women from a cross-section of industries – for their sterling views.

The Hot New Items On The Menu

Farming flies and cockroaches to ensure food security? Read on for some of the most fascinating insights on alternative agriculture in Africa.

A Deep Dive Into The Art World With NFTs

NFTs were the biggest breakthrough in technology last year, its founding inextricable from the art world. Proponents point to a future where art is democratized, funds secure and royalties continuous. Detractors believe NFTs are a scam, and point to fraudulent activity and the exclusivity of highly-priced sales. A look at some of the African players in this space.

Son Of The Soil

The rewarding story of a South Sudanese coffee entrepreneur who spent his childhood as a refugee braving bullets and snake bites. His company, 734 Coffee, is named after the geographical coordinates of the camp where he was raised. Uprooted by civil war, Manyang Reath Kher was invisible there, not anymore.

The Billionaire Creating Wealth For the Ultra-Rich

A high school drop-out, Nikhil Kamath is India’s youngest billionaire and with a keen interest in Africa.

The Future of Food – Meat the Alternatives

Traditional ideas of vegans and vegetarians often conjure negative stereotypes, but innovation in the meat alternative industry and growing climate change awareness have joined to create a revolutionary and explosive market, and South Africa can count itself as an early pioneer.

The Storyteller In Fashion

Tanzanian entrepreneur Nisha Kanabar is elevating the vernacular African fashion space employing content and engagement.

Virus. Vaccines. And Vacillations

Vaccine mandates... and why everyone is talking about it.

Africa's Richest People 2022

"The continent’s billionaires are collectively 15% richer than a year ago, thanks mostly to soaring stocks."

The Finest Art

"As hospitals gasp for breath at the height of each wave of the pandemic, the nurses working with Covid patients never let go of hope and healing, even when they are battered themselves. The virus has become more advanced — but so have these professionals dealing with it."

Breaking New Ground

"Southern Africa has been largely slow to capitalize on the growing global billion-dollar industry of medical cannabinoid products. One company in Lesotho is aiming to bridge that gap, and has become the first medical cannabis company on the continent cleared to export their pharmaceutical products into the European Union."

‘The Covid-19 crisis taught us that whilst the world could survive with less planes, cars and trains, it couldn't survive without the phone!'

Sam Darwish has chosen emerging markets as the universe in which to grow and connect. Read on about the towering ambitions of this entrepreneur who rose as an engineer to run one of the world’s largest providers of telecoms infrastructure, recently listed on the new york stock exchange.

50 over 50 EMEA 2022

Women around the world are proving that 50 and beyond is the new golden age. Here are the founders, business and political leaders, scientists and vanguards leading the way throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The Anti-Amazon

Josh Silverman is using cutting-edge technology and an army of 5 million artisan-entrepreneurs to transform ETSY from a hippie flea market into a Wall Street hero—without losing its soul.

Electric dreams: East Africa on the move

Electric Vehicles (EV) are fast becoming a mainstay of daily commutes around the world. From battery-powered vehicles to electric public buses, we are on the precipice of a revolution in the automotive industry. Africa is not excluded in this new movement with burgeoning sectors looking to change the way African cities move – and breathe! FORBES AFRICA looks at how the EV market is moving in East Africa.

‘I Haven't Seen A Day Of Peace In My Life'

Faced with an uncertain present, women and girls in Afghanistan hope the new Taliban regime will ease the restrictions on them and that the international community will intervene. For now, their only option is to stay strong and reconcile their dreams with the current reality.

African Of The Year

Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s president, has repositioned the country in the global marketplace as one reliant on its own resources and strengths. He is redefining economic development and it’s resonating across Africa. In an exclusive interview with Forbes Africa, he dwells on the new focus of the West African nation that has in recent years consistently been one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

The $30 Billion Kitty

The standard playbook in private equity is to borrow, buy and cut costs ruthlessly. But a massive windfall from investments in PetSmart and Chewy has taught BC Partners’ Raymond Svider that sometimes, doubling down on risks is a better option.

Appetite For Business

Starting with just $45, Ghanaian entrepreneur Violet Amoabeng’s startup has progressed with skincare products you can eat and the unpalatable realization that the only way to make it in business is to crash, break, stretch and succeed.

The Future In Motion

The six-month Expo 2020 bringing together 192 countries to Dubai that opened on October 1 is exploring opportunities for partnerships between Africa and the Middle East. Get a load of barista bots that make coffee and tell jokes, do calligraphy or tai-chi, and ones that bring Beethoven’s work to life through performance.

The Together Man In Regional Cinema

At the cornerstone of contemporary Swahili cinema, Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji is adamant about telling stories of contrast and community and promoting local talent.