Africa Outlook Issue 16

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Investment Profile 20

Beiersdorf 64 Beiersdorf are considered to be the inventors of modern skincare

Africa Outlook takes a look at Nigeria’s business and investment potential

AIRTEL ZAMBIA 28 A Q&A with Charity Chanda Lumpa, Managing Director of Airtel Zambia

Baobab 54 Baobab are at the heart of growing the mining industry in Mozambique

AFRICA OUTOOK ISSUE 16 ALSO THIS ISSUE: Hyprop Investments Ltd | COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP | mantrac tanzania

AImING fOR NEW

HEIGHTS Europe Outlook is a fantastic platform to share success stories and find ways of growing your business in Europe. To discuss your options contact Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

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W E l c o m E Technology leads the Way technology has been at the forefront of modern business for many years now and seems to be continually evolving through a combination of R&d and innovative solutions. the companies featured in this edition of africa outlook showcase just how many applications technology can have. telecommunications and computer services dominate the african landscape as it is quickly becoming recognised as a hot bed of activity in both sectors. however, technology comes in various guises and our profiles this month will show that the mining, manufacturing and construction industries are also utilising cutting edge technologies. airtel Zambia are one of the key companies really utilising technological advances to bring the latest and next generation of communication benefits to the country. through strong expansion and consumer feedback, airtel Zambia are dedicated to ensuring the country can access its services no matter where they are. on page 36 is an interview with Computer warehouse group’s Ceo austin okere, who has overseen his company’s success and is now consolidating the significant progress already made in the competitive technology sector, towards becoming the number one It utility enabler in africa. taking a closer look at the property sector in sub-saharan africa, we feature an interview with pieter prinsloo, Ceo of hyprop Investments, who are the third largest real estate investment trust in south africa and one of south africa’s oldest listed property companies, with a key strategy of enhancing their existing portfolio and investing in high quality shopping centres.

Our ever-popular invest profile this month looks at Nigeria, who are Africa’s foremost business destination second only to south africa, thanks to nigeria being a leading petroleum producer and exporter. It is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world and the 8th largest exporter. we also feature a q&a with Chris Roberts, owner and operator of Rwakobo Rock, a family run eco-lodge nestled in the beautiful lake mburo national park in uganda. this month’s magazine is packed with features and profiles from a variety of sectors offering something to suit everyone. matt Bone “Never before in history has Editor, Outlook Publishing innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time.” --Bill gates

eDiToRiAl editor: matt Bone matthew.bone@outlookpublishing.com Sub-editor: emily Jarvis emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

PRoDucTion Production manager: daniel george daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com mAGAZine DeSiGn: optic Juice ltd martin mitchell | alex Cole | nick Bond | katherine Robinson

BuSineSS

Sales Director: nick norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Projects Director: James mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Senior Project managers: arron Rampling arron.rampling@outlookpublishing.com eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Rahim ali Rahim.ali@outlookpublishing.com Project managers: Ben wigger ben.wigger@outlookpublishing.com Callum philp callum.philp@outlookpublishing.com donovan smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com glen newton glen.newton@outlookpublishing.com serge utting Serge.utting@outlookpublishing.com sheridan halls sheridan.halls@outlookpublishing.com stuart shirra stuart.shirra@outlookpublishing.com tom Cullum tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com

AccounTS

Finance manager: suzanne welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Office Administrator: donna Redpath donna.redpath@outlookpublishing.com imAGeS: thinkstock DiGiTAl & iT: hamit saka HelPDeSK: James lemay

ouTlooK PuBliSHinG

managing Director: Ben weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Chairman: mark weaver conTAcT Africa outlook / uK 22 wensum street, norwich, uk, nR3 1hY Sales: +44 (0) 1603 559 145 editorial: +44 (0) 1603 559 152 Fax: +44 (0) 1603 559 553 Africa outlook / SA the Colosseum, First Floor, Century way, Century City, Cape town, 7441 Tel: +27 (0) 21 527 0053 Subscriptions Tel: +44 (0)1603 559 152 matthew.bone@outlookpublishing.com

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tourism Q&a Rwakobo Rock

In this special Q&A we speak to Chris Roberts, who has set up a shining example of environmental lodging in Uganda

worLd Cup speCiaL FiFa World cup 2014 african Roundup

Africa Outlook highlights the African teams taking part in the World Cup in Rio

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showCasing Leading Companies tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

Computer warehouse group africa’s ict Entrepreneurs

C o mputer Warehouse Group work behind the scenes in Nigeria’s ICT sector in order to provide the well known front-end services in use today in Africa

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airteL rwanda always available, always affordable

Airtel Rwanda commands a 16 percent share of the communications market in the country

investment profiLe nigeria

Africa Outlook takes an inside look at Nigeria’s business and investment potential

airteL Zambia a Q&a with charity chanda Lumpa, Managing director of airtel Zambia

Airtel are aiming to make the mobile phone the start and end of all business and personal lifestyle interventions

news

All the latest top stories across the month from Africa

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mitsumi distribution africa’s Fastest Growing it distributor

Mitsumi Distribution service the growing need for IT solutions across Africa

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MANGAUNG METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY At the Heart of it all

Mangaung District Municipality believe it is their mandate to deliver excellent service to their electorate

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BAOBAB RESOURCES Masterful Mining in Mozambique

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MANTRAC TANZANIA Assessing Tanzania’s Mining Potential

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HYPROP INVESTMENTS South Africa’s Mall Specialists Hyprop is well positioned to benefit from the growth of consumer markets in Africa

Baobab are at the heart of growing the mining industry in Mozambique

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Mantrac Tanzania Limited is the sole authorised dealer for Caterpillar Products in Tanzania

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BEIERSDORF Defining the Future of Skincare

KENBLEST Baking Family Values in Every Loaf Kenblest have become the single largest bread producer in Kenya

TRUSTCO Finance You Can Trust

Trustco continues to grow as a financial institution using creative solutions

C O N S T R U C T I O N

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Beiersdorf are considered to be the inventors of modern skincare

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BARLOWORLD EQUIPMENT Equipping Africa

Barloworld Equipment is a sole dealer for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) in mining-related construction

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DAVIS & SHIRTLIFF The Waterboys

Davis and Shirtliff are always looking to invest in the future of the company wherever possible

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UTHUNGULU DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY Strengthening uThungulu’s Infrastructure uThungulu District Municipality have successfully helped to develop a prospering district area

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LAFARGE CEMENT Lafarge Cement

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EVENTS

Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc are one of the foremost cement manufacturing and marketing companies in Nigeria Africa Outlook highlights the upcoming events across the continent

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Could South Africa have 100 Computers on the Internet in Every School? pplication delivery company, Cloudware, says every school in South Africa could have up to 100 internet-connected computers within four years; and that it would cost no more than what the government is already planning to spend on a private cloud alone.

“According to the Children’s Institute at UCT, South Africa has 26,000 schools and 12.2 million learners, an average of about 470,” says Cloudware’s Jonathan Young. “With the technology available right now, we could provide one computer for every four children within four years. With affordable solar power and satellite connectivity, that includes even the most remote schools; there’s no need to wait for new buildings and Eskom electricity supply. The government seems to be assuming that giving our children access to this life-changing technology is beyond our reach as a country, but it really doesn’t have to be that difficult. It can be done.”

Cloudware believe the government has budgeted almost R16 billion to build a national private cloud for schools. “But for a budget allocation that big, they could get a lot more. Are we as a nation going to pay more than we should, just because that’s what’s in the budget?” Asks Young.

Cloudgate, a desktop replacement system Cloudware launched earlier this year, is just one example of the innovative technologies that could be applied. “Cloudgate delivers

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all the functionality of a traditional desktop PC at a fraction of the cost.

You simply plug in a screen, mouse and keyboard to a hand-sized device and you have not only a full Android operating system, but also access to any Windows application based on the central server.”

Additionally, bandwidth is not a constraint, he says: “This whole product is designed for low-bandwidth environments, so it works over a slow cellular connection or via satellite. And Cloudgate devices draw just 10W of power – the same as an energy-saving light bulb – so using solar power is entirely feasible.”

“We could start putting state of the art computer technology in schools tomorrow, and in four years cover the whole country,” Young surmises.

“However, there is no doubt the government will say it’s not that simple – but why not? There are even major international players who are prepared to offer access to amazing technology for free, no strings attached. Yet government IT still seems to be stuck in an old mindset that everything has to be slow, difficult and expensive. It’s frustrating to see the gap between what is possible and what South Africa is actually getting.”

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Vodacom Acquires Neotel for $676.8 Million In a move set to trigger competition in South Africa’s fixed line sector, Vodacom – South Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator – has acquired 100 percent of privately-owned fixed line operator, Neotel, for R7 billion ($676.7 million).

Vodacom says it will finance the acquisition of South Africa’s second biggest fixed line operator after Telkom, by using available cash resources and existing credit facilities, Ventures Africa reported. The deal remains dependent on the accomplishment of certain conditions, including appropriate regulatory approvals.

“Vodacom’s customer base will benefit from Neotel’s extensive fibre assets and enterprise capabilities which will allow Vodacom to accelerate its fixed enterprise strategy and stimulate greater competition in the South African fixed telecommunications sector,” Vodacom said in a statement, commenting on the deal. This deal will allow the merged business to offer a variety of products and an enhanced customer choice, with a likely deal completion before the end of the current financial year.

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the government and Essar agreed to immediately operationalise the firm.

NewZim Steel would resume production within two years and $650 million would be spent under phase one to restart production at 500,000 tonnes per annum. The company wants to build a 600MW power plant to supply electricity to NewZim Steel, with excess

being sold to national power utility Zesa Holdings. NewZim Steel is expected to consume 300MW. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Essar is not convinced Hwange Colliery has the capacity to supply the coal required for the plant. As such they are engaging other concession holders to cover the potential deficit.

The move by Essar will bring more activity around the mining district where some companies own large - but idle - coal claims.

Another notable in the Essar deal are plans to refurbish the rail transportation system.

The arrangement will see the refurbishment of the HwangeKwekwe rail link as well as construction of a railway line between Chivhu and Beira.

“The full year results demonstrate our continued strong commercial and financial performance across our service portfolio,” he said, adding the company is committed to its ‘Best Network in Kenya’ initiative through continued investment in network and services.

During the year, voice revenue continued to be the main money maker for the telecom giant, with revenues

increasing by 11.6 percent to $974.2 million, which accounts for 62 percent of their total revenue. Mobile data revenue increased by 41 percent to $105 million, whilst fixed data revenue also continued in its growth, reaching $28.2 million to due to a 4 percent growth in the number of clients.

M-PESA continued to drive growth in non-voice segment with revenues increasing by 22 percent to $300.2 million. Collymore said that Saraficom is investing heavily in network expansion and inland fibre optic cable to improve quality of services to sustain growth. The company has 21.6 million active users, commanding an impressive 67.9 percent of the market.

In recent years, Kenya’s telecommunications and broadband market has undergone a revolution following the arrival of four fibreoptic international submarine cables, ending its dependency on limited and expensive satellite bandwidth.

Essar to Venture into Coal Mining Indian conglomerate Essar Holdings has began negotiations with holders of Hwange Coal Concessions in late May, with a view to establishing joint ventures to extract the mineral to power its planned 600-megawatt thermal power station in Zimbabwe, says various sources.

In 2010, Essar agreed to buy 54 percent of Ziscosteel, now NewZim Steel, in a deal initially worth $750 million, but the deal ran into problems over mineral rights that were to be given to the company’s subsidiary, NewZim Minerals. The multi-million dollar deal from NewZim Steel’s revival however, has become more likely as T e l e c o m s

Safaricom Profit Surges to Record $260 Million Kenyan telecoms operator Safaricom have further strengthened their position as the biggest company in East and Central Africa after recording a 31 percent surge in profitability.

The leading telecoms operator in Kenya reported a record breaking $260 million net profit for the yearend December 2013, up from $198 million recorded in 2012. Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said that this unprecedented performance was driven by growth in non-voice service revenue that include Short Message Service (SMS), broadband and its extremely popular money transfer service M-PESA that cumulatively increased by 28 percent to $587 billion.

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MasterCard and Bank of Punjab Bring Financial Inclusion to Pakistan asterCard and the Bank of Punjab announced at the end of May the launch of the Social Security Program to automate and streamline government disbursement, subsidy and assistance programs.

This first-of-its-kind initiative is aimed at driving financial inclusion in Pakistan and specifically in Punjab – the largest province in Pakistan.

This initiative will build on the learnings of a similar initiative that MasterCard rolled out in South Africa with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). Since the launch in 2012, ten million active SASSA MasterCard Debit cards have been issued for biometric grant payment disbursement.

Just under 22 million social grant beneficiaries have benefitted from the program and disbursement costs incurred by the South African government have been reduced by 50 per cent.

As part of this landmark agreement with MasterCard, Bank of Punjab will issue millions of payment cards to citizens, empowering the unbanked population by providing them with access to formal financial services.

Currently, approximately 90 per cent of the Pakistani population is unbanked. The program will also bring transparency and efficiency to key government initiatives.

The scheme was formally launched at a signing ceremony held at MasterCard’s regional headquarters in Dubai between Naeemuddin Khan, President and CEO, Bank of Punjab and Raghu

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Malhotra, Division President, Middle East and North Africa, MasterCard.

“The costs of cash continue to increase, resulting in a negative impact on the economy. In addition, it is estimated that $16 trillion is spent in cash every year in black and informal economies around the world – cash that is untaxed and untraceable,” explains Malhotra.

“With this in mind, MasterCard is fully supportive of the government of Punjab’s vision to create an inclusive cashless society. The program will drive large scale financial inclusion for the people of Pakistan. We see this initiative as a catalyst to empower the population and help the government to improve transparency and efficiency.”

The new platform will support five government programs including pension, payroll, education, microlending, and healthcare. A key part of the program is the use of biometrics to verify the identity of the recipient when using the card at merchants across the country.

“The Bank of Punjab is delighted to partner with MasterCard to bring this platform to the people of Punjab, in support of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s vision to

deliver financial services to every citizen in the province, improve government services, and eliminate inefficiencies,” said Naeemuddin Khan. “Cardholders will now have one safe, secure and simple way to deposit funds, receive social benefits, and pay for goods and services.”

The Social Security platform is a fundamental building block in developing the smart payments ecosystem for the Punjab province.

With MasterCard’s global acceptance, cardholders will be able to securely transact around the world, withdraw cash from any ATM that accepts MasterCard, or engage in many other financial transactions that are facilitated by electronic payments.

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NNPC Awards Nigerian Oil companies Yearly Crude Oil Lifting Contracts he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has awarded its yearly crude oil lifting term contracts for 2014-2015, worth $40 billion, to mostly native Nigerian companies: Aiteo, Taleveras, Barbedos and many others. In doing so, it has downsized the contracts awarded to international oil traders, allocated to just 28 companies as opposed to around 50 awarded in 2012.

No contracts were given directly to foreign traders like Glencore, Trafigura and Vitol, with only Switzerland’s Mercuria winning a contract – a break from the tradition for previous years.

In order for global traders to access crude oil from Nigeria – Africa’s top producer – they will need to partner with local companies.

The crude lifting contracts cover approximately 340 million barrels of oil, valued at close to $40 billion annually based on current Brent prices. The contracts run for a year and can be renewed. There were several Nigerian oil companies that featured on the annual list for the first time including Hyde Energy, Springfield and Barbedos Group, a conglomerate that also provides luxury aviation services.

The full list released by the NNPC is still preliminary and subject to revision, according to Reuters. A senior trading source, who formerly bought Nigerian crude oil, was quoted to have said that it was “incredible to have an OPEC member selling oil this way. There’s one international trading house and barely any refiners on the list.”

Nigeria’s policy has been to increase the role played by local firms, both in operating oil blocks and

trading, with the official aim of ending decades of control over the business by foreign majors. According to the report, Vitol may have indirectly won a share of the Nigerian exports to market via a Bermuda-based firm called Calson, in which it is a minority shareholder.

“It’s not that the Swiss traders are being left out, it’s that they’re forcing them to share their pie with the indigenous companies,” Reuters say, quoting an unnamed industry source in Nigeria. West African governments in places such as Ghana, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast, which also used to refine Nigerian oil in domestic refineries, formerly had contracts that were not renewed, according to this provisional list.

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Orange Sells Stake in Orange Uganda to Africell The Orange Group announced that they have signed an agreement with Africell Holding for the sale of its majority stake in Orange Uganda. This transaction is subject to approval from the relevant authorities, but will enable the company in Uganda to continue its development.

According to Orange, the transaction marks a new step in the Orange Group’s asset portfolio optimisation strategy for which Africa and the Middle-East remain a strategic priority. Orange Uganda was created in 2008 and is the third telecoms operator in Uganda, with 620,000 clients at the end of last year.

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 41 billion euros in 2013 and has 164,000 employees worldwide as of 31st March 2014, including 101,000 employees in France. Present in 30 countries, the Group has a total customer base of more than 239 million customers as of 31st March 2014, including 182 million mobile customers and 16 million fixed broadband customers worldwide. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services.

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New R1.5 Billion Solar Power Plant in South Africa he new Northern Cape R1.5 billion solar power plant is expected to contribute significantly to the country’s rising demands, says the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The solar photovoltaic plant, located in Sol Plaatjie Municipality, is one of the first large solar farms in South Africa, built by an independent power producer, Droogfontein Solar power.

Arising from government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP), the plant has been built on a 100-hectare site on which there will be more than 165,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in operation. The project will supply the Eskom 132 kV gridline and generate 85,458 MW per year.

This is sufficient electricity to supply approximately 19,000 average homes each year.

The power generation plant, privately owned by Globeleq, an emerging markets power company and other partners, has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Eskom, as well as an Implementation Agreement with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). The facility has benefited the local community, creating approximately 500 jobs during the peak of its construction.

Delivering the keynote address at the plant’s inauguration on Thursday, the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Michael Masutha, said the DST supports the transition to a low-carbon economy, using cleaner energy solutions in line with the government’s vision

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to reduce carbon emissions and move towards a sustainable energy system. “Renewable energy holds promise to improve energy security and access, and to solve other socioeconomic challenges that South Africa is facing. The Department of Science and Technology is focusing on setting up the necessary systems to support the sustainable solar energy industry. This is done through supporting research, development and innovation in the energy sector, informing and influencing energy policy decisions, and supporting human capital development,” said the deputy minister.

To this end, the department has established and is funding research initiatives at various institutions, such as the Renewable Energy Hub and Spokes Programme hosted at Stellenbosch University, the University of Pretoria, Fort Hare University, the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

The department also supported the solar energy resource-mapping initiative implemented through the South African Weather Service. It was also finalising the solar energy technology roadmap, in collaboration with the DEA and the International

Energy Agency. “It is foreseen that the DST’s funding and support to renewable energy research and technology development, as well as to human capacity development, will ultimately also benefit initiatives such as the Droogfontein Solar Photovoltaic Plant, providing technical expertise and competence to address the needs of such plants, as well as arriving at new solutions, products and processes to address future solar photovoltaic plants,” the deputy minister said.

