Africa has to rise up and take its place in the world.

Farming could offer the  best chance for Africa's development

Africa is perennially depicted as a place of war, disease, and poverty. It is a continent in constant need of help. To this end, international donors have often viewed Africa as that child in the family who always needs to be helped. Africa only comes to the international agenda when it is in crisis mode. How then can we make the continent move from the periphery of world affairs, and into the center, where it becomes part and parcel of the global conversation?
Africa is rich in mineral resources. It is rich in almost everything that could make a place prosperous, and yet, it is the poorest continent in the world. Picture for example a country like DR Congo, the world's poster child for poverty in the midst of plenty. The country has lots of diamond, copper, uranium, coltan, and many other minerals that you can think of. The mineral coltan is especially important as its used in the making of mobile phones. It has helped in the information revolution of the current generation, and yet, the Congolese citizens themselves cannot afford the mobile phones, tablets, and computers that make the information revolution worthwhile. Let's not even mention The Congo Forest, and the rich agricultural lands in the country. Clearly, this country, the size of Western Europe, should have been at the front seat of development, yet it remains one of the poorest countries in the world.

The continent's young perhaps then offer the best chance for the continent to develop. They are unshackled by the legacies of colonialism, and they are more exposed and outward looking. The continent's young are more educated. According to many publicized reports, the number of college and university graduates in Africa is about 5 million every year. This number is comparable to the Indian and Chinese University graduates. If these young Africans can be equipped with the requisite skills, then they can be innovative, and help to create world beating companies.

For Africa then, the continent should make it easier for people to start businesses. Currently, there are too many licenses that are required to start businesses, and there are too many obstacles that many an African entrepreneur usually faces before they launch their businesses. For one, these entrepreneurs are usually harassed even more than the foreign multinationals.

In that respect then, even as business people create more wealth, corruption levels have to come down. There is a lot of capital flight from Africa, and this doesn't do the continent any justice. It is saddening that this corruption is carried out with the aid of Westerners, further confining Africa to a sea of poverty. In addition to corruption, it must be noted that the continent is still unstable. This is largely as a result of the failure of leadership. In fact, it could be that everything in Africa, as elsewhere in the world, rises and falls on leadership. The correct leadership will enable African democracies to become stable and to flourish, and in the process, create a rich and prosperous continent that will be welcomed to the league of nations as an equal and capable player.

How to make farming count in Africa.

Africa is the second fastest growth region in the world. It is home to six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world. And yet, while the continent is growing at unprecedented rates, there are still key areas that must be dealt with. Even though the continent is experiencing a boom in telecommunications and related services, the best chance for the continent to develop is in agriculture. The continent must ensure that farming practices in the rural areas are enhanced, and small holder farmers have access to the same information as the commercial farmers. Usually, farming has been viewed more as a pastime, and it is time that the continent's farmers thought of agriculture as a form of business.

For farming then to take effect, the issue of land has to be looked at keenly. Land is a sensitive issue in Africa, and it has often led to conflicts. For instance, one of the thorny issues in the Kenyan election violence seven years ago was the issue of land. What's more, title deeds sometimes are meaningless, meaning that farmers can be chased out of their lands at any moment. A culture for respect of property rights has to be
cultivated. What's more, more land is being gobbled up by real estate, especially land that is adjacent to Africa's major cities. Too often, there is easy money to be made in real estate, and many land owners are abandoning farming for real estate. In this regard, it's also time that we made farming to be cool among the young people. The average age of an African farmer is more than 50 years, and this needs to drop if the continent is to expand its farming sector.

In retrospect, it is important that we increase the number of agricultural training officers who will disperse the best farming knowledge to the farmers. This will help farmers adopt the absolute best practice and this will lead to more harvests. Crucially, it is important that we help farmers find the right market for their produce. Currently, many farmers suffer as middlemen take out their produce, and do not compensate them adequately. Coupled with high quality seeds, and constant research into the best farming practices, this should see more farmers increase their incomes, and hopefully, make Africa food secure and prosperous.

Why Entrepreneurs are the future of Africa.

It is important that we realise that politicians alone will not propel the continent forward. In fact, politicians are often the stumbling block to many an entrepreneur, what with the endless demands of bribes and other forms of extortion. Africa's entrepreneurs will be the new wealth creators, and in the process of building their wealth, they will create clean, decent, and rewarding jobs, jobs that Africa's youth desperately need. But for us to encourage an entrepreneurship culture, we will have to make sure that we provide these budding entrepreneurs with the right environment for doing their businesses, avail to them capital, and most of all, ensure that they can be mentored so that their businesses can grow to the next stage. And we do not just
need any sort of businesses, but rather the high growth businesses that will ensure that untold amounts of wealth are created. We don't want to promote too many businesses which are tinkering on failure, but rather have a few successful ones.

