Africa

With a coastline stretching over 2,000 kilometres, Mozambique, in southeast Africa, is home to some of the most stunning, preserved beaches in the world. Technically, this paradise should be more accessible than those in more popular tourist destinations like the Maldives and the Seychelles, but a historical lack of infrastructure has hindered progress on this front until now.

Regular readers of Business Excellence may recall our profile on Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) in South Africa back in 2013. TPT was, and remains, a central player in South Africa’s growing export-led economy. Indeed, since the time of the article, South Africa’s exports have almost doubled in volume, underlining the importance of TPT and its ilk to the ongoing success of the country.

When Anheuser-Busch InBev merged with South African Breweries (SAB) back in 2016, it was already the biggest brewer by volume in the world. As a result of the merger with SABMillerwhich is an integral part of the social fabric of South Africa, it was able to gain a foothold in Africa - widely regarded as the most prospective market in the world for beer sales.

The global seed industry is hugely important for human progress. Feeding the world’s population of 7 billion depends on a number of factors, one of which is the ready availability of seeds. Despite this, the industry is notorious for its high level of concentration, driven by a few large multinational firms and characterized by consolidation between them.

The exponential growth of Zambia’s mining industry over the past 25 years is as much a testament to the world class service providers in the country, as the country’s vast mineral reserves. One such service provider is Quattro, Zambia’s most respected transport provider to the country’s burgeoning mining industry.

In a previous article on First Quantum Minerals’ Trident Project in Zambia, we focused on the impact in terms of sustainability that it would have in the country - in terms of bringing quality employment, introducing several CSR projects, dramatically improving the regional infrastructure and all while respecting the natural environment in the area.

The rise and fall of prices in precious minerals can sometimes seem abstract, and of little consequence to anyone outside of mining companies and commodities traders. However, there is thankfully, a far more tangible impact of an upswing in prices for these metals: the huge FDI that follows in regions which are rich in mineral deposits.

There aren’t many companies which make it past the 100 years mark, but when they do, it’s usually because they possess a combination of management and operational nous that few other companies do. These companies are all the more remarkable when they’ve succeeded in the face of a century of political upheaval.

The Southern African nation of Mozambique is less than 50 years old but is home to one of the oldest logistics companies on the continent. Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (Mozambique Ports and Railways), responsible for the country’s ports and rail network, was founded in 1936, at a time when Mozambique was still a Portuguese colony.

The volcanic island archipelago of Cape Verde is one of only five island nations on the continent of Africa, and the only one located off Africa’s Atlantic coast. This gives it a strategic location on air and sea routes, which primes it for growth in the coming years. All indications are that tourism will be central to this growth.