Mark Pickering, the General Manager of Droogfontein Solar Power, said: “We are proud to be one of the first private power producers established in terms of government’s Integrated Resource Plan, which encourages a diverse range of supply technologies to meet the country’s future electricity needs, reduce its carbon emissions and make a positive impact on local communities.”

“Education and training are vital if we are to unlock the potential of this new industry and best utilise South Africa’s abundant solar resources. To this end, Droogfontein Solar Power will be devoting the bulk of its social economic development budget to support education.”

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Airtel CEO Highlights need for Growth Enablers in Mobile Sector The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, has highlighted the need to create an enabling environment for the growth and development of the mobile sector in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Ogunsanya was one of the panellists at the 2014 Mobile West Africa Conference in Lagos. In May, he spoke about mobile innovation, opportunities and its challenges in Nigeria, adding that the growth of the sector also depends on encouraging local content and giving support to start-up mobile businesses. Moreover, the CEO gave his insights into factors that will shape the Nigerian and African mobile telephony landscape.

Among the discussion panel were the ex-Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Founder of Open Media Group, Mr Earnest Ndukwe; Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management of NCC, Mr Okechukwu Itanyi and other important faces. They examined some of the critical issues in the mobile sector, including ways which stakeholders can create enabling environments for mobile technology.

Other experts from across Nigeria and Africa also participated in various interactive segments of the conference, which ran from 13th-16th May at Four Points, Sheraton Hotel in Lagos, featuring exhibitions, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities for participants.

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eToolKit to revolutionise South Africa’s Construction Industry The Southern African Institute of Steel Construction have launched a new eToolKit for digital development, that could revolutionise the steel construction industry.

The eToolKit operates on a Windows platform and enables structural engineers to design appropriate steel connections efficiently. It will also help to standardise structural steel connections as it has Saisc’s Structural Steel Connections book – also known as the Green Book – alongside the software. This was launched last year and aims to standardise structural steel connections. According to Saisc education director Spencer Erling, the use of the tool will help prevent too much strain when it comes to construction of steel structures.

Also available in the book is a list of steel manufacturers who provide resources for the connections that are available in the eToolKit. Examples of connections, discussions and commentaries with regard to the users’ design used from the Green Book can also be

viewed and a summary of designs saved or printed.

Primary developers of the eToolKit, Saisc engineer Amanuel Gebremeskel and University of the Witwatersrand School of Environmental Engineering structural engineering professor Alex Elvin, hope that the tool will further promote the standardisation of structural steel connections to allow for better efficiency in the design process.

Users of the eToolKit are presented with a simple process to design structural steel connections by selecting the appropriate Saisc standard connection, the member sizes that need to be joined, bolt diameters, number of rows of bolts, as well as the plate thickness. By clicking the calculate button, the capacity of the connection is displayed.

“Also, by placing the cursor on the result box, users can see what the weak link in the connection is. This allows for the refinement of the connection design and it is really a jackpot feature of the programme,” Erling added.

Once the weak link is identified, users can enter the load figures from the analysis, and a design check is performed. A scale sketch of the connection, including the stiffeners, dimensions and weld-size specifications, can be viewed and transferred to the construction drawings.

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With eco-friendly tourism becoming more popular in Africa, eco-friendly accommodation on the continent has also been gaining ground. In this special Q&A, we speak to Chris Roberts, who has set up a shining example of environmental lodging in Uganda that is as green as the land that surrounds it Images by: Thomas White, www.thomaswhitephotography.com

Could you give me a brief introduction to Rwakobo Rock in your own words?

We are a family run eco-lodge that opened in 2012 in Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) and we aim to provide a great service in a relaxed manner. Rwakobo Rock offers high quality accommodation in a midrange price bracket, consisting of nine rooms and a tented camp option. There are magnificent views over the park and surrounding cattle ranches, which are abound with wildlife. We provide vehicles and mountain bikes alongside knowledgeable guides. Walks and night drives are offered from the lodge.

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Writer Matt Bone

What are your aims for the lodge?

Our main business goal was to allow tourists to experience Uganda’s beauty at a fair price, including the natural beauty of the wildlife and surrounding scenery, as well as that of the traditional culture of the Bahima people, who neighbour LMNP. Our main ethical goal was to create a self-sufficient lodge that benefits both the community around us and the national park we border with.

What would you say are your strengths and what makes you unique ?

Firstly our price, we were the first mid-range option in Lake Mburo National Park and this attracted a lot of interest from tour companies and

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Ugandan residents. Secondly, our location has been a key aspect for our success. Conveniently located just outside LMNP makes for a great getaway from Kampala, as well as being en-route to western Uganda, which is the main draw for tourists trekking to see mountain gorillas. Finally our unique services, offering mountain biking through a national park, we have enhanced peoples enjoyment of the area, while minimising environmental impact.

What has the lodge been doing over the previous year?

Being a new company, the last year has been spent actively marketing ourselves and fostering relationships

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What issues have been affecting you and your industry as a whole?

Uganda is a fabulous country with very friendly people but it suffers from a negative perception abroad and is struggling to shake off the negative image created by Idi Amin over 30 years ago. Tourism is an industry that can be highly prone to fluctuations.

Any problems and there’s a sharp dip in numbers. Uganda has been largely stable and has had few incidents over the last decade leading to steady growth in tourism. The recent gay bill angered many and we have had a few cancellations. Having such volatile neighbour states as the DRC and South Sudan also put some people off a holiday to Uganda although these conflicts have not crossed into Ugandan territory.

What advantages have you found being an Eco-friendly tourist spot?

There are lots of advantages of being eco-friendly in the short term and long term. It is by the far the most sensible way to operate in remote areas located in fragile natural surroundings. With technological advancements these days you can be on a remote rock near a game park and still have all the modern conveniences of wireless internet, ice cold beers, hot showers and power all night. We are exclusively solar powered, including solar refrigeration, water heating and have a solar water pump. We also rely 100% on rainwater harvesting from the rock. Using solar power has resulted in very low operating costs, remaining silent and having a low ecological footprint.

However, these technologies are not

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perfect, so on cloudy days; the water is warm not hot. Solar batteries have to be carefully monitored and cannot handle high wattage appliances such as hair dryers, and not all guests are aware of this. Drought in our area is also a major factor and towards the end of the dry season, we have to bring our water in from over 50 km away by truck.

What are the biggest challenges your company has faced?

As mentioned previously, water supply is a major limitation in our area. Underground water sources are not available and the lake is over 10 km away. Our business growth will soon be limited by our water supply.

Operating in remote areas also makes the logistics of supply quite tricky and expensive. However, we were lucky that at the same time we opened a large supermarket opened in Mbarara (1 hour away). This has meant we do not need to supply ourselves from Kampala solely, and allows us to replenish our supplies quicker.

Where have you been the most successful in the last year?

We have done very well with customer satisfaction, with lots of good online reviews and positive comments from guests. This has led to rapid growth in customer base through word of mouth and lots of repeat customers.

Another area we have been very successful on is with our staffing.

Happy staff results in good friendly service. Most of our staff have been with us from the very beginning, even some since we began construction.

We do most of the day to day work ourselves and don’t rely on middlemen. We have a shared passion for what we do and derive happiness from our success as a team.

The mountain biking has been a great success in its first year of operations and is set to grow. Bikes are eco-friendly, keep you fit, allow

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www.rwakoborock.com

with tour companies. We have also been continually developing and building on the site adding another room, acquiring tour vehicles and developing our mountain biking and guided nature and cultural walks.

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for interesting exchanges with local people and allow close encounters with wildlife. We are considering offering longer trips and expeditions by bicycle.

So then, is there anything you would like to improve?

In a business like hotels you can always improve in all aspects, there is no such thing as perfect. Our food, rooms and service are of a high standard, but there will always be things that we can improve. Getting repeat customers is always positive and rewarding, but it also means you have to keep evolving your services and menu to keep impressing people each and every time they stay with us.

Opportunities exist for us to modify the current business model at Rwakobo Rock. This could be achieved through increased accommodation, a diversity of accommodation options and potentially having a gift shop.

How would you sum up the current state of the industry?

The tourism industry in Uganda is growing at a rapid rate, with a 20% increase in foreign visitors per annum over the last few years. It is the third largest foreign exchange earner and has recently been identified by government as one of the primary drivers of the economy. The last five years have seen huge investment in lodges and tour companies. However, there are still many niches left to develop and for me, Uganda is a country full of untapped potential.

Tourism has come from a very low level and is only about 1% of the size of more established countries such as Kenya and Tanzania. There are plenty of opportunities particularly in cultural tourism, birding tours, organised camping safaris with many parks still having limited accommodation options and certain markets are not being adequately catered for.

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What are some of the recent trends you’ve witnessed and how are you planning to capitalise on them?

Clients are becoming more discerning about where they stay and prefer smaller ecologically friendly options to large high impact hotels. Visitors from European nations have been rising sharply compared to other regions.

Visitors are also doing their own research on the internet and planning trips individually, so having a good website is paramount. Within Uganda, there is also a growing middle class eager to explore their own country.

Our affordable rates make it possible to tap into this market and we expect Ugandan visitors to be a major growth factor in years to come. Typically Ugandan visitors want a different product to foreign visitors and we are trying to appeal to both through targeted marketing.

How seasonal is your business?

We have six busy months when we are hitting 60-80% occupancy and six slow months when we are about 30-50%.

We are close to major urban centres like Mbarara, Masaka and Kampala and thus most weekends are busy regardless of the season.

Tell me about your aims, targets and projections for 2014 and beyond?

We have some exciting new developments underway which will soon begin in earnest. We have been scouring the country for new sites and have identified 2-3 new areas ready for development. One of these being near Entebbe airport, as we hope to attract visitors to spend their first and last night’s with us in a wild setting. We are looking at beginning another lodge adjacent to a different national park, but this is still top secret.

We are in the process of trying to start a public private partnership with the adjacent government ranch

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through the formation of a wildlife conservancy and generate income for them to keep it wild through game walks, bike rides and night drives. we will continue to expand at Rwakobo Rock with a few more rooms and possibly a swimming pool.

What has your company got planned for the future? as previously mentioned we are looking at different locations and ultimately aim to establish a network of good mid-market lodges. this is a previously untapped market in uganda where there used to be only top-end and budget options available. when you own a network of lodges, arranging tours and transport between is relatively easy and profitable, so this might be something for the future.

What is the secret to the company’s success? we have managed to build good working relationships with almost all the tour companies in uganda. we treat the tour guides like guests and consequently they give their companies positive feedback.

What advice would you give to start up companies looking to enter the industry?

Before you begin, do your research and make a good business plan, including a detailed construction plan. this seems like simple advice but I know many people that have embarked on such projects without a proper plan. Your plan should involve various phases of development. I was very pessimistic in terms of visitor numbers and have been pleasantly surprised, but this is much better than being disappointed.

In tourism, location is key. once you have that sorted, begin to build a tasteful product using natural and local materials. It easy to let costs

Images by: Thomas White, www.thomaswhitephotography.com

spiral during construction so don’t aim for complete perfection at this time, just get the job done. lots of personal supervision of construction and running of the lodge will give you the edge if you can afford it, if not get someone good to do this for you.

Has your company won any awards recently or been involved with local charities? we have just won lodge of the Year in uganda by usaga (uganda safari guides association). we have also been recognised by tripadvisor through a Certificate of Excellence. These are both amazing achievements and have made us very proud of as a team.

we have been operating a compensation scheme in a small area between Rwakobo Rock and nshara gate on the edge of lmnp, whereby we pay farmers for any livestock taken by leopards or hyenas to prevent retaliatory poisoning.

We have identified a primary school that we will assist in infrastructure, teaching materials and drinking water availability. we also take on interns from reputed hospitality training institutes to try and foster the industry further.

For more information please contact: www.rwakoborock.com info@rwakoborock.com (+256) 755211771 or (+256) 755211643

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With the FIFA World Cup in full flow, Africa Outlook follows the progress of the African teams through their group games and hopefully through to the last 16 of the tournament Writer Matt Bone

Algeria

Te a m N ic k na m e: Les Fenn ecs (The Fennec Fo xes) Pr ev io u s W o r ld Cu ps: 1982, 1986, 20 10 Mana g er: Va hid Halilhodzi c Fa ct: In their second game agai Korea, Yacine Brahimi scored nst South the fourth go against the op al position to se t a record of be the first Afric ing an team to sc ore four goal single match s in a in the World Cu p.

2014 W o r ld Cu p R es u lt s Belgium 2-1 A lgeria Korea Republ ic 2-4 Algeria Algeria 1-1 Ru ssia Algeria progre ss to the last 16 for the first tim their history bu e in t will face toug h competition time winner Ge in 3 rmany.

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Cameroon

Te a m N ic k n a m e: Les Lion s Indomptable (The Indomit s able Lions) Pr ev io u s W o r ld Cu ps: 1982, 1990, 19 1998, 2002, 20 94, 10 M a n a g er: Vo lker Finke Fa ct: They w ere the first A frican team to the quarter-fi reach nal of the Wor ld Cup, in 1990 losing to Engl , and in extra tim e.

2014 W o r ld Cu p R es u lt s Mexico 1-0 Ca meroon Croatia 4-0 Ca meroon Cameroon 1-4 Brazil Cameroon faile d to reach the knockout stag of the World Cu es p, but will sure ly be back for th competition in e 4 years time.

oire éphants v I ’ d l : Les É Côte

e nam N ic k s) 10 m a Te nt 06, 20 lepha s: 20 E p e u h C T ( ld Wor hi ious v e mouc r P able bri La a S : is not he r age team )t n e n ir a o o M d’Iv nd w outs in e a t ( ô in C hot : The rticipated lty shoote 24-s Fa ct g pa pena n – th Cup of in g io v it a in t r h for mpe 2 African t-sco ighes nd ball co 9 two h tional foot l of the 19 ed 11–10, a he t t a a a n n he fi defe ter-final of inter ut in t hana was r n o a o u t o r q o sho the ame en G ns wh hoot-out in ns, when C io t a N s f Natio -shot the 24 rican Cup o f 1.

A 2006 eated 12–1 s ef d s s u lt a w up Re C d l or an 2014 W 2-1 Jap e r i o v I ’ ’Ivoire Côte d Côte d 1 2 a bi ’Ivoire out of Colom Côte d ocked alty 1 n k 2 e e r e n Greec ute pe voire w abri ôte d’I to a last min . Manager S ition C e h t s s Sadly, ld Cup due amara from his po or gios S the W eece’s Geor pped down ament. r te rn from G hi has also s om the tou r c f u Lamo teams exit is after h

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m Tuntu roma o s N : e nam N i c k rs) 0 m a e a 6, 201 T ck St : 200 a l B ps e u C (Th orld us W o i ica iah v in Afr Pre si App iation m Akwa c : o r s e s a a ag the te otball Man est fo r to 1957, ld o e io Pr : Th Fa c t d in 1920). oast. e C d n ld u o o (f the G s a d s u lts playe up Re C d l or 2014 W A 1-2 US Ghana hana y 2-2 G n a m but Ger ana cation ing the 2-1 Gh fi l li a a g u u nq dur Port s out o themselves ack in the is m ly sad t of nce b Ghana ood accoun look to bou g l gave a ent and wil next year. m s a n n io r t u a to p of N u C a Afric

Nigeria Te am Ni ck na m

e: Super Eagles Pr ev io us W or ld Cu ps: 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010 M an ag er: Step

hen Keshi Fa ct: During Ap ril 1994, Nigeria w ere ranked 5th in the FIFA W orld Rankings, th e highest ranking achieved by an African foot ball team.

2014 W or ld Cu p Re su lts Iran 0-0 Nigeria Nigeria 1-0 Bosn ia and Herzegov ina Nigeria 2-3 Arge ntina

Nigeria proudly se cure second place in their group behind Arge ntina and go thro ugh to the last 16 to face Fran ce in what will be a hotly contested match.

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nigeria africa outlook takes a look at Nigeria’s business and investment potential Writer Emily Jarvis Source: NIPC

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Nigeria imports are in the region of US $14.54billion and consequently play a big part in the country’s business. Import commodities include machinery, chemicals, transport, equipment, manufactured goods and live animals. The country’s agricultural products include groundnuts, palm oil, cocoa, coconut, citrus fruits, maize, millet, cassava, yams and sugar cane. Nigeria also has a booming leather and textile industry, with industries located in Kano, Abeokuta, Kaduna, Onitsha, and Lagos.

Nigeria is a leading petroleum producer and exporter. It is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world and the 8th largest exporter. Nigeria also has one of the world’s largest proven natural gas and petroleum reserves and is a founding member of OPEC. Tremendous investment opportunity exists in the solid minerals sector.

Mineral resources that are present in Nigeria but not yet fully exploited are coal and tin. In recent times, focus is being directed at non-oil exports and agriculture, which presently accounts for 30% of the GDP, to diversify the economic base. Opportunities exist for the exploitation and export of natural gas, bitumen, limestone, coal, tin, columbite, gold, silver, lead-zinc, gypsum, glass sands, clays, asbestos, graphite and iron ore, among others.

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SOURCE: NIPC

igeria is Africa’s foremost business destination second only to SA. The country operates a market economy dominated by crude oil exports, with the revenue earnings from the sector accounting for 90% of foreign exchange earnings and 65% of budgetary revenues. Other exports are cocoa, palm oil, groundnuts, cotton, timber and rubber.

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the government has been pursuing economic reforms marked by the privatisation and deregulation, which seek to transfer state ownership of institutions to the private sector and so engender efficiency in the productive sectors of the economy .these are well articulated in the NEEDS programme (National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy). the reforms have led to an explosive growth in the telecoms sector after years of stagnation. the gSm (global System for mobile Communications) has transformed the economic terrain, creating employment and oiling the operations of businesses in Nigeria. the country is traversed by a network of primary and secondary roads, has 4 international airports and 6 seaports.

It also boasts 12 television stations and 25 national newspapers.

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in west africa and is the most populous country on the african continent.

Nigeria shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, Niger in the north and borders the gulf of guinea in the south. Since 1991, its capital has been the centrally located city of abuja.

Extensive Histories

the people of Nigeria have an extensive history, and based on archaeological evidence, human habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BC. the Benue Cross River area is thought to be the original homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most of central and southern africa in waves between the 1st millennium BC and the 2nd millennium aD. However, the Nigerian state came into being on october 1st, 1960 when Nigeria declared its independence from the British and at present consists of 36 states and the federal capital territory.

Nigeria re-achieved democracy in 1999 after a sixteen year interruption by a

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The people of Nigeria have an extensive history, and based on archaeological evidence, human habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BC”

series of military rulers. From 1966 until 1999, Nigeria had been ruled (except the short lived second republic, 19791983) by military rulers who seized power in coup d’états and counter coups. today Nigeria is a democratic country with tremendous market and investment opportunities.

