Latest news with #AfricanCities
Zawya
07-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Why Africa needs a homegrown investment platform?
Africa is home to arguably the world's youngest and fastest-growing population, with a burgeoning middle class eager to build wealth and secure their financial futures. Yet despite this enormous potential, millions of Africans have been locked out of global investment opportunities by barriers that seem almost designed to exclude them. The time has come for this to change. Africa doesn't just need better access to investment platforms – it needs platforms built by Africans, for Africans. The Investment Paradox Walk through any major African city today and you'll find ambitious entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, and forward-thinking individuals who understand the importance of investing. They recognise that building wealth requires more than just saving money in local bank accounts, especially when their currencies fluctuate against the dollar. But when these same individuals try to invest in global markets, they seem to hit wall after wall. Traditional international platforms typically demand high minimum investments – often thousands of dollars just to get started. The registration processes are often complex and time-consuming, and not designed to suit Africans' needs, with many foreign platforms viewing African investors as an afterthought, offering limited customer support during African business hours. Why Homegrown Solutions Matter This is precisely why Africa needs investment platforms built from the ground up to serve African investors. Companies like Bamboo have spent years understanding the continent's unique challenges, designing platforms specifically to address them. Every African country has its own financial regulations, tax requirements, and compliance standards. A platform built in American, Europe, or the UK simply cannot navigate these complexities with the same expertise as one developed by people who live and work within these systems every day. Bamboo has invested heavily in complying with local regulations governing the provision of financial services in countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana. Breaking Down the Barriers The beauty of fractional investing lies in its simplicity. Instead of needing thousands of rands to buy a single share, investors can start with as little as R150 and purchase a fraction of that share. This has been useful in helping transform investing from an exclusive club into an accessible opportunity for anyone with the ambition to build wealth. Platforms like Bamboo now provide access to over 3,000 US-listed stocks, representing more than US$21 trillion in market capitalisation. The numbers demonstrate pent-up demand – Bamboo has grown to over 500,000 registered users across Africa, proving that when you remove the barriers, Africans are more than ready to invest. Education and Security Access alone isn't enough. Successful African platforms prioritise education, offering comprehensive resources and investment guidance designed for first-time investors. This educational approach has the potential to empower individual investors while building a culture of investment literacy across the continent. Trust is everything in financial services. Leading platforms implement bank-level encryption, two-factor authentication, and comprehensive investor protection schemes. 'We recognised early on that African investors needed more than just access to global markets – they needed a platform that truly understood their needs, their regulatory environment, and their economic realities,' says Yanmo Omorogbe, CFA, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Bamboo. 'Building trust through security and compliance isn't just good business practice – it's essential for transforming how Africans participate in global wealth creation. When we exceed traditional banking security standards and ensure full regulatory compliance, we're not just protecting individual investments; we're building the foundation for Africa's financial future.' Users' trading accounts are held by a registered broker dealer with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in the United States and a member of SIPC which provides protection for trading accounts of up to US$500,000. The Economic Impact When Africans invest in global markets through homegrown platforms, the benefits extend far beyond individual wealth creation. This helps build financial infrastructure that keeps capital flowing through African economies while connecting the continent to global growth opportunities. Every successful African investor becomes a testament to the continent's potential. This isn't just about individual success stories – it's about transforming Africa's relationship with global capital markets. Looking Forward Africa's investment revolution is just beginning. The goal isn't to replace international investment options but to provide Africans with platforms that truly serve their needs. For too long, Africans have been observers of global wealth creation rather than participants. Homegrown investment platforms are changing that narrative, one investor at a time. The question isn't whether Africa needs better investment platforms – it's how quickly they can be built and how many lives can be transformed in the process.
Zawya
25-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa's hospitality boom: Are we building fast enough?