Making African Education Count.

Are young African graduates pursuing the careers that would impact the continent in innumerable ways? Which courses do Africa's young need to study in college and universities in order to impact the continent? Africa does not have a shortage of educated people. What it lacks are skilled, passionate, and educated people that will be able to put their ideas to work to realize a better and meaningful life for Africans.

How come the Africans who study abroad go to the same classes with the world's best and brightest and when they come back home, they are subsumed by the very system that they sought to change? Issues such as nepotism and tribalism are rife even among the educated elite in Africa. Is it that our education systems are failing? Or are the values and skills needed to excel in the 21st century simply not taught in our schools. If we
are to make Africa claim the 21st century, then we will have to ensure that we address the value of education that is taught to Africa's young. For example, why is it that the elite take their children to private schools, while the poor have to do with public schools. It's a paradox that even teachers in public schools take their kids to private schools, meaning that they don't believe in the very system that they are in.
Crucially, we have to ensure that Africa's best and brightest are also attracted to the teaching profession. In countries such as South Korea, the best students usually end up as teachers, and teachers are paid some of the highest salaries in the world. We must not leave teaching to be a fall back career, but rather, be a career that is first among equals. That is the only way that Africa's young will be imparted with the right knowledge and skills, and most importantly, with values that will help them compete well in the 21st century, and ultimately, impact Africa in innumerable ways.

The Future of Media in Africa.

The media landscape in Africa is changing in great ways. The print, broadcast, and online platforms are rapidly converging, and this will present serious challenges to the future of media in Africa. To start with, not many countries have safeguarded media freedoms. For example, the world continues to appeal to the Egyptian authorities to release the jailed Al-Jazeera Journalists. The media freedoms in countries such as Ethiopia is also pretty low, and the country in the last few years has jailed dozens of journalists who were opposed to the government. Eritrea and Djibouti are also not high up on the ranking of press freedom in Africa.

However, a new challenge is emerging in that the media freedoms will not be curtailed by the government, but rather by advertisers. The threat from advertisers is pretty real, as the lifeblood of any media house is advertising. In this sense then, public broadcasters could be of great help. Unshackled by the need to

Africa's worst enemies are its Leaders.

For me, everything boils down to leadership. Have African leaders offered the best form of leadership? I don't think so. Many are extending their term in office. Look at the recent riots in DR Congo in which the President wants to extend his stay in office? Up and until we can fix the leadership situation in Africa is when the continent will begin developing in earnest. Let's create a democracy, and build institutions that withstand the test of time. That is the only way we can hope to lift the masses out of poverty, and stop blaming outsiders for Africa's predicament.

Sickle-Education Panacea

A healthy nation they say is a wealthy Nation. The prevalence of diseases in Africa is an obvious factor that has stunted its economic growth for decades.   An example is the prevalence of sickle cell diseases on the African continent.  Sickle cell disorder is by far the commonest inherited disorder in the world and three quarters of cases occur in Africa. It is estimated that the Sickle Cell Disease affects 90,000 to 100,000 Americans, occurs among about 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanic-American births, while SCD occurs among about 1 out of every 500 Black or African-American births. In Nigeria, where it affects two out of every hundred children born, it causes suffering for innumerable patients and their families. Statistics revealed that about 68% of children die at age 0 – 3years and due to delicate nature of the male child, many male child die between this stage while four out of every five survival tends to be a female child, thus, making girls and women major sufferers of the sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disorder is an inherited haemoglobin disorder comprising sickle cell anaemia (Hb SS) and some less prevalent but related conditions such as sickle haemoglobin C disorder (Hb SC) and sickle beta thalassaemia (Hb SBthal). The genes for these conditions arose by mutation but proliferated in

How Best to Develop Talent in Africa.

How can we promote talents of African youth? Our education system is geared too much towards academics, and we don't support the development of the arts. It is important that talent identification start early on if we hope to grow faster. While academics is no doubt important, it is even more important that we align each students needs with the areas where they are most gifted in. While a musician such as Alicia Keys starts practicing piano at the age of 4, African talented kids wait till they have finished high school or university before they can start utilising their talents. As African football stars have shown us, there is indeed great money to be made in supporting extra curricular activities. For instance, a player such as Ivory Coasts yaya Toure makes more money than is enough to run his local league, all thanks to his talents in football that see him ply his trade in Manchester City, England.