Nigeria lies within three climatic and geographic types equatorial in the southern reaches, tropical in the central area and arid in the north fringe giving rise to rainforest; savannah and desert vegetations respectively. Nigeria is bisected by the rivers Niger and Benue merging at lokoja, which then cascade southwards to form the tributaries and creeks of the Niger Delta.

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TOP 10 REASONS TO INVEST abundant resources: Nigeria has enormous resources, most of which are yet to be fully exploited. they include mineral, agricultural and human resources.

Large market: Nigeria provides offerings to the Sub-Saharan Africa market, with a population of about 120 million people, the Nigerian market potential also stretches into the growing west african sub-region.

Political stability: Nigeria offers a stable political environment.

Free market economy: the government has created a favourable climate for business and industrial ventures. administrative and bureaucratic procedures have been greatly streamlined. the government has put in place policies and programmes that guarantee a free market economy.

Robust private sector: the country has a dynamic private sector, which has assured greater responsibilities under the new economic environment.

Free flow of investment: Exchange control regulations have been liberalised to ensure free flow of international finance. There is now unrestricted movement of investment capital. attractive incentives: a comprehensive package of incentives has been put in place to attract investment.

Fast growing financial sector: There is well-developed banking and financial sector. Investors have easy access to working capital and other credit facilities.

Skilled and low cost labour: there is an abundance of skilled labour at an economic cost, resulting in production costs, which are among the lowest in africa.

Infrastructure: the country has seen rapid development of physical and industrial infrastructure, in terms of transportation, communications, electricity and water supply.

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Leading the way in Resource Extraction and Mining the mineral spread in Nigeria is significant, with evidence of 34 different minerals distributed in Nigeria’s richly endowed geology. though not all the mineral occurrences will ultimately have enough reserves to be of viable interest to mining companies, the Nigerian government is leaving no stone unturned in its increasingly sustained efforts to delineate and objectively demonstrate the potential and encourage investments in all shapes and sizes.

For a long time, west africa has been a destination of choice for mining executives the world over, with countries like Burkina Faso, ghana, Ivory Coast and Niger being actively explored and mined. Now, africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, fortuitously located in this remarkably prospective region, is opening up its mining sector and taking aggressive steps to gain investment from foreign mining companies as it seeks to become an alternate mining destination. gold has been the predominant mineral of choice in the region. But Nigeria, thus far known for its oil and gas deposits, (with the tenth largest reserves in the world and the third largest after oPEC at 36 billion barrels), is now offering a whole range of 34 solid minerals including precious metals, base metal, rare earths and minerals such as uranium to prospective miners for development.

Positive Government Reform

while Nigeria opens its mining industry, it also seeks to battle negative perceptions that have bedevilled it through years of military rule and socio-economic crisis. the present government’s reform commitment is progressively boosting the confidence of investors,

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but this will not happen overnight. a mining industry always existed in Nigeria and prior to independence in 1960, it was the dominant industry controlled by British firms.

But investors were left with a bad taste after the mining sector was completely nationalised in the 1970’s as the country sought to recover from a devastating civil war. all foreign investors left the country and many of them of them have had strong reservation about re-engaging with the country until the recent past, when they have seen a steady path of growth and unflinching political support to attract foreign direct investment.

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Nigeria also has significant production and manufacturing facilities such as factories for Peugeot, Bedford the English truck manufacturer”

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A Country that takes Debt Seriously

On a Continent that Continues to Grow understandably, the years of dormancy meant that the mines deteriorated and production fell sharply, especially since the state owned companies were neglected with neither technological equipment nor conditions for efficient performance. after the discovery of oil in the 1960s, the government’s focus moved to developing its oil resources and this focus has remained to date to the continued detriment of the mining sector. But with the unprecedented boom in commodity prices, especially for solid minerals, the Nigeria government decided to revisit the mining sector and emphasise the opportunity there to global investors.

With a population estimated at 137,253,133 million people and a projected growth rate of about 2.5 per cent, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country”

with a population estimated at 137,253,133 million people and a projected growth rate of about 2.5 per cent, Nigeria is africa’s most populous country and the tenth largest by population in the world. It is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups, the major groups being Hausa- Fulani Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, kanuri, Ibibio and tiv. the north of Nigeria is predominantly muslim while Christians form the majority in the south east. there are also a number of traditional african religions. on a wider scale, according to the Population Reference Bureau, the Sub-Saharan africa region will more than double in population, from 1.1 billion to 2.4 billion between now and 2050.

For more information on Nigeria, visit www.nipc.gov.ng

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SouRCE: NIPC

like many third world nations, Nigeria has accumulated a significant foreign debt. However many of the projects financed by these debts were inefficient, beset by corruption or failed to live up to expectations. Nigeria defaulted on its debt as arrears and penalty interest accumulated and increased the size of the debt. However, after a long campaign by the Nigeria authorities, in october 2005 Nigeria and its Paris Club creditors reached an agreement that saw Nigeria’s debt reduced by approximately 60%. Nigeria used part of its oil windfall to pay the residual 40%. this deal freed up at least $1.15 billion annually for poverty reduction programmes. as of april 2006, Nigeria became the first African country to fully pay off her debt (estimated $30 billion) owed to the Paris Club.

Nigeria also has significant production and manufacturing facilities such as factories for Peugeot, Bedford the English truck manufacturer, (now a subsidiary of general motors) and also manufactures t-shirts and processed food.

L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s frica outlook is a leading business to business publication that promotes and showcases the leading companies on the Continent. The digital and print publications are aimed at boardroom and hands on decision-makers in a wide range of industries, reaching over 135,000 business executives every month. With over 11,000 unique visitors to our website on a weekly basis africa outlook is the platform to promote your business success. each month we feature leading companies and business executives by profiling their operations in their own words. Covering all aspects from supply chain, investments and developments, best practice, innovation, growth plans and future project and products we aim to promote all that is good about industry, economy and business. producing business profiles across all sectors and regions of africa we give companies the opportunity to tell their story to our readers.

Emily Jarvis Sub-Editor

w w w . a f r i c a o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

If you want to enjoy the exposure and coverage we can offer please feel free to contact me and we can discuss the opportunity at length. Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

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Z a m b i a

Q&A

with Charity Chanda Lumpa, Managing Director of Airtel Zambia Africa Outlook spoke to the first female and Zambian Managing Director for Airtel Zambia, Charity Chanda Lumpa Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith

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Tell me about Airtel Zambia’s operations in your own words Airtel Networks Zambia Plc is a leading telecommunications service provider that has the widest geographical footprint in Zambia. We also have the largest presence in the rural areas of the country as well. Airtel Networks Zambia Plc is a Bharti subsidiary which has been operational in Zambia for the last four years after the acquisition of Zain in 2010. We are a one-stop shop for all types of customers, specialising in all consumer needs be it corporate, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s), high net worth and personal.

Airtel Zambia are also an equal opportunity employer currently employing 319 employees, 201 are males and 118 are females. Of the total Senior Managers and Executive Committee, 30 are females and 50 are male. We have 9 expatriate employees of whom 5 are of Indian origin.

while data revenues will increase.

We have seen a steady shift in Voice via data services and an increase in the consumer appetite for internet related services.

What has Airtel Zambia been doing over the last twelve months?

In the previous year we have been concentrating on developments across our range of products and services, and focusing on expanding and enhancing network. The Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) mandated SIM card registration exercise, successfully concluded at the end of January 2014 with the company achieving 93% registrations.

We have also embarked on a people development programme where we are enriching the skill levels of all our employees via interventions such as short term assignments and training as well as establishing a leadership academy that will make Airtel as a source for industry talent. Airtel acknowledges that data services are the next frontier in our market where we will see Voice revenues reduce

What issues have been affecting the company and the telecoms industry as a whole?

The issues affecting the industry have been in part, the declining consumer disposable income, increased energy costs and fluctuations in Forex’, government taxes and levy.

Our biggest challenge is the cost of doing business on the back of these significant foreign exchange fluctuations, increased energy costs and stringent regulation.

It is characterised by promotions and an upsurge in data usage at both personal and corporate level and customers are more discerning.

The industry is set apart by rigorous regulation, stiff competition and a tough economic environment.

We are however well positioned to shoulder these challenges by tapping into the growth markets of data and a differentiated enterprise business offering.

Where have you seen the most success in the last year?

Under our Airtel Money platform, we have successfully registered in excess of 3.1 million customers. The service has continued to successfully facilitate the payment of incomes particularly daily commissions and allowances to companies who recruit staff working in remotely located areas such as road and construction works, and agricultural outreach organisations. Not only has this platform eased the payment solutions but has also facilitated for financial inclusion in rural areas and opened up employment opportunities. We have also increased access to internet services for many subscribers across the country by offering low cost internet enabled handsets. This will no doubt make Airtel Zambia the number one Internet company in the not too distant future.

In the previous year we have been concentrating on developments across our range of products and services, and focusing on expanding and enhancing network”

Are there any areas where you strive for improvement?

Naturally like any business, we aspire to continuously improve our voice and data services with more data penetration across the board. The initial network improvement works commenced in May 2013 and other major works have begun and will conclude at the end of 2014. Capacity upgrades are to be rolled out in order to further improve 2G voice and data quality.

In addition, capacity expansion for 3G and second carriers will be implemented over a wide geographical area in line with the objective of infrastructure refurbishment and upgrade for all critical of all our sites. These continue to be a key focus for sustained quality of service. LTE testing is underway and will be rolled out later this year.

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Ricom Technologies Ricom Technologies Zambia is a fully fledged engineering organization which is driven by a team of highly qualified and experienced staff with a combined experience of over 3 decades in the Telecommunications, Electrical and Construction industries.

We pride ourselves in providing quality, timely and cost effective solutions and services to our clients.

We are proudly one of Airtel Zambia’s local service providers in: Radio and transmission networks equipment installations and commissioning Maintaining and upgrading active networks Ricom Technologies will strive to uphold warm relations with Airtel Zambia.

Our footprint extends beyond Zambian boarders to Uganda, DRC, Rwanda, and South Sudan.

Tel +260978611087 Email richard@ricom.co.zm

www.ricom.co.zm

Tau Risk Consultants Chairty Chanda Lumpa, Managing Director, Airtel Zambia

Tell me about the recent trends you’ve witnessed and how you intend to capitalise on them We have noticed that customers are becoming more technology savvy and in recent times greater numbers of people have become reliant on internet and other technology services and innovation surrounding the usage of handheld devices for financial intermediation as well as communication.

We are constantly seeking innovative ways of providing data and internet services to meet consumer demands and enhance lifestyle e.g.

Free Facebook for all; Airtel Money; Airtel Insurance; as well as micro-

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finance variants, we are aiming to make the mobile phone the start and end of all business and personal lifestyle interventions.

Tell me about your partners and vendors Our supply chain is very important; we are heavily dependent on our partners and vendors to fulfill customer expectations due to the nature of our core business which is to ensure seamless product and service delivery.

We have a combination of both local and foreign vendors that we use on a regular basis.

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TRC Tech The company provides goods and services within the security, green energy and remote management fields.

Ground breaking solutions and in-house development of M2M products are also offered, with GPRS, 3G, CCTV, and SSMI remote management solutions.

TRC Guarding With 15 years of experience in the market, we can offer alarm monitoring and response country wide.

TRC Fabrication Manufacturing and fabrication of battery housing systems, aluminium based enclosures, vehicle modifications for remote site servicing.

Tel +26 0211 254917 Email admin@taurisk.com

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What are Airtel Zambia’s aims, targets and projections for 2014 and beyond?

The company will continue to enhance its revenue and customer market share leadership as the network with the widest geographical footprint, offering its customers an unrivaled differentiated service and product offering. As I earlier stated, significant investment has been committed to enhancing quality and coverage by the end of December 2014. Needless to say that, investment in our network is an on-going priority. We are grateful to our loyal customers for their support and we wish to commit that we will ensure that we continue to remain focused on providing them a great customer experience.

We also won the ‘Best Public Service & Utility Company’ at the Copperbelt Agricultural and Commercial Show.

Airtel Networks Zambia was voted the “Best Operating Country in Merchant and Bill Payments” amongst the Airtel Africa 17 countries.

Airtel Zambia is an awardwinning company, isn’t it?

Yes, and We have won the following: 4 PMR Africa awards Telecommunications Companies – Diamond Arrow Award Advertising Campaigns – Diamond Arrow Award Companies/Institutions held in high esteem as good corporate citizens – Diamond Arrow Award Most Innovative Companies – Silver Arrow Award

The company will continue to enhance its revenue and customer market share leadership as the network with the widest geographical footprint”

Generator Logic

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enerator Logic is South Africa’s most innovative, versatile and reliable manufacturing supplier of open-type, weatherproof, sound attenuated, super silent, mobile specialised generator sets and ancillary products.

Generator Logic designs and manufactures a range of products for a wide variety of industries and specialises in the manufacture of power solutions for the telecommunications industry.

These custom built solutions include diesel generators with integrated AMF and ATS, hybrid diesel generators and stand alone battery cabinets.

10 Yaron Avenue Lea Glen Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa, 1709 Tel +27(0) 11 472 7432 Email info@genlogic.co.za

www.genlogic.co.za

DijU INTERIOR DESIGN

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ounded in South Africa in 1999, Diju Interior Design’s objective is to create an entity that holistically encompasses everything one needs within their space, whether corporate, commercial, hospitality, retail or residential. In 2008, the Kenya office launched, rapidly expanding to include a wide range of clientele within Africa.

Airtel Africa is one such client that has engaged Diju in the refurbishment of its shops in Zambia and 12 other countries in Africa. Through the use of colour, finishes, bespoke furniture and displays, the shop designs have been replicated, enhancing the experience of its users and ultimately interpreting the Airtel brand in Africa.

Suite 11, Langata Link, Langata South Road P.O. Box 15713-00509, Nairobi, Kenya Tel +254 20 8891678 / 2679779

www.dijuinteriordesign.com

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How important are CSR initiatives to Airtel Zambia?

Airtel plays a leading role in CSR initiatives in Zambia and in this year we will contribute US$500,000 in support of our people and communities.

Through Airtel Rising Stars and other various activities, we continue to focus on health, education and sport.

We are the only organisation that has put together a programme that involves the adoption of schools across the country, providing not only infrastructure support but also computers and allied technologies to aid technological development of pupils. Airtel Rising Stars host an annual unique football property that supports talent by providing youths with a real platform to gain football skills and ultimately become stars, contributing to the community

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through talent development and exposure. The Zambian team emerged second runners up in the Africa intercountry championship.

Our people underlined by a robust and qualitative network and services are the secret to our success�

Finally, what would you say is Airtel Zambia’s secret?

Our people underlined by a robust and qualitative network and services are the secret to our success. As the leading network provider in Zambia, we are here to stay and have established our roots through the purchase of our head office building.

We are constantly exposing our local staff to various Airtel countries as part of our focus people development plans, to enhance skills and experience of our valuable staff. I would like to say thank you to the entire Airtel Zambia team and to our loyal and valuable customers.

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Computer warehouse group pLC

Q &A afriC a’s iCt

entrepreneurs africa outlook hosted a q&a with austin okere, Chief executive Officer of Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) PLC and Entrepreneur in Residence, Columbia Business school, new York Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith

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Could you give me an introduction to Computer Warehouse Group?

Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) was established in September 1992 with just a US$16,000 operating budget and six staff. We built the company up slowly and steadily in the ICT markets and began to expand.

We thrive on staying ahead of the curve in the ever changing technology landscape and maintaining a dominant leadership position. We have evolved from being a Dell PC sales and support company, through providing Enterprise Systems, becoming an outsourcing company providing Managed Services to major clients such as MTN, where we have over 100 badged engineers managing their IT infrastructure, to becoming a dominant IT utility enabler in our region, providing Software-as-aService through Cloud Computing on a subscription basis.

We crafted a major ICT plan in 2010, realising the popularity of cloud computing, and the major opportunities for this in our region, following the increase in broadband access from 0.65tb to a combined capacity of 9Tbits per second by the end of 2013. We now have a staff complement of 650 employees, of which 80% are engineers and ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) certified. We have consolidated our leadership position in the ICT sector with a record turnover of about US$130 million (N20.8billion) last year.

We were very clear that while our tremendous growth over the years had been propelled by our traditional businesses in hardware infrastructure sales and support, software licensing, and VSAT bandwidth vending, these represented mature and declining margin businesses.

We also launched a Tier3 Data Center, which was commissioned by

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C o m p u te r

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PLC

NetApp

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etApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost efficiency and accelerate business breakthroughs.

Our commitment to living our core values and consistently being recognised as a great place to work around the world are fundamental to our long-term growth and success, as well as the success of our pathway partners and customers.

no less a person than Engr. Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the ‘Father of Nigerian Telecoms’. We are now engaged with companies who seek to co-locate their Disaster Recovery Systems with us.

What makes CWG stand out from the crowd?

We are significant partners to the global IT majors such as IBM, Oracle, EMC, Wincor-Nixdorf, Infosys, Cisco and Symantec. We have also evolved a subscription business model, providing Software-as-a-Service to customers through Cloud Computing, taking advantage of the abundant bandwidth at our shores and the attendant exponential increase in Broadband capacity. This initiative which was designed to empower SMEs to take advantage of technology to grow their businesses is tagged CWG2.0.

The idea is to enable each of the 17.7million MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in Nigeria to build

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sufficient capacity to add one more employee. By so doing, we would be helping to foster inclusive growth by creating an additional 17 million jobs.

Our remuneration is mainly variable based and is correlated directly to the results achieved. This makes everybody in the company see themselves as owners; sort of entrepreneurs within a larger entrepreneurial establishment.

They are focused on the big picture, play as a team and are accountable for the businesses under their control.

What has your business been doing over the previous year?

2013 marked a significant milestone for CWG, as we listed our shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, lifting the exchange by about N14b, and becoming the largest ICT security on the NSE. We consolidated the significant progress we have already made towards becoming the number one IT

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With more global organisations transforming IT operations to keep pace with evolving business requirements, NetApp has two new storage system platforms—the extreme-performance FAS8080 EX and the entry value-priced FAS2500. With the FAS8080 EX, growing organisations and service providers can confidently drive the performance-intensive SAN and NAS workloads at the largest scale. The new entry-level NetApp® FAS2500 hybrid arrays can simplify operations, increase productivity through superior integration with ecosystems, extend system life, and minimise future costs.

Westcon is a value added distributor of category-leading unified communications, network infrastructure, data centre and security solutions with a global network of specialty resellers.

From global logistics and flexible customised financing solutions to marketing, pre-sales, technical and engineering assistance, we work with our partners to respond with agility and speed to changing market conditions so they can achieve the fastest time to revenue.

Discover our passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.

Tel +254 (0) 20 420 1000 Email sales.wa@westcon.com

www.westconafrica.com

NetApp Data ONTAP is the world’s #1 storage OS?

Yep, NetApp. In fact, NetApp saved IT more than $25 billion annually.

Learn more at yepnetapp.com or on twitter #yepnetapp

Nigeria Office: (HQ) Kenya Office: Email: Web:

+234 (0)1 791 4578 +254 (0)20 420 1000 sales.wa@westcon.com www.westconafrica.com

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utility enabler in africa, by launching two additional Cloud products; smeRp, an enterprise Resource planning application for sme’s on a subscription basis and the Diamond Yello account in conjunction with mtn, ericsson and diamond Bank that allows the 57m mtn subscribers to be mobile money enabled.

