Author: Broader

Inside the mindset of the continent’s fastest-growing workforce. Africa’s labour market is shifting beneath the feet of its business leaders. A new generation is entering the workforce in large numbers, and they are nothing like the cohorts before them. Gen Z is already shaping consumer behaviour, cultural trends and digital adoption across the continent. Now they are reshaping the workplace too, bringing expectations that founders can no longer afford to ignore. They are young, ambitious and deeply connected. They grew up in a world where information flows quickly and creativity thrives online. But they also grew up with the reality…

From power supply workarounds to internet downtime and government levies, this is the unfiltered guide to pricing, logistics, and survival. For global investors, Africa is a market full of promise. For local entrepreneurs, it is a land of paradoxes. Business on the continent is often described as high-risk and high-reward. But the deeper truth is more nuanced. Founders need to understand not just the opportunities, but the hidden costs that shape every decision from launch to scale. It’s not just about funding. It’s about survival. Infrastructure Is Your First Competitor Before a startup finds its footing, it must first contend…

The moment your side gig starts feeling like more than “just extra cash,” it’s time to think like a CEO. It often starts with a late-night idea or a weekend gig. Maybe it’s making wigs, designing logos, importing skincare, or fixing phones. Over time, it picks up steam. Word of mouth grows, referrals come in, and your side hustle slowly becomes a legitimate income stream. The money starts making sense but the structure doesn’t. For many entrepreneurs, the leap from informal to formal is fogged with uncertainty. When should you register the business? Should you open a corporate bank account?…

Why localization, lean operations, and everyday utility are the real unicorn formula across the continent. In cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Kigali, a new wave of entrepreneurs is changing how business is done in Africa. These founders are not driven by vanity metrics or buzzwords. They are building lean, practical systems that deliver value in real time. Their models are shaped by necessity, guided by experience, and deeply rooted in the realities of the market. Africa’s most effective business ventures today are not necessarily the flashiest. They are consistent, accessible, and grounded in solving everyday problems. These companies are thriving…

The early days of starting a business are thrilling. Ideas are fresh, vision is clear, and the energy is unmatched. But in Africa where infrastructure gaps, capital access, and regulatory friction pose real obstacles, those first 90 days can also make or break your long-term survival. Here’s the truth: succeeding on this continent doesn’t just require a good idea; it demands deliberate execution, street smarts, and the ability to adapt quickly to your local environment. So how do you make the most of your first three months? Below, we outline the smart, strategic moves every African entrepreneur should prioritize to…

Africa’s venture-capital landscape is undergoing a paradigm shift. In the first nine months of 2025, African startups raised $1.6 billion in venture debt, surpassing equity funding for the first time, according to the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA). This surge, a 60% year-over-year increase, marks a turning point: debt is no longer a supplemental financing tool but the leading source of startup capital. Equity investment, by contrast, stood at $1.4 billion across 362 deals, essentially flat year-on-year, AVCA data shows. Driving the boom in debt financing were six megadeals totaling $1.1 billion, including Kenya-based Sun King’s $156 million local-currency securitisation and…

Africa is facing a stark reversal in foreign direct investment (FDI) fortunes. According to UNCTAD, the continent saw FDI inflows decline by 42% in the first half of 2025, tumbling to just $28 billion, a sharp contraction that dwarfs the modest 3% global decline during the same period. This drop is not merely a statistical anomaly; it signals a growing challenge for African policymakers and business leaders alike, as the continent navigates an increasingly uncertain global investment climate. North Africa bore the brunt of the pullback, with inflows falling by nearly 59%, from $27 billion in early 2024 to $11…

Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, is grappling with a major operational and financial disruption after its lessor, SmartLynx Airlines, abruptly withdrew several aircraft, triggering nationwide flight delays and cancellations. The airline estimates the loss at approximately $15 million, highlighting vulnerabilities in aircraft leasing arrangements that could ripple across the country’s aviation sector. The dispute centers on four aircraft Air Peace had wet-leased from SmartLynx. According to the airline, SmartLynx collected over $5 million, including a security deposit, but failed to honour contractual obligations, allegedly leaving Air Peace without the planes while the actual owners were in default. Three aircraft have…

Lagos, Nigeria — Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed plans to expand his flagship refinery in Lagos from 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.4 million bpd, a move that would make it one of the largest single-site refineries in the world. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Dangote described the expansion as a strategic step to boost Nigeria’s energy independence and strengthen the country’s industrial base. The project aligns with Nigeria’s broader economic goals of reducing fuel imports and fostering local manufacturing. The expansion is expected to cost approximately $5 billion, with Dangote outlining plans to list…

Nairobi, November 2025 Safaricom says it has reduced cyber incidents among its enterprise customers by nearly 90 percent, a milestone the Kenyan telco attributes to a more proactive and sophisticated security strategy. The announcement came during Safaricom’s Cybersecurity Summit 2025, an event that brought together government officials, industry leaders, and regulatory bodies to discuss the rapidly intensifying threat landscape in the country. The reduction comes against a backdrop of increasing cyber threats in Kenya. Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya shows that in the second quarter of 2025 alone, the country faced 4.6 billion cyber threat events ranging from…