Then there is a story of a Malawian teenager, William Kamkwamba, who helped develop a wind turbine after lacking school fees to go to high school. Luckily, his story was picked up by the Malawian press, and he was admitted to the African leadership Academy- ALA, from where he went to Dartmouth College. As I

What's the Agenda for Africa in Davos.

Africa is growing in leaps and bounds. What exactly should set the agenda for Africa in Davos? At Africa Shine, here are the issues we believe should be covered at Davos in regards to Africa.

1. Stability and Democracy
Democracy is taking hold in Africa, but it needs to be strengthened. There needs to be more peaceful elections and less military coups. In the last year alone, there were seven peaceful elections. However, there were also coups or near coups in several African countries. For instance, the coup in Burkina Faso and the near coup in The Gambia shaved off some of the light in regards to stability and democracy in Africa.

2. Business and Economic Growth.
The environment for business in Africa needs to be improved. In the World Bank ease of doing business index, many countries in Africa do not rank as great places to do business. Only Mauritius, Botswana, and Rwanda rank high up in the list, and admittedly, many countries must do more to improve the climate of

Nine Steps to Make Africa Food Secure.

By Koffi Annan.
Leaders meeting in Davos this week are confronted with some critical challenges. One of them is how to realise the bright prospects of African agriculture.

Investment in this sector has doubled in the past decade as governments recognise the crucial importance of agriculture to the well-being of the people, social stability, and economic growth.

Yet for all the progress in recent years, hunger remains widespread and Africa is the only continent which cannot feed itself.

It is hard to understand how the continent, with 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, still

5 Investment Opportunities that will create African millionaires in 2015.

There are many business and investment opportunities in Africa. The opportunities are limitless, literally. However, at Africa Shine, we believe that you could create opportunities in these five broad areas. In no particular order, these goldmine areas are:

1. Media and Content
The search for informative and entertaining content is on, and whoever will provide us with content that is vital, even entertaining will reap in big. The media and film industry, as well as all the content development people will thus set to reap in big.

2. Agribusiness
Food will be the new gold in this century. If you are a farmer, it is that time to think of farming as a form of business, and you will reap big. Food prices are increasing as food sources become scarce. What's more, consumers are paying more attention to the quality of food, and farmers that practice the highest quality of

How to select a Career

Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions we'll ever make in our lives. After all, its what we'll spend our adult lives doing. So, how exactly should you choose a career that is best for you? First of all, you should choose a career that is according to your passions. This is what you love doing, and are talented in it. Secondly, you should choose a career according to your abilities. Even if you are passionate about something, but are not talented in it, then your efforts will amount to naught. Thirdly, you should choose a career based on the job market demand. Or put simply, how marketable is that profession. So, in a way, a great career should be an intersection of your talents, your passions, and the job market demand.

African Business Leaders are Failing Africa

Despite the gloomy news about Africa in the international media, the fact is that the continent is experiencing growth, and businesses are reaping big, never mind some instabilities in some places. The African stock markets and exchanges are giving more returns to their shareholders, and generally, the business climate is improving. Companies, especially consumer goods companies, minerals and oil companies, banks and financial services firms, and telecommunication companies are making huge sums of money in the continent. These companies are driving the growth story of Africa. They are the reason behind the 'Africa Rising Narrative', and are one of the reasons why Africa is home to six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world.

African CEOs and business leaders could shape the destiny of the continent in many ways. They are the ones

How Presidential Term Limits can Promote Democracy in Africa.

In the 1980s and 1990s, something profound happened in many African countries. It is that the winds of democracy blew across the African continent. These winds would result in some resistance from Africa's ruling elite, but eventually, the winds could not be extinguished. Several African countries embarked on a process of changing their constitutions, so that this new democratic ideal could be accommodated. Some African countries were unstable as a result, but many others went on to build resilient democracies and economies in the process. In some countries such as Zambia, the ruling party was dislodged from office.

Are African schools training the next generation of leaders?

Are African schools training the next generation of leaders in an adequate way. The problem of Africa is not poverty, nor is it the lack of resources. It is simply a lack of leadership. Leadership around the continent is woefully lacking, which is why we often dread when an African country is going to hold an election. Granted, elections alone are not a determinant of whether a country has a strong leadership culture. In that respect then, how well are African schools and universities preparing the current students to be able to take up leadership positions in future?