What have been some of the challenges in the icT industry in nigeria? the most challenging issue in the ICt industry here is the unavailability of skilled personnel in significant quality and quantity. this perhaps stems from the lack of targeted investments in the education sector at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. as our business is majorly people driven, we have taken steps to plug the skills gap by establishing the Cwg academy. the academy is a three month crash course in empowering intakes with our culture and the technical essentials for one month, followed by an intensive two months internship program. we started with 50 intakes a quarter in lagos, but have now rolled out the program to port harcourt, abuja and ghana, with plans to launch in uganda and Cameroon in the third quarter of this year.

How would you sum up the current state of the industry then? the recent gdp rebasing puts nigeria as the largest economy in africa, with a gdp of $510 billion. the most surprising revelation is that the services sector is the most significant contributor with about 52%, with ICt telecoms accounting for about 9% of gdp, and targeted to grow to 15% by 2015. the major drivers of this growth are: the undersea fibre optic network, providing greater broadband speed at lower costs; favorable demographics, assuring increasingly auent and

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similar focused companies in the region. Having listed our shares on the stock exchange, we are confident that we shall be in a position to raise funds to purchase target quality assets, as well as our explosive organic growth.

youthful population; a booming telecom industry and the demand for efficient telecom technologies. These drivers shall create opportunities and CWG, as always, will take advantage of these openings to create value for our customers and generate additional sustainable revenue streams.

Has your company won any awards recently?

How important is the supply chain to your business?

Supply chain and logistics are very essential to our business, as we depend on logistics partners to fulfil customers’ orders. There has been a major challenge in meeting the demands of a growing economy such as Nigeria. There are however global companies that are moving into the region through local partnerships to raise the efficiency of this key component of business. The cost of logistics is also a major challenge, as it costs about twice the amount to ship a container between two African ports, as it does to ship it from America or Europe. What we have done to mitigate this is to have a stringent system of evaluating logistics partners, and then training them in the intricacies of our supply chain. We also work with the customers to be proactive in their requirements allowing us sufficient time to process their orders.

What are your aims, targets and projections for 2014 and beyond?

We are in the twilight of our last 5 year strategic plan, which we crafted toward the end of 2010. Our vision was to be the number one IT utility enabler in Africa by 2015. As we begin to enter the second half of 2014, I feel extremely confident that we are on course to achieve our aim. We plan to scale in our new subscription business model, possibly though acquisition of

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Our vision was to be the number one IT utility enabler in Africa by 2015. As we begin to enter the second half of 2014, I feel extremely confident that we are on course to achieve our aim�

CWG was selected as a World Economic Forum Global Growth Company (WEF-GGC) at the 2014 WEF, Africa at Abuja in May this year. CWG was selected for this recognition based on our phenomenal growth, global corporate citizenship, executive leadership and impact on the competitive landscape of the ICT industry in Africa.

For the second year in a row, CWG was awarded Most Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Technology Company of the year.

We continued to support our host communities in 2013 by ingraining social responsibility as an integral part of our business model, with focus on the education sector.

What is CWG’s secret?

The secret to our success is to keep goals and aims realistic and keep things simple and let whatever you do be the best it can be, rather than the best it should be. We believe that there is always room for improvement, and we do not shy away from exploring possibilities, even if we make mistakes, as we stride towards continuous improvements and significant innovation. We pride ourselves on being industry leaders and take on the responsibility of not just following the track, but also blazing new trails for others to follow.

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a i r t e L

r w a n d a

aLways avaiLabLe aLways affordabLe

In the last 12 months alone, airtel Rwanda has doubled their customer base as a result of the brand’s selling points which are affordability, innovativeness and high quality internet Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith

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irtel Rwanda commenced operations in march 2012 and has already become the most sought after telecom company in the industry for internet/data services and affordable smart devices. Unlike all other Bharti airtel operations, airtel Rwanda is in a unique position as the only greenfield operation in Africa to date. In the last year, the company has doubled its registered user base and is showing every indication that this number will further rise over the next 12 months. teddy Bhullar, managing director of airtel Rwanda, believes this substantial growth in only 2 years is down to two key reasons: Affordability in terms of both local and international tariffs, products and services and smart data plans that have pushed Rwandans to join the network. “we have brought in a great variety of plans and options for consumers in the country. data is a massive revenue stream for us, consumers are always looking for new ways to communicate across different social mediums and we want to be able to give them exactly what they want. so far we have been able to do that although we could do more,” explains Bhullar.

Developing the Business Footprint

Business growth for airtel Rwanda has been progressive the last 12 to 18 months. although the predicted growth for the company is slightly higher than current figures, there has been a steady climb in the number of new registered users to the network. airtel Rwanda are looking to capitalise on the consumer feedback, which indicates a desire for a bigger data and network presence. “data is massive for us right now; we have seen more consumers join us because we can facilitate their need for data packages in rural areas, not just in the cities. If this current trend continues then I will be very happy with our market share,” Bhullar remarks.

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Currently, Airtel Rwanda commands a 16 percent share of mobile users in the country and are looking to double this in the shortest time possible.

The country’s mobile penetration now stands at 65 percent with Airtel Rwanda playing a significant role in this. “Last year alone, we launched an affordable mass market phone called Viziyo and we were able to connect over 50,000 Rwandans. This is in addition to other devices that we have made available to our customers.

What we are doing really is supporting mobile penetration in this market,” Bhullar explained.

He further added that so far, the brands highly targeted groups already own a mobile phone while the remaining group is predominantly made up of the over 75’s and children under the age of 10, who are not the target audience for Airtel Rwanda currently.

“People of the older generation or the very young are not likely to want to buy a phone or data plan, as either they do not have the income to do so or have no interest in social communication on a digital medium. We work around this by concentrating all our efforts on our targeted consumer group,” cites Bhullar. It is not just the customer base that Airtel Rwanda are looking to grow.

Over the next 12 to 18 months, the company are looking to expand their data service network from 65 percent coverage to an impressive 85 percent coverage, country-wide. “At the start of our fiscal year, we planned a $30 million investment in our operations which are mainly to improve and expand our network while spreading our footprint in the country to tap even the rural areas of Rwanda,” Bhullar further explained.

Data, Downloads and Mobile Banking Airtel Rwanda are not just looking at data as being the main customer draw, but now have mobile money as another string to their technology

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Teddy Bhullar, Managing Director, Airtel Rwanda

bow. Airtel Money is the convenient and safe way to transfer money from person to person, or pay for goods from your mobile phone. It has become one of the leading financial tools in Africa and Airtel Rwanda has been capitalising on the success in other parts of Africa and bringing it to the country. “Airtel Money is very important for the people of Rwanda in transferring money to each other or paying for utilities and other supplies. If you live in rural areas, accessing a bank is not very easy and can be very time consuming. Airtel Money can help you send payments quickly and safely to another person or pay bills, with the maximum of ease from your own home. This is a huge advantage to consumers who are working long hours and do not have time to get to the bank during the day,” Bhullar highlights.

Mobile data is still the biggest draw for Airtel Rwanda to connect Rwandan’s with the rest of the world.

With 3G already present in the country, the company together with partners is looking to rollout 4G in the shortest time possible to all the main business districts, with a future nationwide rollout over the next 2-3 years. “We are

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confident that with the 4G rollout with our partners, consumers will really see the benefit in their social interactions and internet lifestyle, by being able to download music and films quicker than they could before,” said Bhullar.

Zonal Strategy By having such a large customer base, Airtel Rwanda has had to look at their sales and supply strategies in a different way. Instead of having to travel to central locations in the cities for servicing and help, Airtel Rwanda have set up a greater number of zonal offices, where customers can access all the features normally reserved for large service centres. Within these zonal offices, Airtel Rwanda ensures that they always have a plentiful stock of affordable mobile devices, SIM cards and top-up cards available, so that customers can always get the items they need. “We believe that Airtel customers should have access to information and airtime accessories every time they go to one of our regional service locations. We pride ourselves on always being available and most importantly, always affordable.

Without our customers, we would not have a business, so we do everything

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Success is Always Achievable

in our power to make the consumer experience with Airtel Rwanda as positive as it can be,” proclaims Bhullar.

Corporate Social Responsibility

As a brand, Airtel is widely involved in CSR especially in the area of education with the ‘Adopt a School programme’, which is widely participated by Airtel in all of their operations. “Here in Rwanda, we have so far adopted one school called Nyirarukobwa where we made major refurbishments like painting, provided desks and generally created a model school.

We shall be adopting another school this year in which we shall provide digitised educational content and data. Furthermore, through our Airtel Rising Stars sponsorship, we have been able to develop grassroot football talent. We are currently working out a strategic CSR policy that will guide the brand in further activities,” Bhullar says.

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Planning, application and affordability.

These three points are exactly what has made Airtel Rwanda take long strides in such a short space of time”

Bhullar is keen to press just how successful Airtel Rwanda has been since it began only two years ago, and he puts this success down to three key steps: “Planning, application and affordability. These three points are exactly what has made Airtel Rwanda take long strides in such a short space of time. Firstly, we plan our expansion into the country carefully and with strong market research, taking into consideration all aspects of local economy and lifestyles. Secondly, we then apply this background knowledge into actionable steps that we build the foundations of our company onto. Thirdly, we guarantee our prices are affordable to the consumer, or no matter how good the first two steps are we will not have any business. This is what makes us so successful. This is the Airtel way.”

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afriCa’s fastest

GRowING it distributor mitsumi’s regional geographical coverage and extensive customer base has made the group the largest and fastest growing distributor in africa Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Donovan Smith

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itsumi IT Distribution was formed in Nairobi, Kenya in the year 1996 with the aim of introducing appropriate and affordable technologies to Africa and now 18 years on, the company are proud to be a Pan-Africa Distributor.

As authorised distributors for leading global IT hardware and software brands, Mitsumi have a growing brand portfolio including the following well known brands: Acer, APC, Asus, BenQ, Dell, Dell SonicWall, D-Link, EPSON, HP, Huawei, IBM, iSurf, Lenovo, LINKSYS, Microsoft, Polycom, Rivedbed, Samsung, Sandisk, Toshiba, Tripp-Lite and WD. As one of the Africa’s largest IT distributors, Mitsumi is the conduit through which the power of technology flows to 19 Countries in Africa. In the fiscal year 2011, the company sold IT products to more than 6,000 technology resellers in over 12 Countries. Every day these resellers depend on Mitsumi to help them costeffectively support the technology needs of end users of all sizes, including small and medium-sized businesses (SME’s), large enterprises, educational institutions, government agencies and consumers.

Mitsumi is a leading technology distributor with a wide network of resellers acting as a one-stop-shop in IT for dealers and resellers in Africa.

Mitsumi distributes a wide range of products covering computers, data centre, storage, security, networking, software and hardware.

Expansive Operations

Mitsumi Distribution operates in over 19 countries in Africa. The market covered by Mitsumi includes East, West, North and Southern Africa; with sales and stock points in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Benin, Algeria, Tunisia,

Morocco, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Mauritius and Madagascar and Jebel Ali (U.A.E). More than 150 employees and subsidiaries across the aforementioned 12 locations ensure speedy, effective and professional service to resellers throughout Africa.

Mitsumi plays a vital role in the value chain, linking manufacturers of technology to thousands of resellers covering wide geographical territories.

As a result, in-country facilities and regional stocking points across the African markets have catalysed the growth of Mitsumi.

Currently, the company have 15 warehouses and 8 service centres in Africa and a strategic IT warehouse located in Jebel Ali, Dubai. These capabilities help Mitsumi reduce turnaround time in distributing products to the African markets.

Mitsumi’s credit facilities to partners also consolidated its leadership advantage in Africa. Mitsumi has a first-mover advantage in Africa since the company was the first to establish a chain of in-country presence in Africa ranging from facilities such as warehousing, stocking points and support service centres in 1996.

Volume Distribution and Value Division In 2009, Mitsumi forayed into the distribution business in and since then their portfolio has grown to include world class distribution partners.

Mitsumi offers resellers access to an extensive array of systems, networking, peripherals and software products from industry leading producers of hardware and software products.

Mitsumi Distribution has set up a dedicated Value Division, which was unveiled recently and has already signed distribution partnerships with Dell, Dell SonicWALL, D-Link, Fluke Networks, IBM, Linksys, Polycom, Riverbed and Tripplite for the Africa region. This division is designed to

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“We chose Tripp Lite for two reasons: their reputation as a leading UPS manufacturer and the attractive price. Since the Tripp Lite UPS was installed, we haven’t experienced any equipment damage or downtime.”

“In an airport environment, any system downtime at all can result in a huge logistical headache. We chose a UPS based on our current and expanding needs. Tripp Lite ended up fitting us perfectly.”

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“Tripp Lite has always delivered excellent products and support. That’s why I chose them to protect Cisco’s flagship product line. We will be recommending Tripp Lite power protection to all our Cisco TelePresence customers.”

“Tripp Lite provides a wide range of excellent products that are suited for all business power protection concerns and requirements.

In addition, Tripp Lite was there for us with aggressive product service and support to ensure a satisfactory solution.”

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take into account changing global and regional market circumstances, increasing company focus on the lower end of the It market, to ensure that both the needs of vendors and resellers are being met efficiently. the launch of the value Business unit also paves the way for mitsumi to recruit partners who will work with the enterprise team, to sell and support its vendor solutions. these infrastructure solutions include security, data centre, storage, virtualisation, private and public clouds, united communications, CRm and networking.

2013 – A Big Year for Mitsumi

Early 2013 saw global flash memory maker sandisk and samsung electronics africa sign deals with mitsumi distribution. sandisk’s deal allows mitsumi to distribute their products to 22 african countries. “the partnership strengthens our position in the african storage market,” said sreedhar sreekumar, sandisk regional sales manager for middle east and

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We intricately understand how to cost-effectively support the technology needs of end users of all sizes and certainly see this partnership with Samsung as an opportunity to continue our growth across the continent.”

africa. “africa is a growing emerging market and represents great potential for sandisk. we are excited to partner with mitsumi and to see sandisk grow throughout the continent. our partnership with mitsumi reinforces our objective to expand our product reach in africa,” sreekumar added. mitesh shah, managing director at mitsumi distribution, further emphasised: “mitsumi is delighted to be associated with a pioneering technology company like sandisk that has impacted people’s digital lives.” as a result of samsung africa’s ongoing market development strategy to enhance its product availability, they took out a deal with mitsumi, allowing them to distribute samsung It products in 19 countries across subsaharan africa. samsung electronics africa It solutions director, thierry Boulanger, explained that the entry of Mitsumi Distribution will afford Samsung Electronics effective access to more than 19 african countries: “This partnership agreement is the first of its kind for us and certainly speaks to our continued investment in, and commitment to our african customers. this agreement not only enables us to expend our logistical footprint, but leverage on an established african distributor and support network.” through this partnership agreement, mitsumi will deliver the full range of samsung It consumer and business solutions to the market. mitesh shah was proud of this distribution achievement: “as one of the leading african distributors we understand the broader african continent and hold a viable expertise, having been in operation for 18 years across more than 19 african countries. we intricately understand how to cost-effectively support the technology needs of end users of all sizes and certainly see this partnership with samsung as an opportunity to continue our growth across the continent.”

Tripp Lite Africa

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ripp Lite, a world-leading manufacturer of power protection and connectivity solutions, demonstrates its commitment to its customers by creating a diverse and continually evolving offering of over 2,500 products that can adapt to the IT needs of the smallest home offices, the data centres of the largest enterprises, and everything in between.

Tripp Lite’s UPS systems, racks, PDUs, KVMs, cables, and more are all vendor-neutral, which means that customers can seamlessly integrate any Tripp Lite product into their existing power infrastructure or data centre, regardless of the equipment’s brand. This is just one aspect of the manufacturer’s commitment to ensure that each of its customers has the ability to create a reliable and secure IT infrastructure.

Tripp Lite’s partnership with Mitsumi, a company who is also committed to meeting its customers’ needs, allows its products to be combined with offerings from leading technology brands such as Toshiba, Fujitsu, IBM, Microsoft, and others, making it possible to create the perfect IT solution for every client.

“We look forward to a long and fruitful future with Mitsumi as we aim to target the customer’s primary needs while keeping cost-effectiveness and efficiency at the forefront,” said Darwin Haines, Tripp Lite’s Vice President

of EMEA & Asia Sales. “Africa is a particularly diverse market with many exciting opportunities, and we look forward to finding new ways to utilize our diverse product offering here. With the help of Mitsumi and its great network of partners, we hope to become a staple in every IT manager’s data centre in the region,” the executive concluded.

As a result of its commitment to personalized customer service and ready-to-ship inventory for every continent, Tripp Lite’s impact has been felt around the world. The manufacturer’s products can be applied to a variety of industries, such as banking and finance, healthcare, mining, oil and gas, and government.

Headquartered in Chicago in the United States, with branch offices and a vast network of partners around the world, Tripp Lite’s specialists can always be found anywhere and anytime to provide quick and efficient customer support. This, combined with extensive inventory and vendor neutral design, make Tripp Lite solutions the perfect answer to the needs of Small and Medium Business owners and data centre administrators alike.

Tel +254 731 137 202 Email salesint@tripplite.com www.tripplite.com

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Polycom

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olycom considers africa to be a key growth market for voice and video conferencing. we

are delighted to partner with mitsumi value distribution, one of the largest players in the african It market. signing a distribution agreement with mitsumi emphasizes the intention and determination of polycom to make our innovations in unified communications available to a wider audience. the partnership between mitsumi and polycom will provide sub saharan partners with access to polycom solutions. From large telepresence room systems to mobile clients, these solutions are all relevant in africa today.

Distributor of choice

mitsumi’s regional geographical coverage and extensive customer base has made the group the largest and fastest growing distributor in africa. the company will remain invested and create new business avenues to enhance life styles in africa. “we have established a reputation as one of the most dependable and customer centric distributors in africa. we have a pan africa distribution strategy/ vision, strong in-country presence and targeted marketing campaigns which will take It distribution to the next level. we envision mitsumi as a world class company with great people contributing to the advancement of africa.” to reward their success, mitsumi were awarded distributor of the Year in the 2013 CIo annual symposium and awards Competition, held in kigali, Rwanda. mitesh shah commented that business technology leadership plays an integral role in enhancing the growth of organisations: “we feel

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proud and more encouraged to be recognised for this prestigious award which will go a long way to explain our passion for excellence in distribution.” He said the firm’s long history in africa has convinced them to diversify the business model and add value to partners. mitsumi are making waves in the It sector in order to secure their vision to become the “distributor of Choice” in Information technology and Consumer electronics in africa. “at mitsumi we strive to nourish and grow our vendor partner and reseller partner relationships in africa and exceed their expectations each day, every day.” with a pan-africa distribution vision and strategy that will take It distribution to the next level and with a strong track record, solid financial standing and pool of African best practices, strategic business partnerships are crucial for mitsumi distribution’s success. the company are sure to go far in servicing the growing need for It solutions across africa.

