Africa - The New Frontier

When I first started working in Africa I have to admit I struggled placing many of the countries on a map. Although I studied Geography at University and have always had a keen interest in travel, I like to think I can be partially excused due to the sheer geographical scale of the continent. Did you know that if you took the USA, China, India, Japan and all of Europe and slotted them into the landmass of Africa they would all fit! There are 54 countries in Africa and they are all different in some way; as an example there are over 2,000 languages spoken across this vast continent. No wonder I used to struggle pinpointing the location of a country like Gabon.

In order to be successful in Africa, brands need to be careful not to take a broad brush approach to the continent and treat Africa as one homogeneous country. There are masses of business opportunities across Africa but also many obstacles that will undoubtedly get in the way. Prioritisation is therefore essential and a good start point is to use this four Ps framework.

Place - which countries offer the most opportunity?

Portfolio - what does your portfolio look like in each market? Do you need specific pack sizes/labelling etc?

Processes - what processes do you need to put in place to remove risks and ensure a smooth supply of product to your customers and consumers?

People - how do you build knowledge and expertise about consumers and how best to operate in your chosen markets?

There is no doubt that there are countries in Africa that are the new frontier for many businesses and brands. If you are one one of these and would like to chat about what the Africa opportunity looks like for you please do not hesitate to get in touch.