To train the next generation of leaders, African schools and universities must create a curriculum that nurtures leadership training and one that will ensure that the future African leaders can contribute meaningfully to the continent's growth. We could look at two examples of schools that are already setting the trend of training the next generation of African leaders. At the South Africa based African leadership Academy (ALA), the

Africa's middle class: The real engine of growth for the continent.

There are wide disparities on the real meaning of the 'African middle class'. According to a Mckinsey report, the number of middle class in Africa could be 200 million. However, others disagree and put this number at just 20 million. So, we really have some interesting statistics here. The real meaning of the middle class also differs. For example, the happy go lucky trader that imports goods from China may have very different characteristics from the educated elite who holds a powerful corporate job.
However much we disagree on the real number and meaning of the middle class in Africa, the fact is that the number is growing. Nowhere is this being felt than in the consumer economy of Africa. According to another

What African Countries can Learn from the United States

African leaders are turning to China, believing that China is the new kid on the block. However, there are plenty of lessons that African leaders can learn from the United States. I'm not saying that the United States is perfect, for it is a country that too has its own weaknesses. However, by and large, it has provided a model upon which the rest of the world can learn from, and no wonder the world's best and brightest all dream of going to the United States one day.

The first lesson that African leaders can learn from the United States is that democracy doesn't have to be at the expense of economic growth. Too often, we have seen that in African countries its as if it is a choice of one or the other. Both democracy and economic growth go hand in hand. True, some countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia have prioritised economic growth over democracy, or Tanzania has prioritised democracy over economic growth. However, the United States shows that a big democracy can also be the world's superpower when it comes economic growth. Think about all the opposing forces in the United

For Young Africans, a Career in Football is Becoming Attractive.

The African cup of nations got underway a few days ago. This is the season when African teams compete for the ultimate continental glory. However, how can African teams perform better and become champions in the global stage. There is no doubt that there is plenty of soccer talent in Africa. One need only look at the English Premier League, or La Lige, Bundesliga, and Seria A to realise the breadth of talent in the continent. However, this talent hasn't translated to trophies for African teams. How can African teams improve their quality of soccer?

One, talent development from a very early age has to be looked into. We must endeavor to identify the best African brains from early on, give them the necessary support, and see them develop in every possible way. While there is no doubt a number of African countries that have talent academies, the number is not enough. What's more, the talent academies are run mostly by foreign agents, who go on to make tonnes of money in the process. Tied to the establishment of talent academies is to ensure that there are enough structures to ensure that this young talent graduates up to the senior level. There have been disputes between the sports federations and the ministry of sports in various African countries, and this has led to a continuous lowering of the standards of soccer in the country.

Tied to this, the sports personalities must be paid well. Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast could make enough money to run his country's football federation, showing just how little players back home are paid. What if more Africa's rich could begin investing in soccer? Then we could have football clubs that are rich and able

For Africa to Develop, it Will Have to Abolish its Borders

It's a kind of paradox. Outsiders usually view Africa as one country. And yet, Africa is very divided, both within and without countries. The dream of African independence leaders to create one political federation has all but stumbled. These days, each African country is looking out for its own affairs. How then can unity in Africa be achieved. Is it really possible to have Africa speak with one voice. Ghana's founding President Kwame Nkrumah advocated for an immediate political federation, but he died a man of frustrations. His dreams did not go further. There were others such as Tanzania's Julius Nyerere who urged that there be a gradual integration of the various regions of Africa, before finally having a political federation that would unite all Africans.

Currently, unity is a hard sell. The continental body, the African Union(AU), has acted more as a talking shop than a genuine place where resolutions and action plans are generated. Moreover, it has acted as a forum where African Presidents cover each others backs. So, the continental body has evolved and become a unity of Africa's leaders, rather than being a unity of the African people. Forums such as the African Cup of

Pursuing The Power of the African Dream.

I have a simple question. America has the American dream, where citizens basically aspire to reach middle class status, and be financially well off. Its what has made the United States to become such a magnet for people all around in the world. In 2013, China launched the Chinese dream, in which the Chinese were urged to aspire for a higher status. Likewise, too, can Africans have something akin to the 'African dream'. I know Africa is not a country, and there are wide disparities within and without countries. So, each African country could have its own versions of the African dream. However, there are common themes such as human rights, access to basic and affordable healthcare and education, provision of clean, decent, and rewarding jobs, as well as being materially wealthy. In your own opinion, what can an 'African dream' consist of?

How to Increase African Universities Funding

 Many African universities are grappling with decreased funding from their governments. This has seen many African universities launch the self sponsored programs, but due to the competition for students this income stream too is becoming jeopardized. This has forced many African universities to look for income generating schemes that can supplement the fee paid by the universities. One such university that has expanded is Kenya's Moi University, located in the western town of Eldoret.