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polycom helps organizations unleash the power of human collaboration. more than 400,000 companies and institutions worldwide defy distance with secure video, voice and content solutions from polycom to increase productivity, speed time to market, provide better customer service, expand education and save lives. polycom and its global partner ecosystem provide flexible collaboration solutions for any environment that deliver the best user experience, the broadest multi-vendor interoperability and unmatched investment protection. visit www.polycom.com or connect with us on twitter, Facebook, and linkedIn to learn more.

Tel +44 (0) 1753 723000

www.polycom.com

b a o b a b

r e s o u r C e s

masterful Baobab Resources is pushing forward with new mining projects that will put mozambique on the natural resources map Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Eddie Clinton

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lthough mozambique does not lay claim to a rich mining heritage, the country boasts some of the largest undeveloped coal and natural gas reserves left on the planet. mozambique is rapidly evolving into a mining and industrial hub of global significance and is poised to become one of the world’s top 5 lng exporters as well as contributing up to 20 percent of the world’s seaborne coking coal within the next decade.

Ben James, managing director of Baobab Resources, believes that the mining projects currently under his watchful eye will help propel mozambique to the top of the global mining chain: “Our flagship asset is the tete pig iron and ferro-vanadium project which we are developing with our strategic partner, the IFC. with an

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large iron ore resource base to underpin a 100+ year operation and unique access to the requisite iron and steel making raw materials on our doorstep, we are looking to establish a vertically integrated mining and smelting operation producing pig iron and vanadium products. we have completed a pre Feasibility study (pFs) which estimated operating expenditures that redefine the bottom of the cost curve and are mid-way through a Definitive Feasibility study (dFs).” “we are also looking at the parameters required to unlock additional value by taking the project the last step down stream and producing steel products. domestic steel production is a prerequisite for an emerging economy to ‘tool up’ and we have the opportunity to play a major role in mozambique’s industrial

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are being brought into production by development. our low opex will ensure that we are competitive, locally, an a-list of mining houses, including vale and Rio tinto, and steel producers regionally and globally.” (nippon steel, posCo, Jindal and A Rapidly Developing Area tata). the tete province is also home to southern africa’s largest source of Baobab’s flag ship project in country hydro-electric power, the Cahora Bassa is the tete pig Iron & Ferro-vanadium dam. new hydro-power schemes, as project, located in the tete province. well as thermal power plants, will ensure the Company is developing the project that Baobab’s near term and long term in joint venture with IFC (International power requirements will be met.

Finance Corporation), the commercial “It’s all about location,” says arm of the world Bank, and has James. “we are strategically located competed over 80,000m of drilling at the confluence of the core iron to date, defining a global resource and steel making raw materials of inventory of 759mt of iron ore. Baobab iron ore, coal, power and water. this completed a pFs in 2013, examining opens a unique opportunity to add an integrated mining and smelting real value in the country at the mineoperation producing 1mtpa of pig iron mouth, through vertical integration and 3ktpa of ferro-vanadium alloy. in iron and steel production.” the project is immediately adjacent Beneficiating raw materials in to some of the largest undeveloped their country of origin has become a coal deposits left on the planet that

worldwide trend and mozambique is no exception. “the government is throwing its weight behind the tete project. not only because of the clear socio-economic merits, but because they recognise the importance of an iron and steel industry to sustain the development of mozambique.”

The Tete project stands to benefit from the significant infrastructure investments already being made in the region as James explains: “we are slipstreaming behind the majors as they push the refurbishment and expansion of the rail corridors to the coast as well as the ports. the development is rapid. a year ago there was capacity for less than 3mtpa, this year that has increased to 6mtpa; in 18 months we expect to reach 40mtpa and within the next 8 years there should be in excess of 60mtpa capacity.”

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ABB’s commitment to continued investment

company, ABB has an exceptional track

in the expansion of new services and

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the African continent. In Mozambique, we are

surpass industry expectations. This is why

uniquely positioned to support the dynamic

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industry requirements and is undisputed in

in the African minerals processing and mining

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space.

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The company’s wealth of experience,

Our firm commitment to the development

guarantees prospective clients of a

of the African landscape encompasses

partnership that is focused on cost-effective,

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ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact.

The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 150,000 people.

Further Info: www.abb.co.za/mining

Solutions? Africa? Remote locations?

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Integrated solutions to meet your specific requirements: ABB has over 60 years of expertise in mining and minerals processing solutions covering the complete value chain from underground mining to processing and refining: – Electrification and plant engineering – Power distribution – Integrated mine operations and remote control rooms www.abb.co.za/mining

ABB South Africa Tel. +27 10 202 5000 Fax. +27 11 579 8000 E-mail: sales@za.abb.com

– Life cycle services – Process control and instrumentation – Drives applications

B a o b a b

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Investment Potential

Baobab have some serious financial investment for their Tete project, which comes from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), who have bought a 15 percent participatory interest in the project with Baobab owning the remaining 85 percent.

The IFC is actively pursuing investments in Mozambique, not only in resources, but also infrastructure and natural gas. “Having the IFC on board is an excellent endorsement for investing in Mozambique. It also credentialises the project, the management team and, most importantly, how we do business in the country. Looking forward, having the IFC maintain their 15 percent stake will make project financing significantly less onerous,” remarks James. “Along with our corporate advisors, Standard Chartered Bank, the IFC have also assisted us with the search for suitable strategic partners to work alongside Baobab in developing the project. This search is global, with a lot of interest out of northern Asia and the Middle East.”

James hopes that investors looking into the potential of the Tete project will see the many benefits of the operation, such as the strategic location, the prestigious financial institutional already on board and the massive reserves of iron and coal available.

“Our PFS modelled a 37 year operational life producing 1mtpa of pig iron, at the end of which time we had only mined around 15 percent of our global resource, clearly demonstrating that this is a long life operation with plenty of scope for scaling up production,” proclaims James. “Our pig iron production costs will ensure that we are always competitive in the existing merchant pig iron market, being able to compete in the larger scrap iron market if required, and

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we will be able to open up new markets where seaborne pig iron has not been competitive in the past - the Middle East is one such area. In the longer term, by introducing steel making capacity, the project will be able to support the inexorable growth of local and regional steel consumption, particularly rebar.

Steel demand is being driven both by rapid urbanisation as well as the commissioning of large scale infrastructure projects such as the establishment of the LNG industry in Mozambique, which is expected to attract some 40 billion dollars of investment.”

Keeping Everything African

Baobab Resources are avid fans of ensuring African companies, especially those local to Mozambique, gain the maximum work and revenue possible for each project. This means utilising the local labour force and mining specialists before having to look to other countries for skilled workers. With the mining sector growing rapidly in Mozambique, the need for skilled, highly trained workers is increasing and competition for the top workers has been tight.

Logistically, Baobab look to use local machinery where possible but the nature of the industry does not always allow for this. “We are proud to be an African company, and with that comes a conscious effort to employ local workers wherever we can. On a logistical front though, some of our specialist machinery will come from abroad, but the majority of it will be sourced right here in Africa,” cites James.

By using local subsidiaries of foreign companies, Baobab Resources are helping to grow the mining industry in Mozambique, whilst still being able to maintain good relationships with potential Asian and European suppliers.

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COWI Moçambique COWI (Moçambique), Lda is a Mozambican consulting company, member of COWI Group, which provides services in socioeconomic, environmental, water and engineering sectors.

OUR SERVICES Social Studies and Governance Economic Studies and Human Capital Development Resettlement Territorial and Urban Planning Agriculture and Rural Development Water and Sanitation Engineering Environment Programme Management and Technical Assistance The experience gained over more than 25 years allows us to provide solutions tailored to customer needs and adequate to the context of Mozambique.

Ben James, Managing Director of Baobab Resources

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Of course, strategy plays a very big role in growth as well, and James is one of the few Managing Directors who actually lives in the same country where the investment is taking place. Now this may seem like nothing special, but when you consider that big decisions can then be made on site and with a firsthand view of the situation, it becomes a very important and strategic advantage.

When you couple this with the fact that James and the board meet with ministers and members of the government on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, to ensure all regulations and rules are followed and that all parties are kept up to date with the project, you begin to see that Baobab are at the heart of growing the mining industry in Mozambique and will continue to operate successfully there for the foreseeable future.

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mantrac tanzania sees huge potential for mining in east africa and is geared-up to assist in all your equipment needs Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Eddie Clinton

he mantrac group is the sole authorised dealer for Caterpillar products in east africa; including kenya, tanzania and uganda. mantrac tanzania distributes and supports the full range of Cat construction equipment including wheel loaders, skid steer loaders, dump articulated trucks, Backhoe loaders, excavators, motor graders, track-type tractors and BCp products. moreover, mantrac tanzania distributes mining, power systems and material-handling and warehousing equipment for a wide range of industries and applications. mantrac tanzania is also the sole approved supplier of genuine Caterpillar parts, which are available at competitive prices. Highly-qualified employees work through an extensive branch network that includes a head office in Dar es Salaam and branches in mwanza, moshi, mbeya and mtwara. the mtwara branch was opened in 2013 specifically to support oil and gas companies in southern corridor of tanzania where there is huge discovery of gas; a future source of power for tanzania and east africa region in general. Furthermore, mantrac tanzania is equipped to perform total overhauls, as well as having a team of qualified service engineers - equipped with the necessary diagnostic and repair tools – which can be dispatched at any time to customers.

A Rich east African History

mantrac tanzania’s rich history stems back as far as 1925, when the company was known as gailey and Roberts.

By 1937, unilever came on the scene when the united africa Company acquired gailey and Roberts, who at the time were engaged in agricultural and construction developments.

Further, the company was purchased by the mansour group via the egyptian Caterpillar dealer, mantrac, who had

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already established a world-class reputation as a dealer for over 25 years.

Finally, in 2003, they settled on the name Mantrac Tanzania: “With dealerships in seven African countries, we decided to bring them all under the same ‘Mantrac’ umbrella. This has boosted our reach and reputation as a recognised CAT dealer in East Africa,” explains Graham Dickinson, Mining Operations Manager for Mantrac Tanzania.

Today, Mantrac Group is a Caterpillar dealer in nine countries across three continents, taking great pride in delivering excellent service across the organisation, whilst remaining focussed on the future potentials in these respective countries. Mantrac Tanzania alone employs 297 staff members; approximately 41 percent of which have gone through the company’s own training programmes. The Mantrac Group also holds Caterpillar dealerships in Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Russia, Uganda, Egypt and Iraq. A regional Caterpillar Distribution Centre was built in Dubai in 2013, which is advantageous for Mantrac Tanzania as Dickinson discusses: “Due to working closely with the Tanzania Revenue Authority and customs to comply with their standards, the Dubai regional base has improved efficiencies resulting in an improved level of service to our customers.”

Supporting Local Projects Over the last year, Mantrac Tanzania has been supporting a selection of large mines across Tanzania including those mined by African Barrick Gold, Anglogold Ashanti, Petra Diamonds and Shanta Gold. “We provide end-to-end services to some of our contractors, including new machines and product support backup direct to the customer from our braches on their mining sites,” cites Dickinson.

Additionally, in construction, Mantrac is assisting in both the development of new roads and the renewal of the

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Fortes Africa

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ortes Africa has had a working relationship with Mantrac Tanzania for several years now.

As a family-run business, we pride ourselves in the premium services we offer that include tailor-made safari packages, car hire and garage services. We employ a talented team of international and local specialists, and we ensure our hard work and commitment pays back – above all – to the community we are based in. We have been rated as one of the Top 100 mid-sized companies in Tanzania by KPMG, and have won a plethora of international awards.

Fortes Africa has a love for its home and its people and aims to create sustainable development through its trade and services. We ensure that our hard work and commitment pays back – above all – to the community we are based in.

Tel +255 28 2500561 Email safaris@fortes-africa.com

www.fortes-africa.com

TAZAMA Pipeline Power Modules, a fuel pipeline which runs 1,700km from Dar es Salaam to northern Zambia. “There are several pumping stations along this route, to which we are providing new engines and gearboxes. As next year is an election year in Tanzania, Mantrac is expecting additional construction projects to commence in the months’ ahead,” says Dickinson.

Mining in Tanzania is currently dominated by gold mining; and there is huge future potential not only in gold mining, but for alternative commodities such as nickel, coal, copper, rare earth elements (REE’s) and uranium.

Dickinson is excited by this: “If a new project came to our attention, our team are geared up and ready to assist the mining and construction industries from the get-go. We see significant potential for the mining of these alternative minerals. Tanzania has a wealth of natural resources, which includes over

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one billion tonnes of coal reserves; it is simply a case of having the right infrastructure in place to sustain mining it, and also finding an outlet for that resource. As we are a long way from the ports, exporting raw materials has to be financially viable.” Moreover, Dickinson proposed that Tanzania’s coal reserves could be useful in terms of muchneeded power generation within the country, greatly helping the economy to grow. Mantrac is carefully considering their options in East Africa, with possibilities outlined in both Southern and Eastern areas of Tanzania.

Training and Customer-Retention For the last two and a half years, Mantrac Tanzania has been educating their staff in their new training school, located at Mantrac Dar es Salaam’s headquarters. “We invested US $1.3 million in this building which houses our training department. We have trained approximately 116 trainees

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Tanzania has a wealth of natural resources, which includes over one billion tonnes of coal reserves; it is simply a case of having the right infrastructure in place to sustain mining it, and also finding an outlet for that resource”

and apprentices since the introduction of our training programs and are really reaping the benefits of this,” Dickinson highlights. The Group as a whole are keen to establish a working environment which encourages creativity, innovation and integrity; one that develops the talents of staff so they can achieve their full potential.

Mantrac Tanzania work very closely with their customers, being attentive to their wants and needs. “We understand that one size does not fit all, hence we tailor our services to satisfy the requirements of our customers,” emphasises Dickinson. The company offer customer value propositions and integrated solutions that are both mutually rewarding and efficient, in order to establish long lasting relationships with clients. “Mantrac Tanzania and Mantrac Group are committed to continue providing world class solutions to wide range of its customers,” Dickinson concludes.

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DEFINING T H E F U T UR E OF SKINCARE Best known for its NIVEA skincare product range, Beiersdorf are strengthening their market position through innovative research and strong branding Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Tom Cullum

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eiersdorf is a global skincare company with more than 150 affiliates and over 17,000 employees worldwide. In 2012, Group sales posted €6.04 billion. The company’s international success is founded on strong brands in all the relevant skincare categories: NIVEA in the mass market, Eucerin in the pharmacy segment and La Prairie in the luxury skincare segment.

Today – 100 years after its creation – NIVEA is one of the largest skincare brands in the world and available in more than 200 countries worldwide, and market leaders in 46 of these. Further to this, Eucerin is a leading medical skincare brand of dermatological cosmetics; and in the premium segment, La Prairie is a leader in the exclusive anti-aging skincare market. When Group sales reached the €6 billion milestone in 2012, this marked a great achievement for the skincare manufacturer; but Beiersdorf continue to push for greater things.

For over 130 years, Beiersdorf have been dedicated to meeting the consumers’ individual needs and are considered to be the “inventors of modern skincare”. Through Research and Development expertise, innovative products, and strong brands, the skincare giant strives to be number one in their field.

Every day, millions of consumers trust Beiersdorf’s innovative, highquality skin and body care products.

Their successful international brand portfolio is tailored to meet the individual needs and wishes of consumers, as well as regional requirements. The ongoing strengthening and development of strong brands is the basis for this closeness to consumers and markets, and a significant factor in Beiersdorf’s success.

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employees who take responsibility and who think like entrepreneurs. We need to be right up close to our markets and consumers and to be as efficient and flexible as possible. Our history is what drives us forward. We want to get better every day. And we can count on the complete dedication of our highly motivated employees to do so,” states Stefan F. Heidenreich, Chairman of the Executive Board of Beiersdorf AG, on the company website.

Learning from the Skin

The Blue Agenda Strategy Introduced in 2012, Beiersdorf’s Blue Agenda strategy is a key component in increasing growth and reach. It is focused on strengthening the company brands, increasing power through innovation, expanding presence in the emerging markets, and on dedicated employees.

A feel for the needs and wishes of consumers, a disciplined approach to brand management and innovationled Research and Development work have made Beiersdorf what it is today. The company look back with pride on over 130 years of success.

However, this success story does one thing above all: It imposes a duty and an incentive to do even better in the future, step by step, and to continue the company’s progress sustainably and for the long term.

With a vision to be the number one in skincare in the relevant markets and categories, the Blue Agenda defines the course Beiersdorf are adopting to face the challenges of the future and in turn, reaching their goals. This strategy is picking up speed as the company further work to strengthen their innovative products and brands.

“We are basing this on an open, integrative corporate culture that encourages high performance, and on

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Learning from the skin: Beiersdorf’s researchers have been following this guiding principle since the company’s beginnings 130 years ago.

Today at the Hamburg Research Centre, over 500 scientists work with deep dedication and great success in unlocking the skin’s complex processes in order to develop better and better skincare products on the basis of this newfound knowledge.

Since the very beginning, Beiersdorf and its dermatological expertise have been synonymous with groundbreaking innovations - even the introduction of Eucerin (1900) and NIVEA Creme (1911) was based on systematic advancements to emulsions which were achieved working in close collaboration with dermatological researchers.

Beiersdorf has remained true to this principle until today; demonstrated by the discovery of the skinrejuvenating and wrinkle-reducing coenzyme Q10 and the excellent skin-moisturising properties of the ingredient Hydra IQ, as well as the invention of the first deodorant that protects against textile discoloration or stress-induced perspiration.

Over the course of the company’s history, the broad range of technical expertise contained within the Beiersdorf Research Centre has repeatedly led to methods of analysing and evaluating the effectiveness of

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DASH WHO ARE WE? DASH is a well renowned company in the clothing industry, as a leading supplier of high quality corporate wear.

For over 30 years we have successfully supplied leading multinational and corporate businesses with customised promotional merchandise across Africa.

Quality workmanship, distinctive style, reliability, consistency and a drive for perfection are some of the values that have made DASH a leading company within the industry.

We offer a full range of services at the most competitive prices and our product range is vast, from t-shirts to executive shirts & blouses, the list really is endless. Also all our products are available in a range of colours, textures, qualities and can be printed or embroidered.

We understand the importance of promotional merchandise; every branded giveaway and company uniform is an opportunity to gain more customers or strengthen existing relationships. This is why our approach is focused on helping our clients chose the right selection of merchandise to make the right impression!

So what are you waiting for?

Give us the opportunity to take your brand to the next level!

Tel 0772 727 351 Email info@dashclothng.com

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udi Chemical Industries is the leading aerosol contract manufacturer in the east african region. the company provides expert solutions for any form of Aerosol filling for glass, tin and aluminium dispensers. we are proud to be associated with Beiersdorf. we have partnered with them as third party manufacturers for their lImaRa Brand of deo sprays since 2004. other companies for whom we have carried out contracts for include Yardley (uk) and european perfumery and Cosmetics. we also manufacture teepol brand of liquid detergents and are the leading manufacturer of Drilling fluids for Borehole, geothermal and oil and gas drilling applications.

