Harvard Business Review: Now's the Time to Invest in Africa

Over the years many misguided pronouncements have touted the improved economic prospects of Africa, home to a large proportion of the world’s billion poorest people. The late 1990s even saw a slight economic resurgence, dubbed an “African renaissance,” but it fizzled, and a gloomy view of the continent as too unstable for investment other than in mining and oil seemed to settle over corporate boardrooms. read more...

U.S News & World Report: 12 Reasons to Invest in Africa

'Ground-floor opportunity.' Seruma says many investors have already missed what he calls a "ground-floor opportunity" in Africa. For the decade ending Dec. 31, 2009, an African composite index made up of eight countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt, returned about 14 percent annualized. South Africa alone returned an average of 13 percent per year over that period. Compare that with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, which returned about 7 percent annualized, or the S&P 500, which lost about 3 percent over the same time period. He compares the risk versus return ratio in Africa today with emerging markets like China, India, and Brazil in the late 1900s—meaning that investors who enter a new high-growth market first reap the highest returns over time because they're willing to take on more risk. read more...

Africa prospects lure investors, but is it ready?

On the Goldman Sachs' growth-environment index, which measures a mixture of economic and social development indicators, Nigeria's score has nearly doubled over the past decade.

"If it were to show the same increase in its growth-environment score over the next decade, many investors will look back and say why the hell didn't I invest in Nigeria," said Goldman Sachs' global head of economic research Jim O'Neill, who coined the term BRICs. read more

McKinsey Quaterly: Doing Business in Africa

McKinsey Quarterly is in the third of a four-week series on the future of Africa. This week's series cover Doing Business in Africa. Africa topics page

Below are the titles including short descriptions of each of the articles:

Making the most of Chinese aid to Africa

It’s time to move beyond sterile arguments and accept China’s role in Africa. But it’s also time for China to enhance that role. more

The China–Africa business connection: An interview with the CEO of Standard Bank

Jacko Maree describes his experiences working with a Chinese investor—the giant Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. more

The case for investing in Africa

The continent is now growing much more rapidly than the OECD nations. It may well be on the cusp of a reversal of fortunes. more

Assessing Africa’s business future: An interview with the CEO of Absa

The CEO of one of South Africa’s largest financial-services companies discusses the state of business in Africa. [includes related video interview] . more

Capturing Africa’s business opportunity

In the aftermath of the global crisis, Africa no longer seems uniquely risky. The opportunities are huge. more

Toward a well-governed Africa

A democratic, prosperous, and peaceful Africa is now within sight. more

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