To realize its aims of economic self sufficiency, four mega agricultural projects will be launched soon under the Moi University development unit (MUDU). The projects dubbed MUDU flowers, MUDU Dairies, MUDU Fruits and MUDU Poultry will be undertaken with support of partners from an Israeli Consortium of businessmen with expertise in Agribusiness. This was

Here is how to Increase the Jobs in Africa

Africa's population is growing at unprecedented rates. If the current growth rates in population are sustained, then Africa will have the most number of people in the world by 2040. Equally, Africa is the youngest continent in the world, with an average age of just 19 years. Even if Africa is the second fastest growth region in the world, it is clear that this growth rate cannot keep up with the population growth. What's more, this growth is not leading to the creation of more jobs, but rather to the enrichment of a tiny elite, leading to what's known as 'jobless growth'. Due to this, the rate of unemployment is high, especially among the youth where it hovers at over 40 percent. How then can policy makers increase the number of jobs in Africa?

One aspect is to increase the number of high growth businesses. High growth businesses enable the creation of huge amounts of wealth, and in the process, lead to the creation of clean, decent, and rewarding jobs.

5 Reasons to be optimistic about Africa in 2015

Adapted from Business Report.

It is impossible not to have strong views when it comes to the debate on Africa’s rise: despite solid economic growth and progress in poverty alleviation, people’s views on the region’s outlook remain stubbornly polarised.

Let me state up front that I am cautiously optimistic that Africa is taking off. This year the World Economic Forum (WEF) is marking 25 years of change in Africa. Looking back, there is no denying that Africa has made remarkable progress over the past two decades. Here are five reasons why I am optimistic.

One, the regional economy has grown steadily since 2001 and continues to do so at a rate of about 5 percent a year. Its macroeconomic environment is sound with low government debt, rising domestic resource mobilisation and reduced inflation rates.

Two, the consumer market is rising in tandem with its growing population. In 2008, McKinsey estimated that African consumers spent $860 billion on goods and services, which was 35 percent more than the $635bn

African Universities Must Spur on Economic Growth

While the World Bank and other multilateral institutions were quick to point out that basic education is what Africa needed, consensus has emerged that higher education is just as important. In that regard, there has never been a better time for the continent's universities to spur on growth. Throughout the world, universities are proving to be the engine of growth, as new ideas churned out of universities  are being turned into innovations that are creating world beating companies. What Africa needs now is not a discovery of more raw materials and commodities- though no less important, but a pursuit of ideas that will propel the continent forward.

In that respect then, Africa needs a Harvard or an MIT to be able to attract the best and brightest students from the rest of the continent, and channel them to the best careers, from which they will be able to create companies. This will call for an innovative education system that will allow the best minds the freedom to flourish. Currently, Africa's best and brightest routinely head abroad to Western countries, where there are

Leadership is the single Biggest Failure for Africa.

Africa is blessed with lots of natural resources. There are lots of oil and commodities that are being discovered in Africa. For example, the whole East African coast is reputed to be rich in gas fields. Equally, the coast of Angola, known as the Kwanza basin, is reputed to be rich in oil reserves all the way to the coast of Brazil. Even as there are more mineral resources in Africa, the continent is also blessed with a human capital that is increasingly becoming assertive, and taking its rightful place in the world. According to the late great management guru Peter Drucker, ideas will be the new capital, and African countries that position themselves to increase their level of innovative human capital shall be at the forefront of economic growth and development.
The single biggest impediment for success then is not the lack of resources, but rather the lack of leadership in the continent. Effective leadership will ensure that the continent is on a path to sustained good governance

Countries in Africa must embrace their Diaspora

Over the past one or two decades, there have been many Africans that have left the continent to pursue greener pastures elsewhere. Some have left for good, while many continue to be engaged in the continent in various ways. The question has been on how to embrace this diaspora so that they can contribute meaningfully to Africa's development.

The African diaspora send in remittances that are used by their families back home for survival. However, the remittances go mostly to domestic consumption, rather than productive endeavors. Therefore, we must do more so that we can channel these remittances to productive endeavors. Equally important, according to the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), the cost of remittance to Africa is significantly high. The amounts that could have been saved from the remittances could have been used for development projects.

Equally important, we could encourage skills transfer to the home countries. The African diaspora have been exposed to how advanced economies work, and they have been inculcated with skills to know how the

Why The Africa Rising Narrative is Real.