Africa's hospitality sector is booming — but is development keeping up with demand? That was the key question tackled by a panel of industry leaders at the Future Hospitality Summit Africa 2025, held from 17 to 19 June at The Westin Cape Town. Moderated by Ninon Lamothe, Africa Director at Voltere by Egis, the session Africa's Hospitality Boom: Is the Sector Growing Fast Enough to Meet Rising Demand? brought together Bani Haddad (founder and MD, Aleph Hospitality), Esteban Lozada (MD development North & West Africa, Hilton), Wytze van den Berg (VP EMEA, BWH Hotels) and Artur Gerber (CEO, TUI Blue Hotels & Resorts) to unpack the opportunities and challenges facing hotel growth on the continent. The discussion focused on the demand-supply gap in African hospitality markets, what kind of hotel developments make sense, and where the growth opportunities are. Is demand outpacing supply? "There's a lot of demand in Africa. I'm not sure if it's too much," says Wytze van den Berg. "But what we know is that by 2050, Africa will have 2.5 billion people. That's 30% of the planet's population — and you need more hotels for that." BWH Hotels is focusing on upgrading older hotels across African cities into modern three- and four-star properties. "Conversions are going much quicker than greenfield projects," he says, adding that many legacy hotels in Africa are being bought, renovated, and repositioned to better meet market demand. Bani Haddad agrees demand is real, but highly localised. 'Africa is a massive continent, not just in population but in diversity. There are cities where supply isn't coping with demand, and others where there's clearly no need for more rooms,' he says. 'You can't keep building upscale in Nairobi, for example. A long-stay, midscale product might make more sense now. We're not seeing enough lifestyle hotels either — and there's definitely a market for that." International and domestic drivers of demand Esteban Lozada outlines Hilton's dual approach to meeting both international and domestic demand. 'Africa has some fantastic leisure experiences, strategic business hubs, and ambitious tourism policies. In Ghana and Angola, for example, there's been a push for visa-free entry to boost tourism.' On the domestic side, he points to demographics. 'Sixty percent of Africa's population is under 25. In 10 years, more people will be entering the workforce in Africa than in the rest of the world combined. That means more purchasing power, a growing middle class, and rising local travel demand.' Lozada says Hilton plans to open 100 more hotels across Africa in the coming years, creating 18,000 jobs. TUI's long-term approach Artur Gerber highlights TUI's long history in Africa, particularly in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and now Zanzibar. "We're not only an operator — we're also an owner. So we're invested in the long term," he says. TUI's strategy focuses on creating clusters in each region, combining different hotel brands in one area. 'We've done it in Cape Verde — we opened one hotel 30 years ago and now there are 10–15 direct flights from Europe daily. We're doing the same in Senegal. That ecosystem approach works.' He adds that Africa's people are part of the draw. "If you ask guests what they remember most, it's not just the weather or food — it's that they felt welcome. That's what sets African hospitality apart." Development challenges remain Despite the optimism, panellists acknowledge the real roadblocks. "The number one issue is access to capital,' says Haddad. 'And even when you secure funding, getting the hotel open is another story. There's often a resistance to bringing in professional project teams early on. That lack of planning slows everything down." Gerber adds that supply chain issues and energy infrastructure are also major concerns. "We face cost increases, but we're still trying to install sustainable solutions — solar, water saving, waste management. These things cost more upfront, but they're necessary." He says operating hotels requires skilled staff, and training local teams has become a top priority for TUI. "We're rotating talent across our hotels in Africa and Europe. That knowledge exchange is part of our long-term investment." Key growth markets to watch According to panellists, the markets showing the most promise right now include: • Morocco and Egypt (Hilton and TUI both expanding) • Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria (West Africa remains strong) • Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania (East Africa development pipeline) • Angola (Hilton announced three new hotels) • Uganda (BWH bringing in its WorldHotels brand) Haddad also announced Aleph's takeover of 26 hotels under the Onomo brand, totalling 3,400 keys — and says Aleph is setting up a luxury division to manage its growing high-end portfolio. While the sector is expanding and operators are innovating to meet demand, challenges around capital, planning, and infrastructure mean the pace of development still struggles to fully keep up with the continent's rapid growth. "This continent is full of lifestyle, energy and vibe — it's underserved, but it's ready," he says. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Al Bawaba