Tel +254 20 554742, 554294, 3517102 Email info@sudichem.com / sudichem@gmail.com

Regarding future growth, europe is Beiersdorf’s key market, accounting for 58 of its offices; and the company will continue to develop and encourage talent and achieve wider company goals as a team. at the By 2020 we aim to generate same time, they plan on building 50% of our sales from products their presence in growth markets with a significantly reduced around the world in particular environmental impact; in Brazil, China, and Russia. By establishing Regional development By 2020 we aim to reduce our Co2 Centres, such as the ones that emissions by 30% per product sold; opened in 2013 in wuhan (China) 2020 Commitments and mexico, Beiersdorf can gain By 2020 we aim to reach and closer insights into consumer needs Beiersdorf’s approach to sustainability improve the lives of one in these important future markets; focuses primarily on increasing million families. where they can continue to create their ability to respond to change continuing State of the Art and innovate. and establishing a forward-looking Research For the financial year 2013, culture. the issues that are important with €159 million invested in R&d and to stakeholders have been identified 965 scientists worldwide, Beiersdorf’s Beiersdorf’s revealed that group sales rose 7.2% to €6.14 million. with this so as to contribute to the long state of the art research facilities and in mind, it is clear that the future of term-success of the business and knowledgeable scientists continue to to help combat global problems. be a force to be reckoned with. In 2012, Beiersdorf continues to show signs the ambitious 2020 commitments they conducted over 2000 studies with of further growth and successful strategy implementation. therefore, are designed to ensure that more than 45,000 test persons. skincare products designed and tested

by Beiersdorf; becoming industry-wide and the global standard. the Beiersdorf brands are extremely well-trusted all over the world - not least because they are remarkably gentle on the skin but meet the needs of all types of human skin, which varies according to skin type, age, or gender, as well as weather conditions and specific ethnic or culture characteristics.

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the company are focused on the areas which have the greatest impacts in the company. these commitments give Beiersdorf a clear direction to strive for a better performance:

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M a n u f a c t u r i n g

MOVING YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD. GLOBALLY.

A STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER TO THE COMPLEXITIES OF INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT FORWADING WITH LOCAL EXPERTISE. ……. www.dhl.com saleske@dhl.com +254 (0)20 692 5881 Airport Trade Centre, 2nd Floor, 3rd Freight Lane, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport P.O. Box 44469-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

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Barloworld Equipment is always planning ahead to ensure they can deliver effective, value-added solutions to their customers Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Ben Wigger

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arloworld Equipment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Barloworld Limited, a multinational brand distribution company that is listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange. The company operate as the sole dealer for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) earthmoving machines, power systems and related mining and construction equipment in all its African territories. This consists of South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Katanga Province. The company also represents rotary blasthole drilling equipment from Atlas Copco, Metso Minerals Mobile Mining, Construction Crushing, Screening Plants, MAK and Perkins Diesel Engines.

Strategic Planning and Improvements The company’s strategic planning looks ahead to the future of their customer business. This allows Barloworld Equipment to anchor effective, value-adding solutions to a client’s equipment procurement and management needs. The Barloworld Equipment Centre of Excellence at Isando, Gauteng, is the hub from which the company’s earthmoving equipment solutions strategy is driven. A second location in Boksburg, Gauteng, serves the same purpose for the power division of the business.

Barloworld Equipment runs a continuous process improvement programme, based on Lean 6 Sigma, which aims to give the customer what they want, when they want it and at the right cost. The programme has improved and continues to improve Barloworld Equipment’s effectiveness in key areas. As part of 6 Sigma, a ‘War on Waste’ campaign

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aims to reduce the amount of wasted costs that are produced in mining related day-to-day activities.

The campaign has captured the imagination of many employees and resulted in significant savings across the business.

Earth Moving Fundamentals Barloworld are very focussed on local skills development for the benefit of customer employees who are operators to site supervisors, as well as senior engineers. Barloworld Equipment’s applications and training experts aim to spend their time where it counts most; on customer sites, where they can assist your employees in achieving optimum equipment usage through a combination of correct site layout, application of the machines to the relevant jobs, and correct operating procedures. This helps to advise on how haul road gradients affect production, bucket design, size, cycle times and tyre choice; of which the company often bring in international Caterpillar experts to help perfect operating techniques.

Market Leader Vision Barloworld Equipment is committed to providing quality construction and mining equipment to the earthmoving industry by developing globally competitive, diverse, empowered and passionate people alongside the delivery of a quality product range. Further, the company provide mining and construction equipment management services, coupled with cost-effective solutions.

The company strive to be the market leader by providing customers with the lowest total owning and operating cost over the life of construction and mining machinery.

The group provides customers with two interlinked services designed specifically to positively

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The health, safety and well-being of our employees is of the utmost importance and as a company, we will continually work to ensure all employees also regard this as an essential core value”

impact four key factors: improving fleet and machine productivity and availability, lowering operating costs and improving utilisation. These are daily factors of consideration when owning earthmoving equipment and machinery.

The Professional Services group works on the premise that lowest cost per cubic metre or ton = lowest possible hourly costs divided by the highest possible hourly productivity. A low machine retail price can be wiped out in a few months if the productivity of the machine is not optimised.

Safety

Health and Safety is an essential core value that runs throughout Barloworld Equipment’s practices.

“The health, safety and well-being of our employees is of the utmost importance and as a company, we will continually work to ensure

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all employees also regard this as an essential core value.”

The belief at Barloworld Equipment is that cooperation of all employees is essential in achieving a high standard of accident prevention. The company empower their staff to continually improve and spread the safety message by ensuring they themselves work safely and in accordance with the company’s safety procedure requirements and legislative requirements. Consequently, a division of Caterpillar called Customer Safety Services, has created safety.cat.com to provide Barloworld’s customers and employees with information spanning the entire Cat product line, promoting safety in all areas of the business.

What sets them apart?

Designed to keep pace with your business requirements, Barloworld Equipment has developed a suite of flexible ownership and/ or rental options to ensure that clients always have the optimum mechanises solutions. In addition to new equipment sales, Barloworld Equipment’s CAT Certified Used programme caters for customers in the market for low hour machines backed by a comprehensive Caterpillar warranty. CAT Certified Used (CCU) is a low hour CAT Earthmoving Equipment sourced exclusively from Barloworld Equipment’s rental fleet and sold with a 12-month warranty. The benefits are cost savings, conformity to strict Caterpillar standards and immediate availability.

The CCU brand makes CAT machines accessible to many smaller and emerging businesses that need Caterpillar reliability and quality but do not have sufficient capital to invest in new CAT machines. Because CCU machines conform to strict technical requirements, their overall health is guaranteed and hence they are safer to operate and less likely to need costly after sales support than most used machines available in the market.

The Barloworld Equipment CAT Rental Store is the industry leader in the rental of large construction equipment and mining machinery, as well as below 20-ton general construction machines for building sites, landscaping and other smaller applications. A comprehensive range of compressors are also available for rental. All repairs and maintenance of rental units are carried out by Barloworld Equipment’s trained service technicians in the workshop or in the field.

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Davis and Shirtliff offer a comprehensive and competitive product range with regional availability and unrivalled technical and service support Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith

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or nearly 70 years, Davis and Shirtliff have been distributing and installing pumps and other water related equipment throughout the east african region. Based in nairobi, the Group has nearly 500 staff and offers a wide range of quality products in five separate but interlinked segments: water pumps, swimming pool equipment, water treatment, solar equipment and power products.

Alec Davis, CEO of Davis and Shirtliff, claims that the company is the region’s dominant player and that it has been so for a number of years. there is a very wide selection of products within the various product segments and

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We stand out as a company in two key areas: Product availability and product support�

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Control Panel Assembly Area

Largest Dayliff Reverse Omosis Plants

the company is proud of its record of product innovation: “we stand out as a company in two key areas: product availability and product support: we have 38 branches spread throughout seven countries in the region from which customers can easily access any of the range of products we have available. It is this widespread availability that really sets us apart from our competitors,” says davis.

investing in infrastructure an important aspect of davis and Shirtliff’s success is its continuous investment in facilities and infrastructure. Already this year five new branches have been opened and more are planned. It is not

With the occupation of the new warehouse we can now expand our stock and logistical capabilities”

Children Enjoying Water from a Davis & Shirtliff Pump

just the branch network that has been expanded; a new logistical and stock warehouse has been bought to support the regional growth. “with the occupation of the new warehouse we can now expand our stock and logistical capabilities. By being able to hold more stock, we can improve service to our customers. we are always looking for ways to strengthen the business through carefully executed investment,” explains davis. the company has also invested in its own fleet of trucks for regional deliveries, which has greatly improved service as intra-country logistic infrastructure is expensive and unreliable.

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fritech general supplies specialise in the provisions of technical hardware products for the engineering and maintenance industries. we provide world class brands such as: spirax sarco steam products hattersley, peglar and Crane industrial valves audcon and asco solenoid valves Beldam-Crossley industrial packing

Tel +254 6532952 / 6536235 / 555987 / 559928 Email afritech@wananchi.com / afritechgensupplies@yahoo.com

www.afritechgensupplies.com

Partnering to Progress davis is keen to press the importance of having strong relationships with partners, some of whom have been working with Davis and Shirtliff for over 50 years: “when you have a partnership, the first thing you make sure is that both parties always understand one-another and that transparency is maintained at all times. we have been fortunate to have partnered with excellent companies over the years, notably Grundfos and Pedrollo, both of whom are global pump manufacturers and more recently Lorenz; a world leader in solar pumping and Opti; a taiwanese electronics manufacturer of inverters as well as Champion; a battery manufacturer. together these products have contributed to davis & Shirtliff being a leader in power backup systems,� says davis.

A key Davis and Shirtliff strategy has been to establish its own brand

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When you have a partnership, the first thing you make sure is that both parties always understand one-another and that transparency is maintained at all times�

M a n u f a c t u r i n g

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D&S Livery Fleet

Staff Attending a Team Building Session

A Dayliff Reverse Osmosis Plant being assembled

We pride ourselves on supporting people and businesses who have bought our products in any way we can.

Whether it is through specialised product information, selection advice, installation or after sales service”

– Dayliff. products are sourced from quality Far eastern manufacturers and they are now a growing force in the region. the main product area is a wide pump range, though the company also assembles many products in kenya including a range of Reverse osmosis and ultra Filtration plants. “these use proven technology to purify water. at the heart of both systems is the membrane sourced from international supplier Dow, though the effectiveness of treatment relies on the correct matching of all components to provide an efficient treatment process. Dayliff plants are carefully engineered to provide reliability with the highest treated water quality,” explains davis.

Growth Based challenges

with the east african region widely considered to be the hot economic growth area right now, davis has seen a significant rise in the number of competitors and companies looking to

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participate in the growing local economies. With a rapidly developing and emerging middle class, solar power and water equipment have become strong growth areas for the company, although Davis is quick to point out that the growth is not just linked to the demographic change. “The emerging middle class has certainly had an impact on our business.

However, there is also considerable infrastructure investment as well as growth of the traditional economic sectors and as the established market leader with a strong brand we are well placed to benefit from these developments,” Davis adds.

To capitalise on this growth an important recent development has been an upgrade of the company’s Nairobi manufacturing facilities. As well as water treatment plants it also manufactures pressure sets, solar water heaters, pool and water treatment filters and, a recent initiative, electrical control panels for pumps and the other equipment it supplies. This expansion and upgrading of the manufacturing and assembly facilities provides a timely boost to the company’s capacity and will shorten lead times whilst increasing capacity and improving quality. The specialised facility is unique in the region and will considerably boost the company’s technical capacity.

A Successful Future

Davis and Shirtliff is constantly looking at new and innovative ways to secure its future and Davis is confident that its new product innovations will enable the company to continue growing. Success is not just down to products, though, but also for Davis it is about combining those products with support that is second to none: “We pride ourselves on supporting people and businesses who have bought our products in any way we can. Whether it is through specialised product information, selection advice, installation or after sales service. We will always endeavour to help our clients get the best from our products,” reasons Davis.

Davis feels that there are many reasons why the company has been successful over such a long period, though the quality and dedication of its staff is the main factor. There is a careful recruitment process to ensure the highest calibre candidates who are then extensively trained and they quickly absorb the culture of quality and standards. It is this integrity in both product quality and staff knowledge that has enabled Davis and Shirtliff to become the market leaders and dominant player in the water and solar sectors in Kenya.

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SouTh aFrica’S hyprop Investments limited is one of the top real estate investment trusts in south africa Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Stuart Shirra

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yprop is south africa’s largest specialist shopping centre real estate investment trust, currently listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange. It is the third largest real estate investment trust in the country and one of south africa’s oldest listed property companies. the company currently has R25 billion of assets under management, which includes 12 prime shopping centres in south africa. hyprop have exposure to malls in the rest of africa through Atterbury Africa, a joint venture with Attacq Limited. Atterbury Africa has a 47 percent interest in accra mall in accra,

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Manda Hill is the first regional shopping centre in Zambia and the largest in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa”

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mall SpEcialiSTS ghana and effective from the 1st July this year, 50 percent in manda hill shopping Centre in lusaka, Zambia. at 43 400m2, Manda Hill is the first regional shopping centre in Zambia and the largest in subsaharan africa outside of south africa.

Development and Innovation over the last two years, the company has undertaken an extensive redevelopment of Rosebank mall in Rosebank, Johannesburg, which is on track for completion in october 2014. hyprop is expanding the mall from 36,000m2 to 62,000m2 and the number of stores will rise from 93 to 147. the approximately R930 million

Over the last two years, the company has undertaken an extensive redevelopment of Rosebank Mall in Rosebank, Johannesburg, which is on track for completion in October 2014”

development is set to considerably boost economic growth in the Rosebank node and provide shoppers and tenants with a refreshed, world-class shopping facility.

Ceo pieter prinsloo says: “this is one of our largest developments to date and aligns with our strategy of enhancing our existing portfolio and investing in dominant high quality shopping centres. we are confident the mall can capitalise on strong footfall in the area as Rosebank is one of south africa’s most cosmopolitan urban centres, close to a wide range of world-class amenities, the gautrain rail node and premium international hotels.”

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reen power designs and implements energy and water related solutions for corporate and retail property owners. we have worked closely with hyprop to reduce their energy requirements and provide power related solutions to facilitate their expansion objectives. In 2013 alone, we saved our clients more than R5.6m in annualised utility costs as a direct result of green power interventions. we aim to double this in 2014.

The Wi-Fi rollout complements Hyprop’s other technology advancements such as mobile applications and a presence on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram”

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our lines of business include low energy lighting, chiller efficiency optimisation, large scale water heating, photovoltaic power generation, rainwater harvesting and effluent treatment.

Tel +27 (0) 11 312 5430 Email jhbadmin@green-power.co.za

www.green-power.co.za

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Rosebank Mall, Johannesburg

WBHO is proud to be associated with Hyprop on The Rosebank Mall Project 53 Andries Street North, Wynberg, Sandton

P.O. Box 531 Bergvlei 2012

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(t) 011 321 7200 (f) 011 887 4364

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We are confident the mall can capitalise on strong footfall in the area as Rosebank is one of South Africa’s most cosmopolitan urban centres”

the mall will be completely refurbished with new lifts, escalators, ablutions, mall finishes and additional parking. a unique feature of the project is that the mall was kept operational throughout the development. the challenges of balancing construction activities with the mall’s continued operation have been addressed with meticulous planning, close engagement with the affected tenants and keeping to the schedule. hyprop has also implemented several new innovative initiatives in recent months. they have rolled out a R11.5 million energy saving project, which is expected to yield annual savings of R9.7 million. In addition, the company launched high-speed wiFi at all its shopping centres. “the wi-Fi rollout complements hyprop’s other technology advancements such as mobile applications and a presence on social media platforms such as Facebook, twitter and Instagram,” explains prinsloo.

A Strong Portfolio hyprop has a specialised portfolio of properties consisting mainly of shopping malls, and it is this focused portfolio that differentiates Hyprop from its peers. Being a specialist company in a niche market, hyprop has become the expert in its market and will continue to invest in high quality shopping centres in sub-saharan africa. In line with hyprop’s strategy to become a dominant african shopping centre ReIt, the company intends to invest up to R3 billion in subsaharan africa (excluding south africa) over the next five years. with R25 billion of assets under management, hyprop has a proven track record of buying existing centres and successfully improving and expanding them through refurbishment and development. the quality of hyprop’s portfolio is further evidenced by the high occupancy rate of 98.2 percent (at december

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2013). The intention is to maintain and continuously improve the portfolio in order to be defensive in challenging times and leveraged when economic prospects improve. “Our leading position in terms of size, location and quality makes us the preferred landlord for premium local and international brands,” adds Prinsloo.

Foreign Opportunities

Opportunities abound, particularly from international brands, which continue to enter South Africa with aggressive roll-out plans, including preeminent fashion brands that have chosen to launch their African presence in South Africa and within Hyprop’s portfolio.

Hyprop is well positioned to benefit from the growth of consumer markets in Africa. Atterbury Africa has made significant progress in developing quality shopping centres in the rest of Africa, specifically in Ghana. In

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addition to the existing Accra Mall, the West Hills Mall in Accra, Ghana is on track for completion by October 2014. Additional development projects include the Achimota Mall (13,000m2) in Achimota and the Kumasi City Mall (27,000m2) in Kumasi, Ghana.

Hyprop has a specialised portfolio of properties consisting mainly of shopping malls, and it is this focused portfolio that differentiates Hyprop from its peers“

Caring for the Community Hyprop’s social activities are driven by the Hyprop Foundation, which provides a centralised vehicle for Hyprop’s social investment projects.

These are focused on education, social upliftment, enterprise development, poverty alleviation, health and well-being. As part of its health and well-being initiatives, the company hosts an annual health day at its head office and shopping centres. A key feature of the Foundation is that employees are encouraged to participate through a system of “care shares”, thereby fostering a culture of involvement.

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Finan you Can

When it comes to financial services, trustco is a company that tries to re-create and redevelop products, breaking new ground in the process and enticing new customers to their businesses Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Sheridan Halls

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yan mcdougall, acting Ceo of trustco, likes to think of his company as a “good old fashioned conglomerate”, boasting a variety of different business lines including property development, insurance, student lending, air charter, print media and education. with 57 branches across south africa and namibia, trustco are geared up for future expansion and extension of their services into pastures new. trustco, a Jse

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listed group, has a market cap of usd130million, revenues of usd80 million per annum and generated earnings in excess of usd23million in its 2014 financial year.