In the past decade, the 'Africa Rising' narrative has gained a lot of credence. The narrative simply feeds onto the growing optimism about Africa, and the need to be optimistic about the continent in the light of the prevailing circumstances. In the last year, there were seven peaceful elections that were conducted in Africa. This simply means that the continent is strengthening its democratic ideals year after year. Consider also that six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa, and you get a sense that the economy of the continent is on an upward trajectory. Critics would argue that such growth comes from a low base, but that is besides the point. The fact of the matter is that there are more people being lifted from poverty, thanks to the continued economic growth. According to Ghanaian Bright B. Simmons, the number of middle class Africans is anywhere between 20 and 200 million, and this number will continue to grow in years to come. The middle class in Africa will drive the consumer demands, purchasing decisions, and they will also help shape the destiny of the continent in elections.

Consider also that the number of college and university students in Africa is increasing. Although there is no clear number of college and university students in Africa, the number could be anywhere between 3 and 5 million, ensuring that Africa's youth gain the requisite skills to be able to compete in the 21st century. What's

Africa needs a Facebook for its entrepreneurs to be inspired.

There are lots of positive technology stories that are emanating from Africa. Mobile money transfer is perhaps the biggest of them all. However, there are lots of African start-ups that are doing lots of amazing things. They are creating apps that are helping to solve everyday local problems. However, for Africa to grow its technology space rapidly, it needs one or two hugely successful entrepreneurs that will make their mark in the global scene. This is why Africa needs a Facebook, Google, or Twitter.

First, it will assure Africans that they don't have to travel outside the continent in order to succeed. The continent has many budding entrepreneurs, and what's needed is to make these entrepreneurs realise that they have all the ingredients to succeed in their home countries rather than travelling abroad. A Facebook from Africa will attract many potential investors, who will back businesses which are still in the idea stage. A Facebook from Africa will also tell the rest of the world that there are exciting opportunities that are in Africa, and this will create a self sustaining ecosystem, much like Silicon Valley was able to grow fast simply because of the success of the first few companies.

Secondly, a Facebook from Africa will force African governments to take the appropriate steps and ensure that they avail the right ingredients for the tech scene in Africa to succeed. The continent does not have the

Africa in Davos 2015: 4 Things to expect.

Dialogue and exchange between all stakeholders in society is critical to chart a course through this complex terrain. In this regard, the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum – taking place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21-24 January – provides an unparalleled platform.

Leaders from across business, government, international organisations, academia, civil society, culture and the arts will explore these shifts through four thematic tracks:

GROWTH AND STABILITY

Economic recovery after the financial crisis has been mainly the result of expansionary monetary policy. While this has prevented economies from falling apart, the chances of misapplication are high, including

The Tech Boom in Africa is Real.

Africa is estimated to have 600 million mobile phones while the number of smartphones is estimated to be 100 million. In some African countries, there are more mobile phones that there are people. All over Africa, there is a palpable sense of feeling that the technology sector is growing in leaps and bounds. Mobile money transfer is just one of the areas in which Africa leads the rest of the world. If we can develop solutions that are locally relevant and can be cascaded to serve entire populations, then Africa will be on to a great technological revolution.

One aspect to look at is the booming tech incubation hub activity in the continent. They have helped put all the resources that people need in a single place. The tech incubation hubs have brought together first class talent that is deep and hungry for success. For instance, incubation hubs such as Ihub and Hypercube have helped achieve just that. Equally, there are angel investors and venture capitalists that have come out to look for innovations which they can finance.Platforms such as Ihub bring these investors into a single place, and

Youth Unemployment could dampen Africa's growth rates.

Youth unemployment is one of the impending disasters of our time. Youth unemployment in Africa is among the highest in the world, and yet, the continent's leaders are not doing everything to help combat this menace. Young people without jobs feel disenfranchised, and take longer to start families. Divorce rates are high during times of unemployment. As the Japan lost generation- those who entered the workforce in the 1990s- showed, youth unemployment can have devastating effects on a particular demographic. How do we combat this scourge? I think the solution lies in encouraging the growth of medium high growth businesses. 

While multinationals create tremendous wealth, they do not create enough jobs, leading to what's known as 'jobless growth'. Micro businesses on the other hand are too small and stunted, and their owners do not have a big chance to grow these micro businesses. On the other hand however, medium high growth businesses create jobs and wealth that percolates throughout the society. They are in a way, the solution to the continent's pressing youth unemployment.

How else can we encourage the growth these 'medium high growth businesses'? How can we eliminate the rampant youth unemployment in the continent?

