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South African Microfinance Institution (MFI) Blue Financial Services and Nigeria’s Intercontinental Bank to Launch $25.9m Microfinance Bank
Blue Financial Services (BFS), a South African microfinance institution (MFI), and Intercontinental Bank Plc, Nigeria’s largest commercial and retail bank by assets, are collaborating to launch a Nigerian microfinance bank capitalized at NGN 3 billion (USD 25.9 million), the largest such institution in the country.
Regional Economic Communities in Africa
Regional economic integration has a long history in Africa. The South African Customs Union (SACU) was established in 1910 while the East African Community (EAC) was set up in 1919. The East African Community collapsed in 1987 but is now being actively revived. Currently there are 14 regional economic communities in Africa.
New cable to connect eastern Africa
NEPAD pushes for cheaper, faster telecommunications
Shining Star-the Africa Report
I recently caught another episode of the Africa Report , which appeared on The Africa Channel. The show was so good that I decided to share with you some general feedback.
Privatisation: A Challenge for Sub-Saharan Africa
Thirty-eight sub-Saharan African countries have implemented privatisation programmes, following the mid-1980s pattern in the OECD countries: privatisations of small and medium-sized enterprises in the early 1990s; and larger enterprises, including, companies in the utilities sector, by the mid-1990s.
2.4 Growth prospects for 2007 and the medium-term outlook: Economic Report on Africa 2007
Africa is expected to grow at a rate of 5.8 per cent in 2007, slightly higher than the rate recorded in 2006 (5.7 per cent) (figure 2.8). Positive growth rates are projected for all subregions led by North Africa (6.6 per cent), East Africa (6.0 per cent), Southern Africa (5.4 per cent), West Africa (4.9 per cent) and Central Africa (3.5 per cent).
2.2 Sectoral performance I: Economic Report on Africa 2007
African economies are experiencing a structural shift whereby the service sector is becoming an important driver of growth. In 2004, the service sector contributed 49 per cent of GDP growth compared to 36 per cent for industry (including mining and quarrying) and 15 per cent for agriculture. In 2004, all three sectors continued to grow, albeit at relatively low rates. The industrial sector had the highest growth rate at 9.05 per cent, although growth in the manufacturing sector fell by almost 3.8 per cent compared to 2003. Developments within each sector and for each subregion are discussed in more detail below.
2.1 Growth performance II: Economic Report on Africa 2007
Subregional growth performance varies substantially

Other Southern Africa Related Articles

What's your Africa strategy?
Many of us can agree that today, Africa plays a major role in the development of the global economy. The magazine covers and celebrity reports are a small part of how Africa has become a major player. A large part of my consulting work has to do with helping organizations develop an Africa-related strategy which both addresses the customer’s demands AND provides opportunities for Africans. Whether yours is a foreign or Africa-based company, today you MUST have a strategy which communicates your companies position on the Africa-related issues emerging daily.

Wall Street, “Africa is Investing’s Final Frontier”
I came across an interesting article in Canada’s Globe & Mail entitled, “Africa - Investing’s Final Frontier?“. The piece talks about how Africa has been overlooked, primarily due to the perceived risks associated with putting money into play in Africa. They quote extensively from Merrill Lynch chief investment strategist Richard Bernstein and his thoughts on what makes Africa a potential big hit in the coming years.
7 Lessons from Africa’s Successful Entrepreneurs?
So far The Benin Epilogue has attempted to tackle several different issues. Key among them have been: Building awareness about the entrepreneurs behind a few of Africa’s most thriving enterprises Helping to illustrate why foreign firms should do more foreign direct investment in Africa Attempting to showcase the diversity that exists in Africa’s business environment One of the topics which we have not touched on yet, here, is what can a entrepreneur in Africa do to find success?

2.4 Growth prospects for 2007 and the medium-term outlook: Economic Report on Africa 2007
Africa is expected to grow at a rate of 5.8 per cent in 2007, slightly higher than the rate recorded in 2006 (5.7 per cent) (figure 2.8). Positive growth rates are projected for all subregions led by North Africa (6.6 per cent), East Africa (6.0 per cent), Southern Africa (5.4 per cent), West Africa (4.9 per cent) and Central Africa (3.5 per cent).
Is the United States of Africa already here?
The proposal to officially create a United States of Africa may not have come at a better time than now when international trade is dictating the pace of development thanks to technological innovation. You may not have noticed but recent trends indicate that the United States of Africa is already here. Through various communication technologies, Africa has transformed into a large business unit.

Blogging Africa into the 21st Century
Discussion on Africa’s development is taking a new dimension. Bloggers have joined this debate and are employing new ways to initiate dialogue about Africa’s development round the world. The latest craze that seeks to use technology to push Africa into the 21st Century is the Carnival of Africa Enterprising. This is basically a traveling web magazine or blog that discusses business in Africa.
Outsourcing Business Processes to Africa
For those of you who have not known me long, you may not have known me long-but you do know that I am crazy about letting others know why they should be doing business in Africa. But people are imperfect, as I wholeheartedly admit that I am an example of human imperfection. It has occurred to me that sometimes in my zest for talking about Africa’s business environments, I may tend to speak in a very general sense. But maybe if you have been on the receiving end of such a conversation, and you have said to yourself-”what type of business in Africa?” or “Africa, I thought that people only go there to help the needy”.
IFC and Microfinance in Africa: Building Strong Commercial Institutions
The International Finance Corporation (IFC)-the private sector arm of the World Bank Group-has $4 billion invested in various kinds of financial institutions in 88 countries: including banks, leasing companies, credit rating agencies, and pension funds. IFC also has $256 million invested in 56 microfinance institutions in 38 countries, reaching more than 1.3 million clients. Institutions in Southern Europe, Central Asia, and Latin America currently comprise the lion's share of this portfolio, but Africa is a growing emphasis as well.

Introduction - Abstract - Factors Impeding the Poverty Reduction Capacity of Micro-credit: Some Field Observations from Malawi and Ethiopia
Poverty reduction has been identified as the overarching long term goal for most of the development interventions in Africa, and more recently crystallised in the Millennium Development Goals and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). In Africa, more than 40% of its 750 million people live below the internationally recognized poverty line of $1 a day, and the evidence is even more worrying for sub-saharan Africa.
Solid Growth in Sight, but There Are Risks
Solid growth is expected to continue in 2005 and 2006 – although at a slightly lower rate of 4.7 per cent in 2005 as the effect of new Central African oil fields ends. West Africa is expected to recover in 2005 and 2006, while the trend of positive growth in Eastern Africa and Southern Africa will continue over the next two years, reflecting rising oil production in Angola and improved performance in South Africa. This positive outlook is however highly dependent on the continuous expansion of the global economy, an overall easing of regional conflicts, and favourable weather conditions.
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