Insights

In 2025, Vietnam exported over $475 billion in manufactured goods globally. By contrast, the combined manufacturing exports of Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa) failed to reach a fraction of that figure from a single Southeast Asian nation. For decades, economic analysts posited that as wages rose in East Asia, multinational...

At first glance, the headline figures for startup funding in Africa in the first half (H1) of 2026 suggest a story of remarkable, almost defiant resilience. After a bruising couple of years defined by a brutal global "venture winter," the African tech ecosystem appeared to have finally found its footing....

The Data, Wellness, and Localisation Strategies Winning Today’s FMCG Landscape The consumer packaged goods landscape has experienced a profound shift in market dynamics. For consecutive quarters, global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) growth was artificially inflated by price increases, a defensive necessity driven by macroeconomic tailwinds, currency devaluations, and volatile commodity...

De Beers just paused production at Venetia, its flagship South African mine, for two years. Rough diamond prices are down roughly 50% from their 2022 peak. A company that has spent a century controlling global diamond supply and invented "a diamond is forever” got blindsided by a shift in consumer...

Interswitch stands as one of Africa's most consequential fintech success stories, a company that transformed how millions of Africans access, transfer, and manage money. Founded in 2002 by Mitchell Elegbe in Nigeria, Interswitch has evolved from a payment switching infrastructure provider into a comprehensive financial technology ecosystem, operating across multiple...

In the first half of 2026, Kenya occupied a uniquely compelling position in Africa’s economic story. As one of the continent’s most digitally advanced, demographically young, and consumer-driven economies, Kenya is a laboratory for brand building unlike any other. From mobile-money-powered fintechs to heritage beverages carrying AAA+ brand ratings, Kenya’s...

Introduction: More Than Just a Morning Drink  To the outside observer, Africa is synonymous with coffee. It is the birthplace of Coffea arabica, home to the legendary coffee ceremonies of Ethiopia, and the producer of some of the world's most prized speciality beans from the volcanic hills of Rwanda and...

Nigeria's transition toward a cashless economy remains incomplete. Despite the Central Bank of Nigeria's decade-long push for digital payments, cash still dominates commerce across the country. Walk into any market in Lagos, Kano, or Port Harcourt, and you'll find traders, retailers, and small business owners conducting business in naira notes,...

Across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and beyond, brands are abandoning traditional ad spend in favour of immersive, participatory experiences. As we move deeper into 2026, marketing events and brand activations have become non-negotiable pillars of brand growth strategy, not as supplementary tactics, but as core drivers of consumer trust, loyalty,...

Picture this: A thriving retail business in Lagos spends ₦500,000 monthly on Facebook advertising, yet struggles to track which campaigns actually drive sales. A growing e-commerce startup in Nairobi invests heavily in influencer partnerships without knowing which partnerships yield the highest return. A service-based business in Accra continues promoting products...