There is life after elections for former African Presidents.

In light of elections in two African countries; Nigeria and Zambia, it is time that we encouraged a culture of being magnanimous in victory, and being able to concede defeat even if one has lost by a single vote. Inevitably, there will be a winner and a loser in any election. What's so hard to understand about this point? One obvious reason why most elections are riddled with chaos in Africa is that the election contestants do not know of any life after the elections. This is why we must encourage those who will be standing for various elections, especially in Zambia and Nigeria, that there is life after elections, that the promise of democracy is that there is always a second chance.

Former African Presidents can keep themselves busy in a variety of ways. For example, they can volunteer to teach and become visiting scholars in the various universities across the continent. The young Africans need real life lessons on leadership, and former African Presidents would do well to complement what's taught in class. Throughout the world, former Presidents and Prime Ministers have acted as visiting scholars

What world leaders can do to enhance development in Africa.

Africa is the world’s poorest continent. It is home to the highest infant mortality rate. It is home to the highest percentage of unemployed people. It is the most unstable continent in the world politically. All this fuels the perception that Africa is going backwards rather than forward in terms of development. However, as much as Africa has to pull itself out of its present situation, there are areas where world leaders can help to move the continent forward.

Let’s start with the terms of trade. The trade deals are unfairly skewed against Africa. Africa is a net importer of many goods from the world. What’s even laughable is that it imports the very things it produces but in another form. For example, picture that the continent produces tea and coffee, but again has to import the same tea and coffee in a refined expensive form. It produces cotton, yet has to import expensive clothing

Zambia and Nigeria set the pace for African elections this year.

Once again, two African countries will head to the polls early this year. Zambians will head to the polls on January 20, while Nigerians will head to the polls in mid February. The two countries will set the pace for elections and democracy for Africa this year. Last year, there were seven peaceful elections in Africa. However, there were also a number of coups and instabilities, most notably the military coup in Burkina Faso, and the attempted coup in The Gambia. This shows that African countries still have a long way to go before democracy is entrenched in the continent.

The election in Zambia will be a mere formality, as the contestants race to replace former President Michael Sata, who died of health related complications. Had it not been for the factionalism in the ruling Patriotic Front coalition, the election would have been a foregone conclusion. Zambia is one of the few countries in

What Africa's Young Need to Learn in School

Which education system should African countries adopt. Which education system will guarantee that African youngsters are able to compete with the best and brightest from the rest of the world? First of all, our schools must ensure that African children are taught skills which will be useful in the 21st century, and one that will help to move Africa from the periphery of world affairs to the center, where it becomes part and parcel of the global conversation.

An education that fosters creativity and innovation will help to propel the continent forward, as students will create exciting innovations that will be turned into world beating companies. However, many of the continent's education systems do not encourage this. Too often, rote learning is encouraged, and students study just to pass exams not knowing how that knowledge will help them in the future. There are several areas where we could draw inspiration from. For instance, students in the United States routinely flop and become last in the

Africa: China's Second Continent.

Africa is growing by leaps and bounds, and in the process, attracting lots of investors. This is the subject of a book by a former New York Times reporter, Howard French, who details how over a million Chinese have found  new home in Africa. Mr.French interviews several Chinese migrants in Africa, and shows how China is making its footprints in Africa. But why exactly is Africa becoming China's second continent?

The burgeoning population in China means that not everyone is benefiting from the tremendous growth story of China. On the other hand, African economies are growing at unprecedented rates and are offering lots of of opportunities to investors. Currently, Africa is home to six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world. What's more, the resource boom in recent years has seen lots of opportunities in the mineral sector, a

Africa needs both stability and growth, not one or the other.

Development experts on Africa have often wondered which is the best path for Africa to develop. To some, Africa needs high growth rates in order to lift the millions of Africans out of poverty. Those who support this view argue that Africa is the poorest continent in the world, and it must do everything in order to increase the growth rates to double digits. Some countries have adopted this model. Ethiopia and Rwanda easily come to mind. They are registering impressive growth rates, despite their governments being accused of repressing opposition voices. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has been credited with helping Rwanda overcome the tragedy of the genocide, and helping make Rwanda become one of the best places to do business in Africa. In an interview with the Harvard Business Review in 2013, Mr. Kagame and strategy guru Michael Porter explain to Mr. Justin Fox of Harvard Business Review of the need to run Rwanda like a business.

On the other hand, there are countries which are more stable, but are still relatively poor. Tanzania easily comes to mind. It is one of the most stable democracies in Africa, and yet, it has so many people still in

Its time for Africa's rich to give back.