Trustco likes to be different, striving to change people’s perceptions and connotations of a conglomerate by providing a set of unique and innovative products to somewhat niche markets. “we have tried to solve age old problems with the distribution of affordable products through a blend of new ideas and technology into what

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as he goes on to explain: “By this I mean that as a conglomerate, we have many strings to our bow which is traditionally seen as an outdated concept of over-diversification in business, this worries some investors. however, I think the more investors understand our story and our history, the more value they ascribe to the business and the better return they will get; they will see the beauty of the synergies in trustco,” mcdougall continues: “What we do differently from the rest of the market is that we look at each of our industries as only part of the whole; with the ability to achieve cross-selling and leverage off our other business lines. when you then look at how clever some of our combined products are, you will see conglomerates in a different light.”

nce trust we see as stale industries; creating a little bit of lateral thinking,” explains mcdougall. “having such diverse products means there was a need to develop excellent It platforms, which have helped us merge products such as insurance, education and microlending over the past few years.”

In namibia, trustco are making waves into the social development of insurance and education, in order to try and find an inclusive financial sector which affords the ability for entry level employees and the self-employed

Equipping Namibian People

to achieve financial inclusion. “Our education model is one that enables people to afford relevant education via student loans. additionally, in insurance, our products have affordable premiums, which are small enough so as to not hurt the pocket and therefore enhance the impact of financial inclusion in the lower end of the market,” cites mcdougall.

Understanding a Conglomerate

mcdougall feels that trustco can be quite a difficult company to “unpack”,

due to the emerging nature of the financial sector in Namibia, Trustco have found it difficult to secure staff with the right skills to “grow up through the industry” as mcdougall comments: “Often we find that some of our more educated professionals tend to leave for europe or south africa, so it is a struggle to develop and maintain quality staff, partly because of the lack of numbers of namibians as well as these other factors. however, when people have great skill they tend to go on to occupy a management position, which means they have less time to devote to training entry and middle level staff.” This matter is something trustco are cognisant on and it has been an ongoing issue that is being addressed. the company has around 870 employees at present, but this number is set to grow. trustco try as far as possible to employ recently qualified professionals and university graduates and build these young starters in life into their business. “we don’t necessarily train them in a specific

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role, they are trained in a broad and diverse range of general business and life skills, so they can form an understanding of as many of our business lines as possible,” remarks McDougall, who wishes to create a well-rounded individuals, so as to equip them for management positions.

“Mobile Banking is the way forward”

At the end of 2013, the mobile penetration rate in Namibia stood at 113 percent. Like many other financial institutions in Africa, Trustco have taken advantage of mobile banking by tailoring some of their products to mobile devices. “We can use these services for communicating with clients, marketing new products to people and data gathering; in order to gain a better understand of our client needs and wants. This will allow for a more convenient setting up of a service, without having the client visit the branch or meet us face to face.”

Securing Investment and Expansion

Over the last year, Trustco have been able to make significant moves in the property division of their business. Simultaneously, they have seen a 30-40 percent growth in their insurance and education sectors as McDougall highlights: “This has been partially attributable to securing investment from organisations like the IFC, who made an additional R235 million investment into Trustco in 2013, specifically for insurance and education products. This allowed us to streamline our services to great success, helping to develop a much more open and responsible lending process.” The IFC are now a 4 percent equity holder in Trustco.

Trustco recently announced that they are in the process of acquiring a bank in Namibia, which is a large achievement when you consider that there are currently only 7 banking institutions present in the country. “Banking is a very restrictive market still but it affects everyone’s lives. We feel that by obtaining a bank Trustco can certainly reach more customers, with a bigger offering of innovative products and services,” McDougall confidently states.

Over the next year-eighteen months, Trustco will continue looking at ways to expand into emerging markets; where the first products to be heavily utilised will be mobile products, life cover and insurance. The company have recently rolled out some of their more traditional microfinance products

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Ryan McDougall Acting CEO & FD. Trustco

If you look back 22 years to when Trustco was first established in 1992, I don’t think anyone would have predicted this level of growth to where we are now; both in terms of property and financial products and services. But this has only been attained through making progressive steps year by year. I would be happy to see the company grow at a steady rate, but I know that the management of Trustco would never be happy with that. The management team is constantly looking to see what the next big thing will be.

There is certainly no industry that we wouldn’t try to innovate in.”

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across their 50-strong branch network in South Africa. “These products target the entry level worker looking for affordable premiums; we really want to provide a value-added service to this area, which has been relatively niche thus far.”

Informanté

When it comes to the local community, Trustco targets their CSR projects towards various educational themes including AIDS/HIV, diseases and financial matters. Apart from actual donations and sponsorships, their main method of displaying this information is through a national newspaper called Informanté, which they print and distribute nationally on a weekly basis.

Furthermore, part of Trustco’s CSR is to help local schools in any way that they can, but the company are also heavily into sponsoring local sports teams including football and squash. Recently, the company sponsored a talent search in Namibia, where the finalists proceeded to go on to win the international final of the competition, in Orlando, Florida. “This was a great event to be a part of and we are proud to have local Namibians go on to win,” McDougall emphasises.

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STRENGTHENING uThungulu’s Infrastructure uThungulu strives to be an economically viable district, with effective infrastructure that supports job creation through economic growth, rural development and promotion of their rich heritage Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Stuart Shirra

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L o c a lG o v e r n m e n t

he magnificent uThungulu District is located in the northeastern region of the KwaZulu-Natal province on the eastern seaboard of South Africa. The District has the third highest population in the province and stretches from the agricultural town of Gingindlovu in the south, to the uMfolozi River in the north and inland to the mountainous beauty of rural Nkandla. uThungulu strives to be an economically viable district, with effective infrastructure that supports job creation through economic growth, rural development and promotion of their rich heritage.

For the seventh time, the District were awarded Best IDP (Integrated Development Plan) in the province, remaining in the top 10 IDP’s for over ten years.

In order to create a prospering district, the Municipality have a series of strong missions: Rural development, agrarian reform and food security; Creating economic growth and decent job opportunities; Fighting crime and corruption; Promoting quality education for all; Improving quality of health; Community participation, nation building and good governance.

Gateway to the World

uThungulu’s gateway to the world markets is the Port of Richards Bay, which is the largest deep-water port on the African continent.

The harbour facilities at Richards Bay are world-class and there is tremendous potential for further expansion of this Industrial Development Zone. “This has resulted in Richards Bay becoming the fastest growing urban centre in South Africa, boosting economic activity and attracting international investors,” the District Mayor, Cllr Thembeka Mchunu remarks.

The port imports the highest volume of bulk cargo of all African ports and has double the capacity of the Port of Durban, handling in excess of 75 million tons of cargo annually.

Economic Powerhouse

The city of uMhlathuze comprises the economic powerhouse of Richards Bay and Empangeni, and its supporting areas of Esikhawini, Ngwelezane, Nseleni, Felixton, Vulindlela, and rural areas. The city of uMhlathuze is not only financially stable, but offers investors and visitors first class facilities, services and infrastructure. The city is the home to world class industry and the world’s largest export coal terminal Richards Bay Coal Terminal.

“These companies not only create direct job opportunities, but stimulate the development of supporting service industries. The availability of raw materials in the area for further beneficiation such as aluminium, titanium, zirconium, iron, steel, sugar, timber and fertiliser has resulted in recent initiatives to develop small and medium sized businesses,” says District Mayor Thembeka Mchunu.

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Legacy Projects

uThungulu’s legacy project, the District Fresh Produce Market, is a Mayoral initiative that will cumulatively address the triple threats of poverty, food security and unemployment in the district. “Our Pre-Market was officially opened by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma on 6th May 2014, and it is the forerunner to the construction of our very own multimillion Rand market facility,” Mayor Mchunu comments.

Farmers who were trained in this financial year are already supplying local retailers with their produce and the municipality anticipates that the Pre-Market will be a sound vehicle for economic development and agricultural growth in rural areas.

This has resulted in Richards Bay becoming the fastest growing urban centre in South Africa, boosting economic activity and attracting international investors”

Bulk Water Scheme

Behind these strict core values are a series of projects, some of the most prominent being improvements to the water supply across uThungulu. The Minister of Water Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa, officially opened the uThungulu District Municipality’s largest regional bulk water scheme in the Mthonjaneni Municipality last August.

The event saw the momentous launch of a water project that will considerably change the lives of people of the district and achieve our aim of maximising service delivery within the shortest time frame. The Greater Mthonjaneni bulk water project began construction in 2007 and it services parts of uMlalazi, Mthonjaneni and Ntambanana local municipalities. The project is aimed at eradicating water backlogs of 30 percent.

“The source of water for this project is Lake Phobane and when fully operational the project will have a capacity of about 40 Mℓ/day. The regional water supply scheme is the central portion of the district encompassing the whole of Mthonjaneni Local Municipality, and parts of Ntambanana and uMlalazi Local Municipality areas, representing approximately 35 percent of the total area and 40 percent of the total population residing within uThungulu,” the Mayor cites.

Close to 700 households are the beneficiaries of Phase 1, all of whom are residing in deep rural areas. When completed, the project will provide water services to over 281,864 people within the service area.

The completion of the project will also ensure the delivery of sustainable basic water services, the enhancement of economic development towards achieving the national services target by 2014, the objectives of water for growth and development, employment and redistribution. Job creation has also been a strong focus, with 846 jobs created during Phase 1.

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The source of water for this project is Lake Phobane and when fully operational the project will have a capacity of about 40 Mℓ/day. The regional water supply scheme is the central portion of the district encompassing the whole of Mthonjaneni Local Municipality, and parts of Ntambanana and uMlalazi Local Municipality areas”

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Poverty Alleviation KwaMbonambi, with its abundance of land has been as identified as a primary development node. “The need to address poverty, crime and the HIV/Aids pandemic are major challenges facing local government

in the District. A multi-purpose centre and ‘mini hospital’ has been constructed in Ntambanana, the first of its kind in South Africa which will not only provide medical help for residents there, but also enrich all

Zulu Kingdom

uThungulu forms a gateway to some of the country’s finest game reserves and is rich in cultural heritage, offering a unique Zulu Kingdom experience. The district shares the branding Heart and Soul of the Zulu Kingdom with its neighbouring district municipality, Zululand.

The temperate climate and warm seas off the coastline make it an ideal location for the development of tourism facilities to generate economic growth.

Thula-Thula is a world-class luxury game reserve in the Ntambanana municipal area, which came under the international spotlight in 2004 when its developer Lawrence Anthony travelled to Iraq to rescue animals in the Baghdad Zoo. Anthony, who passed away two years ago, has left behind a legacy as the Elephant

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aspects of their lives,” emphasises the Mayor. The Luwamba Centre has facilities for admitting and treating patients, HIV and Aids patients and a community outreach programme that deals with prevention of illnesses.

Whisperer for his work with elephants and his efforts at the rhino conservation.

Nkandla is situated in a remote area of breathtaking mountainous beauty, which consists mainly of tribal lands and state-owned land. The area has a wealth of undisturbed forests, which boast many indigenous species. Nkandla has a claim to be the ‘cradle’ of Zulu history. uThungulu’s flagship community tourism project, the Amatshenezimpisi Resort, was officially opened west of Nkandla on a small game reserve managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. The stilted chalets offer sweeping views of the uMhlathuze River as it winds its way to the coast and the surrounding mountains.

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High Achievers

uThungulu District Municipality boasts many awards and accolades.

“For the financial year of 2013, we were incredibly proud to be one of only seven municipalities in KZN to receive a clean audit. Our two entities also received clean audits,” Mayor Mchunu explains.

Additionally, the District also won the award for Best Performing District at the KZN Municipal Excellence Awards, held in October 2013.

Back in 2012, uThungulu was a runner-up for the Best District in KZN in the Municipal Excellence Awards. uThungulu was recognised for the multi-million rand Middledrift bulk water project; its green economy projects and the KwaBulawayo Cultural Centre.

District Mayor, Cllr Thembeka Mchunu

Partnering for the Future

For the financial year of 2013, we were incredibly proud to be one of only seven municipalities in KZN to receive a clean audit. Our two entities also received clean audits”

uThungulu District Municipality is promoting economic development in the province by profiling and facilitating specific investment opportunities in the province. The municipality has identified key sectors in the region with high growth potential and targeted opportunities within these sectors that will lead to sustainable economic development for the communities involved. For this reason, it pursues partnerships with the private and public sectors, as well as international investors, to provide equitable and sustainable services.

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Mangaung Metro Municipality is a category A municipality with a vibrant and strong economy, driven by the government sector Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Stuart Shirra

angaung Metropolitan Municipality is a Category A municipality covering an area of 6284km².

It is situated in the Free State province, in the central of South Africa. The Free State is bordered by the Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces, as well as by the neighbouring country of Lesotho. Mangaung, meaning “Place of the Cheetahs”, highlights the vibrant, dynamic and energetic character of the tourism industry in the “City on the move”. The economy is strongly driven by the government sector, which has seen the significant growth in the last five years as a result of increased government programmes in local neighbourhood and residential improvement projects, such as new housing and facilities management. The finance sector is the second-fastest growing sector due to big drives in real estate and construction developments, which have also helped the local companies looking to increase their footprint in the municipality.

Small businesses have a major role to play in the South African economy, and especially those in the Mangaung area, in terms of employment creation, income generation and financial stability. There are approximately 12 million people in South Africa that are actively involved in the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) sector, which accounts for approximately 60 percent of all employment. In an area such as Mangaung, with its fairly high levels of unemployment and poverty, the SMME sector plays an even more important role in job creation and poverty alleviation, and has so far seen relative success and is showing promise to build

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M e t r o p o l i t a n

M u n i c i p a l i t y

Morar Incorporated

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orar Incorporated is an independent management and professional services firm with offices in all major provinces. The firm offers a broad arrangement of accounting and auditing services to both the public and private sectors.

As a management consulting firm we have over twenty years’ experience in providing the following solutions within the public sector; assets management, supply chain management, financial management, financial investigations and secondments, management services and training.

Through our national network of diverse professionals, our expertise goes a long way in ensuring that our clients receive only the best.

upon the growth seen over the next 3-5 years. The informal economy makes an important contribution to the economic and social life of Mangaung. Due to the decline in formal employment and consequent increase in unemployment, many people seek alternative means of earning an income.

The Ripple Effect

With money becoming increasingly hard to come by in some communities due to the knock on effect from economic slowdowns and increasing prices for goods and supplies, some farmers have been forced to illegally irrigate their farms and fields. Farmers have been illegally extracting water between Masselspoort and Mockes Dam. As a result, Masselspoort levels are not rising at the expected rate, thus the Municipality is unable to service the area with the correct water levels.

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Our innovative services and professionalism, combined with our client’s loyalty, has enabled us to engage in a variety of highprofile projects in the public sector as well as the private sector.

Excellent service delivery depends on both employees and service providers ensuring that we offer value for money through quality projects�

With reference to the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA), Morar Incorporated has various strategic management tools available to assist municipalities in fulfilling their policy and development objectives.

We have professional staff that are able to provide practical, affordable, and operational solutions to a diversity of municipalities.

For more information please contact us via email info@morar.co.za or call 051 4302815

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The responsible farmers have been distributing water to a suspected 10 other farm properties and the extraction appears to have been happening for some time. The municipality is the sole distributor of water, and none of the farmers in and around the area have water rights. While theft of water is not common place in the district, it has an impact on the municipality’s water schemes and projects, including the new water treatment plant currently being built, by diverting resources in deconstructing illegal pipe work and irrigation systems.

Another challenge facing the municipality’s water distribution is that of debris finding their way into the water outlets.

Two sluice gates at Mockes Dam have been blocked by debris, and this has been disrupting the flow of water to water treatment plants and waterways. As a result, this lowers the pace of raw water filling up the Masselspoort Weir, which supplies water to the broader community of Bloemfontein.

The dam level at Mockes Dam is at an all time low due to draught and the heat waves that the city is experiencing. In order to identify the obstruction, the municipality hired professional divers to ensure

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BASiS PoinTS cAPiTAl

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asis points Capital (pty) ltd (“Bps Capital”) is a black-owned, managed and controlled financial services company. the company was established in 2007 by highly talented professionals with wealth of experience in the financial services sector, including investment banking, treasury, project finance and asset management. our vision is to be a distinguishable advisory services firm, providing independent advice and building long-term relationships with our clients.

BPS Capital offers the following services to government, parastatals and private sector clients: Corporate advisory – Corporate Finance, project Finance, public private partnerships, treasury, Renewable energy and due diligence; Capital Raising – Infrastructure Finance, debt Capital markets (commercial paper, bonds, securitisation), equity and mezzanine Finance.

Tel +27 11 783 6136/6169/7887 Email vusi@bpscapital.co.za

www.bpscapital.co.za maximum safety is observed and the debris is removed swiftly.

The Beating Heart of South Africa

Businesses both large and small, ranging from hotels, guest houses, to fuel stations and supermarkets, benefitted from the influx of over 120,000 people to Bloemfontein for the anC Centenary Celebrations in January and the macufe Festival back in october, showcasing that mangaung can successfully host large scale events. The strong figures for events confirm that the municipality is a city that is friendly and hospitable, always bustling and it is a proud city that people keep coming back to year in year out. mangaung district municipality believe it is their mandate to deliver excellent service to their electorate. excellent service delivery depends on both employees and service providers ensuring that we offer value for

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The municipality is a city that is friendly and hospitable, always bustling and it is a proud city that people keep coming back to year in year out”

money through quality projects. the district’s citizens are ambassadors and it is through their friendship and hospitality that the municipality’s tourism industry can grow.

In their approach to make mangaung a city where people can live, work and invest, the municipality have developed an extensive spatial development Framework (sdF) which is aimed at improving the lives of mangaung residents, whilst also attracting investors and those seeking better opportunities. the projects earmarked under the sdF include the N8 Corridor Development and the Bloemfontein Airport precinct development. new industrial development and human settlements will predominantly be taking place towards the east of Bloemfontein, especially along the vicinities of the N8 Development Zone. like other municipalities across the country, mangaung is faced with the

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challenges of service delivery backlog in areas such as housing, water, sanitation and unemployment.

The SDF has identified several areas of land in Vistapark, Ceciliapark, at the airport and Hillside View to accommodate for the rising demand for housing.

Building the Future

The N8 Corridor Development project promises to be one of the most significant investment opportunities that will guarantee jobs to many residents and contribute towards building a better life for all. The envisaged development at Naval Hill will undoubtedly be one of the Municipality’s worldclass recreational facilities and tourism destinations that will give the local economy a great boost.

The proposed Bloemfontein Airport precinct, to the south of the Airport entrance, is a multi-billion Rand infrastructure and property development project that is now underway with implementation of the first phase. The project comprises of the development of an international convention centre, a government complex, a regional shopping mall, and an array of sustainable housing typologies. This is an opportunity for discerning property investors to widen and improve their investment portfolios.

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Family values baKing

in every Loaf kenblest have a proud heritage and history as a family run business, baking bread of the highest quality in kenya Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Callum Philp

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enblest’s roots can be traced back to 1937, with the incorporation of Shah Kanji Ladha and Company in thika, kenya, by kanji ladha shah. the shop located in the centre of thika town, traded in textiles and general goods. this humble beginning was to pave the way for diversification throughout the years until mayur mohanlal shah joined in 1981, having graduated as a pharmacist from John moore university and completed a diploma in Baking in the united kingdom. given the company’s strong understanding and experience of the kenyan market, the directors identified a large gap in the industry for good quality bread; and so plans were drawn up to expand into the bakery industry, resulting in the incorporation of kenblest limited.

