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African agenda follows Latin American success

But Singapore investors should note that - with 54 markets in Africa at varying degrees of development - market entry into the continent is a different ball game.

Published Tue, May 24, 2016 · 09:50 PM

    INVESTORS are flocking to Africa in droves, drawn by a fierce undercurrent of economic opportunity across the continent. Western Europe, China and the US have doubled down, while Singapore has begun testing the waters. Africa is currently turning an important corner in its development path, embarking on what could be a decisive transformational journey towards prosperity.

    But with 54 markets in Africa at varying degrees of attractiveness and complexity, market entry into the continent requires patience, diligence, and a highly customised local approach.

    Nevertheless, the verdict of many is that Africa will be one of the few regions globally presenting high double-digit growth possibilities. In 2015, cross-border merger-and-acquisition (M&A) activity spiked to US$20 billion from only US$5 billion in 2014. Moreover, private equity investment grew 51 per cent, much of which was squarely focused on areas reinforcing long- term growth, such as telecommunications and financial services.

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