I'm not a socialist. I believe entirely that the rich deserve all the wealth that they have amassed, so long as its in a clean and transparent manner. Afterall, we need rich entrepreneurs in Africa to be able to create clean, decent, and rewarding jobs, especially to our youth. Africa has been experiencing a boom in the number of rich people. According to Ventures Magazine, the number of dollar billionaires in Africa could be above fifty. Forbes magazine estimates that the number of billionaires in Africa could rival the billionaires in Latin America. 

With great wealth comes great responsibility. Can Africa's rich donate to worthy causes around the continent? During the ebola outbreak, Africa's rich such as Aliko Dangote, Strive Masiyiwa, and others donated roughly $20 million dollars towards combating the scourge. This was a laudable move, but it is a

Africa needs bold entrepreneurs.

Governments in Africa are trying. However, there is one more ingredient that's needed in order to make Africa a success story. We need bold entrepreneurs. Yes, we do have entrepreneurs such as Nigeria's Aliko Dangote, Zimbabwe's Strive Masiyiwa, Kenya's James Mwangi, and South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa. However, we need to ensure that we increase the number and scope of entrepreneurs. We need entrepreneurs that can change entire industries, whose products and services will affect many facets of the ordinary African life.

We need lots of industries that can change the future of Africa. If there can be more entrepreneurs especially in the agricultural sector, then we can begin to really talk of an Africa that is growing, rising, and lifting all boats in the tides. Think of the way Bill Gates has impacted the software industry, or the way Steve Jobs

The future of Africa lies in small high growth businesses.

Africa is currently experiencing unprecedented growth rates. Many countries are growing at rates above 5 percent, and Africa is also home to six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world. All this has fueled the so called 'Africa rising narrative', in which many proclaim that the continent is going to grow at unprecedented rates and lift millions of Africans from poverty. To achieve this growth, many African governments have been on an all out pursuit of the magical foreign investor. However, what has often been forgotten are the small businesses that help to power the continent forward.

There are several kinds of businesses in Africa. There are huge multinational companies that create billions of dollars in wealth. However, this wealth does not create enough jobs, and the wealth created is only concentrated in a few hands, leading to what's known as jobless growth. On the other hand, the micro

Why investing in Africa outweighs the risks.

Adapted from BDlive

By Lerato Mbele

'AFRICA Rising" is the hot catchphrase used to portray the monetary development and positive social improvements in Africa in the previous decade. When it came into utilization, we were energized: Africa was on the cusp of global significance and, surprisingly, was perceived as a place of development, innovativeness and complexity. 

"Africa Rising" is still going to be used quite a lot, however in 2014 Africa was encumbered with so many negative stories. Have these emptied the positive vitality and great will towards Africa?

In a meeting with Africa Business Report, Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF, talked about an "Africa Watching", referencing the a huge number of Africans who are youthful, poor and jobless, their lives unaltered by this period of monetary development and flourishing economies. As pioneers talk about methods for taking Africa forward, the focus must shift to inequalities. 

The prevailing topics for 2015 will be the issues of comprehensive development and youth unemployment. An alternate center is on development. In spite of the fact that Africa has recorded GDP development rates

China and Sudan will continue to be partners- China's Foreign minister

On January, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti of Sudan jointly met the press after a talk. Wang Yi said that China and Sudan are both good friends and sincere friends. Over the past half century, the two countries have always stood together to share weal and woe, and have established profound friendship. China on its part said that it cherished the friendship very much and especially thank for the long-term firm support provided by Sudan on the major issues concerning China’s core interests. Similarly, China stands together with Sudan without hesitation on the issues concerning Sudan’s legitimate rights and reasonable demands, Mr. Wang Yi said. He stressed that "Our mutual supports are neither for our

IMF advises caution on Gambia.

A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Bhaswar Mukhopadhyay, visited Banjul from January 8-14, 2015. Though The Gambia remains completely free of Ebola, the crisis has caused a deep decline in tourism related activities, the economy’s principal foreign currency earner. The mission assessed the effects of this shock to the Gambian economy and explored the possibility of agreeing on a Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) arrangement with the IMF.

1 The mission also discussed the Gambian authorities’ plans to address policy slippages over the past two years and the possibility of establishing a program monitored by the IMF (SMP). 2 While the discussions have been fruitful, additional time is needed to reach a final agreement.

Mr. Mukhopadhyay said “The Gambia has been spared from the Ebola outbreak, but the crisis has deterred tourists, reducing activity in the sector dramatically. A projected decline of about 60 percent in tourism, The