27-05-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Hedera Africa Hackathon Launches with $1M Prize Pool to Accelerate Africa's Digital Future
The Hashgraph Association, a Swiss non-profit organisation driving global adoption of Hedera-powered solutions by funding innovation, training, certification, and venture building programs, in collaboration with Exponential Science Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation accelerating responsible tech adoption, via research, education, and innovation activities, today announces the launch of the Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 to enable the next generation of Web developers and empower economic inclusion in Africa with a digital future for biggest Web3 Hackathon initiative combines online participation with onsite events in over 20 African cities, with a goal of attracting over 10,000 participants across more than 15 countries on the African continent. Developers, students, and entrepreneurs are invited to collaborate to build decentralized solutions on Hedera across industries such as Finance, Healthcare, Telecoms, Sustainability, Agriculture, and Manufacturing, while leveraging the convergence of other deep technologies such as AI, IoT, Robotics, and Quantum Computing, with a prize pool of more than $1 million on offer for the winning teams and global participation officially open from August 1 to September 30, 2025, the hackathon tasks applicants to develop blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT)-based, scalable solutions tailored to the continent's most urgent challenges and needs. All solutions will be built on the Hedera network - the world's most energy-efficient and cost-effective DLT, which offers cost predictability, the highest levels of security, and the ability to support reliable, scalable, and enterprise-grade having secured the backing and participation of more than 50 global and regional partners to be announced over the next few weeks, as well as over 100 universities and tech hubs, the hackathon is designed to be the largest of its kind on the African continent. The event will offer extensive technical education, certification, and hands-on support from Hedera-Certified engineers, with hacking stations to be established in cities such as Lagos, Cairo, Nairobi, Kinshasa, Cape Town, Casablanca, and Tunis for in-person collaboration, alongside a fully virtual Hackathon track accessible worldwide.'Africa is home to one of the youngest, most enthusiastic and dynamic tech communities in the world; its future will depend on digitization,' said Kamal Youssefi, President of The Hashgraph Association. 'By equipping developers and entrepreneurs with Web3 skills and next generation toolkits, we're not just solving today's problems, we're shaping the future of decentralized innovation in one of the world's most significant growth markets, fostering a digital future for all through financial, identity, and communication inclusion.'The hackathon aims to catalyze continuous innovation across four key tracks: On-Chain Finance and Real-World Asset (RWA) Tokenisation; ESG Sustainability and Traceability; Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and AI; and Gaming, Metaverse, & of all skill levels and backgrounds are encouraged to participate — no prior blockchain experience is required. Extensive training resources will be provided through the Hedera Academy, with access to a thriving developer Hashgraph Association and the Exponential Science Foundation will be carrying out awareness and training campaigns to prepare participants for the hackathon before the official start date on August 1st 2025.'Initiatives such as the Hedera Africa Hackathon encourage the next generation of tech builders, researchers, and entrepreneurs. As well as driving blockchain education and innovation within a continent that is showing incredible growth potential. We encourage anyone with an interest in blockchain technology to sign up and start developing the next wave of practical solutions across multiple industries to gain valuable experience and a chance to claim the prize pool. Our hope is that participants will go on to launch their own ventures and share their learnings,' said Paolo Tasca, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Exponential Science Foundation. The Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 is operated and supported by a strong network of partners, under the experienced leadership of DAR Blockchain, a Tunisian-based Web3 Hub that has been operating in the Web3 industry since 2017. DAR Blockchain plays a significant role in magnifying the impact of this hackathon initiative across the continent and builds on THA's previous efforts to support blockchain innovation in Africa.