In august 1982, the kenblest bakery was commissioned with the prime objective to manufacture and deliver

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GROUP

Polyflex Industries LTD Polyflex Industries Limited is a flexible manufacturing company established by hard working, creative, experienced, flexible and reliable team who are dedicated to their clients and their packaging requirements.

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good quality and affordable bread to Kenyan consumers.

Since 1982, the company focused heavily on combining international business practices into the workings of Kenblest bakery. Through dedication and hard work, coupled with strong business acumen, Kenblest flourished and within four years the bakery expanded its capacity from 80,000 to 230,000 loaves per day. Expansion in 2006 increased daily production capacity to 330,000 loaves per day, making Kenblest the single largest bread producer under one roof in Kenya.

Jinit Shah, CEO of Kenblest, is extremely proud of how the company has continued to grow each year and shows no signs of stopping: “We have always been strong contenders in the market here, but now we find ourselves in an even better position.

We are in the process of constructing two new 150-tonne wheat and maize mills in Thika, which will raise our milling

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capacity greatly. we will always strive to continue our growth, as long as it is financially prudent to do so.�

A changing industry the food industry in the country is one of the largest for revenue and, within that, the bakery industry is widely considered to be the biggest. most of the working population who commute into the cities each day, buy bread for their lunch from kiosks outside office buildings. “Eating habits have changed dramatically over the last few years in kenya. more and more people are turning to bread and bread products for their lunchtime meal. It is easy to purchase and is considered a fast food by many, while remaining filling and cheap. It has been a big source of our sales revenue rising,� remarks shah, pleased with this change in the market. one of the biggest factors that have affected Kenblest in the market

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has been the growing number of amateur bakeries springing up in rural areas and saturating the industry. these bakeries are becoming more prominent due to the lesser overheads involved in producing the bread, which in turn means a cheaper price for the consumer. “Rural bakeries have become a challenge for us in recent years. with rural wages far lower than those in the cities, customers cannot afford to buy our bread, so they turn to ‘amateur bakeries’ to supply them with the product. the concern is that although the quantity being produced is far lower than our output, the quality of the product is also greatly reduced and in many cases, the hygiene process employed in modern baking is not used in these locations. this can lead to serious health implications, which can quickly become widespread,” explains shah.

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Supplying the market

We have recently upgraded our fleet of trucks by purchasing 100 new ones from Tata Africa Holdings and these will keep our products rolling out to the various cities in Kenya”

kenblest have built up an impressive workforce and supply chain including a logistics set up that transports the goods from one end of kenya to the other. this year, the company purchased 100 new trucks, ranging from 1 tonne haulers to 7 tonne movers. the trucks being used are replaced every four years to ensure that the level of supply never drops due to trucks being in for repair or unusable. “we have recently upgraded our fleet of trucks by purchasing 100 new ones from tata africa holdings and these will keep our products rolling out to the various cities in kenya,” shah comments.

First and foremost, kenblest are very keen to press the point that they are a company who pride themselves on working with and hiring local people. with a workforce of over 700 and strong relationships with local vendors and companies, kenblest are focused

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Chui Auto Springs Industries Ltd. MANUFACTURERS OF AUTOMOBILE LEAF SPRINGS AND ANCILLARY PRODUCTS

83 Lunga Lunga Road, Industrial Area P.O. Box: 18619 - 00500 Tel: 020 3533889| 020 2415108 | 0772 428209 |0733 462834 Email: chuiauto@gmail.com on giving back to the kenyan economy and populous where possible. “we have worked closely with local communities and companies to ensure that the relationships we have built up over the years remain as strong today as they did 30 years ago. our supplies are always locally sourced and our partners are as well. It is so important for us to maintain and nurture our business connections, so in times both good and bad, they will stick with us, and we will stay with them,” shah emphasises.

Keeping the mills Turning Bread manufacturing has been in existence for centuries and machines used in the manufacturing of bread have evolved over the last 30 years. however, this evolution comes at a price. the newer, more advanced milling machinery is very expensive and as shah explains, is not a realistic option for most companies: “some of our competitors are using machinery

Our machines are much newer and can handle greater volumes, which has enabled us to push on with our production”

that is 30 or 40 years old and that breaks down on a regular basis. our machines are much newer and can handle greater volumes, which has enabled us to push on with our production. that said, there is now an emphasis on greener, more economical manufacturing and we have seen former competitors unable to adjust their processes and machinery to fit this green regime; their revenue has suffered greatly.” kenblest have a proud heritage and history as a family-run business. shah is confident that the reason they have been so successful is down to offering customers a personal touch and constantly working with local workers and companies, who have remained loyal throughout the years: “I believe that as the third generation of the kenblest family have joined the group, offering our customers a high quality product that is fairly priced will always be a winning strategy.”

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Lc AFARGE o m p a n y n ni a gm e re i a

Cementing Nigeria’s Future

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Lafarge has embraced the housing and infrastructure challenges in the Nigerian construction sector, in order to support the country’s socio-economic development Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Tom Cullum

afarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc is one of the foremost cement manufacturing and marketing companies in Nigeria. Since its establishment in 1959, the company has grown sustainably and made a tremendous contribution to the availability of cement in the country. As a result of its take-over in February 2008, Lafarge SA became the majority shareholder in WAPCO, culminating in the change of name from West African Portland Cement Plc to Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc. A subsidiary of Lafarge SA, the world’s largest cement manufacturer and leader in building materials with a presence in 64 countries, Lafarge WAPCO has been and will continue to be the driving force for quality in Nigeria’s construction industry and positions innovation at the heart of its priorities, working towards sustainable construction and architectural creativity in every project.

The company has three plants in Nigeria - one in Sagamu and two in Ewekoro - with a current production capacity of 4.5 million metric tonnes.

With an objective of increasing the overall availability of cement to Nigerians, as well as assisting in achieving the Federal Government’s drive for affordable housing, Lafarge WAPCO has made immense investments in supporting Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

Building Better Cities

Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc is in the business of ‘Building Better Cities’, a vision that is expressed through the innovative solutions and services their operations offer. Two such areas that has really benefitted from the innovation of Lafarge is the housing and infrastructures sectors, which have seen huge inputs from the company over recent years including

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the building of communities areas and better road transport links.

Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc have been operational for over 55 years, and during that time, they have built up a positive and enduring legacy on the nation’s individual landscape.

The construction market is a hotly contested one, where being the preferred choice can be the difference between profit and loss. Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc is well placed to become the number one trusted and preferred partner of Nigerian construction professionals and home builders alike. The company is doing its utmost to achieve this goal by ensuring that it delivers cement and concrete solutions that are high quality, environmentally sustainable and available nationwide at an affordable cost.

A Rising Housing Demand

Due to the rapid population growth and urbanisation over the last 10 years in Nigeria, Lafarge has seen the need for affordable housing rise dramatically during that time.

There is still a significant need for affordable housing in Nigeria, as well as a strong need for the upgrading of infrastructure in order to cope with this growth; and Lafarge has stepped up to this challenge by working in partnership with the government to build 75,000 homes a year for low- to middle-income earners.

With several large scale slums being demolished in recent years, more and more of the country’s poor are looking for new homes. Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc have been working to try and meet this burgeoning need for housing with an estimated 5000 homes being earmarked for building in Lagos alone. It is this level of commitment Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc has for its own country that continues to make it a company for the people.

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RICHBON

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ichbon Nigeria Limited is a leading and foremost indigenous automobile company in Nigeria that deals on high quality heavy duty trucks, construction equipment, trailers, axles, OEM spare parts/Accessories and provide excellent after sales services to our highly esteemed customers in Nigeria.

Tel 0700RICHBON, 08099930389, 08099344447 and 08099930412 www.richbontruck.com

of these trucks on safe driving and give them a better understanding of the functional components of the trucks such as engine, transmission, axle, brake and the electrical systems. The training also comprises of road signs, road accident prevention, health of the operators and motivational talks. As a matter of policy, no driver is permitted to take delivery of trucks from Richbon without undergoing the rigorous intensive three days free and compulsory training which is fully funded by Richbon.

Richbon is the authorized distributor of SINOTRUK brand of trucks in Nigeria, (a brand that has been adjudged the fastest selling truck in Nigeria for 3 consecutive years by the Nigerian Auto Awards.) The company Richbon also brands the drivers of their is also the sole distributor of the famous XGMA customers and re-orientate their mindset brand of construction equipment in Nigeria. from the primitive conceptualization of the word ‘driver’ to making them know Richbon is proud to be associated with they are ‘drivers-of-business’ and partners Lafarge WAPCO a foremost multinational in the profitability/ turnover of the haulage cement manufacturing and marketing business. Richbon gives the drivers free company. Lafarge is driving excellence in corporate dressing and the result is that 95% the building industry and infrastructural these trained drivers have an overall better development in the country. It is also worthy performance than the untrained ones. of commendation that Lafarge has made immense contributions and investments Richbon is currently marketing the in supporting Nigeria’s Socio-economic following products which would be very development especially in the creation useful to Lafarge and its transporters. These of employment opportunities and in the products include the bulk cement tank provision of high quality cement for building trailer, 6x4 tractors, 6x4 dump trucks, 4x2 and the construction industry. tractors; fully fortified with camel back spring, fully air-conditioned, manual and Richbon has been providing to Lafarge 60 ton wall sided flatbeds. This implies that and its transporters quality, affordable and transporters that had been lifting 30-40 ton time tested trucks to complement Lafarge’s of cement now have the opportunity to lift business model of achieving excellence.

60 tons of cement in a single trip. Richbon SINOTRUK brand of trucks are built to also has the concrete mixers, water tanks, effectively cope with the vagaries of our road light trucks and SINOTRUK (HOWO) City conditions in Nigeria. and Mini buses.

In line with the high safety standards of Lafarge, Richbon always train the operators

HEAD OFFICE Plot 242 Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Odolowu Bus Stop, Lagos

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with an approach based on careful planning and research, lafarge Cement wapCo nigeria aim to ensure that the solutions they offer to their customers are always tailored for individual project needs. By utilising state-of-the-art systems and solutions that greatly increase the available options in the construction of foundations, facades and floorings, the company has quickly been widely recognised as an innovative company who do not reuse old ideas, but continually strive for excellence. lafarge always try to combine several materials to ensure optimal performance in terms of cost, insulation and strength. the company is constantly looking for new and more advanced techniques to offer the industry, techniques which are being developed and refined by the dedicated R&d teams at the company, ensuring that lafarge Cement wapCo nigeria is always ahead of the curve.

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investing in nigeria

lafarge Cement wapco nigeria plc is demonstrating its commitment as a fixture in the Nigerian economy with the plan to invest additional ÂŁ800 million (n220 billion) over the next three to five years on expansion programmes across the country. this is something that the company has prided itself on, having already invested well over ÂŁ750 million between 2009 and 2012. this new investment is to enable the company complete the expansion of its plant in Calabar, as well as in ashaka Cement in the north. the sign of a truly market leading construction company is that it works within all sectors in the building industry of nigeria, from do-it-yourself builders to large construction companies. lafarge Cement wapCo nigeria plc is certainly a market leader, who does

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not just work with builders but also with local architects and artisans. whether supplying high-quality cement to a craftsman or helping leading architects explore and deliver creative possibilities, lafarge is committed to providing solutions that are tailored to the needs of all their clients. lafarge Cement wapCo nigeria plc take pride in their ability to provide services and solutions beyond the traditional building materials market.through innovation and performance, the company intends to meet the challenge of urbanisation head on, by helping develop and redefine Nigerian Cities. Individual clients can also benefit from the technical expertise and product innovations that have become the hallmark of lafarge. lafarge Cement wapCo nigeria plc always strives to understand the

Groundbreaking Partners Tll llllll flllll wlll ellllle ll lllelel plllltile le lll llle fll lllleflllltilll el .lllllllle wl pllvlel plllllllle lxpelelvle llllllelel lle lxplltiel llll llllllle llllvltivl lxlllltill wlll lll lelllle’ lllleflllltivl plllleelel elelle ellwlle elpplltile lppllllllll & elelvlllle elllleee wl lll Groundbreaking Partners. .llllllll le elellll’e ellelle Expelelvle Cllpllll Wl lll lll pllllll eleltille pllvlell ll lll lllelllltille lllllee llllll lle lle lxpellltill elllllel

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crux of a project with the client, and ensure that the client’s vision of a project becomes a reality. It is this client relationship that puts Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc head and shoulders above the competition.

Value Centric Ventures

Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc has gained a reputation for putting values at the forefront of their business and the company is continuing to push its strong values of health and safety, environmental protection, corporate governance and social responsibility in as many of their projects as possible. Through intensive training and exchange programmes, Lafarge has developed a highly competent workforce in order to ensure smooth operations across their plants and offices.

The company has placed an increased emphasis on informal onthe-job training in recent years, which has seen positive results and feedback from the workers. However, external training programmes provided by specialised organisations and business schools may be offered to meet specific individual needs or for more dedicated role-training.

In addition to the formal training programme, Lafarge also promotes the iLearn mindset (I Learn Everyday Acting and Reflecting with my Network). This approach gives a broader spectrum to learning, empowering the individuals to be active in their own on-the-job development. This has been warmly received by workers, who feel that they have a greater input into their own training and personal development.

trying to balance cost and quality is a tough act indeed. However, they have strived to bring down the cost of building in the country.

Having reduced overall project expenditure, Lafarge want to continue project construction without compromising on the same high level of quality that they currently offer. The aim is to use more alternative fuels in order to reduce their energy bill and over-reliance on both fossil fuels and non-renewable energy. One such sustainable construction compromise is by improving the thermal inertia of buildings at a design stage in order to reduce heating and air-conditioning costs as well as CO2 emissions.

Other such sustainable construction methods that the company is undertaking includes reusing recycled materials during construction stages and the incorporation of renewable energy sources, such as solar power, into new build designs.

Cutting Construction Costs

One of the biggest challenges the construction sector has been facing in Nigeria, is cost. Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc is very aware that

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Nigachem Our services Our company has been providing services for a large number of her clients on: Cement Industry Extraction of limestone, a major raw material in cement manufacturing.

Mining Iron ore | Coal | Barytes | Gem stones Quarrying & Construction Commercial stone aggregate production | Railway ballast production | Stone dust | Asphalt - for buildings, roads, airports, dams & bridges | Harbour works | Dredging & marine salvage operations Oil Exploration Services Our products are used in energy generation for seismic data acquisition.

Technical Support Services to Clients Our team of experienced engineers have requisite competence to render dependable technical back-up to our clients anywhere in Nigeria.

Tel +234 803 6303122 Email info@nigachem.ng

www.nigachem.ng

Training for the Future

Nigeria Plc is very aware that trying to balance cost and quality is a tough act indeed.

However, they have strived to bring down the cost of building in the country”

For Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc, training is an investment into both the company’s and the country’s future. Accomplished and content employees will always play an important role in the longterm success of any business and Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc is enthusiastic about ensuring their workers are proficient in their roles.

By offering training and job related development internally, employees can take control of their own careers and further their knowledge.

The learning resources available to company employees are not limited to just job related training. Lafarge created its own University in 2003. It was designed to improve management skills and encourage managers to act in compliance with the Group’s Principles of Action. This corporate university works in partnership with some of the best business schools in the world:

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DEPENDABLE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR NATION BUILDING BRANCH OFFICE: 11, Banjul Street, Off Monrovia Street, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.

HEAD OFFICE: 20, Sule Abuka Crescent, Off Opebi Road, Ikeja - Lagos.

Tel: +234-803-6303122, +234-803-5921128, +234-803-4030601 Email: info@nigachem.com.ng / nigachem_lgn@yahoo.com Web: www.nigachem.com.ng

SITE MIXED EMULSION (BULK EXPLOSIVES) NIGACHEM NIGERIA LIMITED (NNL) was incorporated in 1987 as a wholly owned company to carry on the business of importation, stocking, marketing and sales of Commercial (Civil) Explosives and Blasting Accessories.

NNL in concert with her JV partners, SOLAR INDUSTRIED INDIA LIMITED has established a state-of-the-art Emulsion Explosives plant, which is fully commissioned by the Honourable Minister of Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and it is designed to accommodate manufacture of both cartridge explosives for Mining/Quarrying/Civil Works and Seismic exploration.

INSEAD and Henley in Europe and Duke University and Chicago GSB in the United States. These programmes help to build networks between managers and encourage knowledge sharing and the development of best practices. Content is regularly updated and enriched. For example, Lafarge University is working with the Executive Finance Committee to implement a programme on the ways financial directors can add value in their management committee.

With Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria driving down the costs of high quality construction projects in Nigeria, the country is beginning to reap the benefits. The number of in-demand, affordable houses has risen, enabling families who were previously unable to purchase a house to do so. The company will continue to raise the standard of construction in the country through civil and corporate projects and are well placed to live up to their motto: Building Better Cities.

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East Africa Healthcare Summit

VC4A (Venture Capital for Africa)

1 – 2 J u ly 2 0 1 4

2 4 J u ly 2 0 1 4

www.eahealthsummit.com

www.vc4africa.biz

FESPA Africa

4th Annual Enhancing Customer Experience, Loyalty and Retention in Telecoms

Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam Tanzania

Gallagher Convention Centre Johannesburg South Africa

2 – 4 J u ly 2 0 1 4 www.fespa.com

Oil and Gas Africa

Cape Town International Convention Centre Cape Town South Africa

2 – 4 J u ly 2 0 1 4

www.exhibitionsafrica.com

Cement Business and Investment Africa Conference (CBI) Crowne Plaza Hotel Johannesburg South Africa

1 0 – 1 1 J u ly 2 0 1 4

www.prescon-int.com/cbi2014

Vallon L2 Abidjan Côte D’Ivoire

Radisson Blu Hotel, Sandton Johannesburg South Africa

4–5 August 2014 www.fextons.com

Electra Mining Expo

Nasrec Expo Centre Johannesburg South Africa

15–19 September 2014 www.electramining.co.za

Cloud and Virtualisation Africa Summit 2014 The Maslow Hotel Johannesburg South Africa

18–19 September 2014 www.events-africa.com/cloudvirtualisation-summit-africa-2014events-africa.html

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Tech4Africa

Focus Rooms Sunninghill, Sandton Gauteng Johannesburg

9 – 1 0 Oc t o b e r 2 0 1 4 www.tech4africa.com

Africa Oil & Gas Expo Sandton Convention Centre Johannesburg South Africa

9 – 1 0 Oc t o b e r 2 0 1 4 www.africaoilexpo.com

4th Mining Business and Investment Conference (MBI) Safari Park Hotel Nairobi Kenya

1 6 – 1 7 Oc t o b e r 2 0 1 4 www.mbieastafrica.com

21st Africa Oil Week: Africa Upstream

Cape Town International Convention Centre Cape Town South Africa

3–7 November 2014 www.petro21.com/events/?id=873