Fact & Comment

VENTURES AFRICA – Mental illness is the leading cause of disability in the world, according to the World Health Organization. More troubling: Four out of five people with psychiatric disorders live in developing countries, where they have few opportunities for treatment. I am sure that just as hard as writing this article was, I speak [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – By its understood description, national governments have a social and political responsibility of providing basic services to its nation and citizens. In practice and through time, African governments have developed and successfully maintained a reputation for reneging on this responsibility with aplomb. Such skills pale in comparison to their ever-reliable ability to [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – Undoubtedly, China’s economical success is phenomenal. Some are challenged by it; some intimidated. And some feel threatened. I fall in the category of those challenged by it, and it fueled my curiosity to know how China achieved its present economic status. Several sources have analysed the transformation of the Chinese economy, but [...]

By Janet Murikira, Energy Law Consultant VENTURES AFRICA – It’s no secret (now) that Dan Etete, a former Nigerian Oil Minister of the General Abacha regime, currently being convicted for Money Laundering in France, held secret dealings with Royal Dutch Shell and Italian Oil company Eni. ‘Over chilled wine‘ and lavish meals they deliberated over [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – For the last ten years, Africa’s most populous (est. 170million) country has achieved an annual growth rate of 7 percent. This has not come without its challenges and self-inflicted restraints. For the better part Nigeria has actually taken the decision to diversify her sovereign interest. Technically, I take interest in just how [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – The World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Index 2012 rankings showed a drop in Nigeria’s gender gap ranking from 120 in 2011 to 110 in 2012 which is worrying. So how can businesses in Nigeria and across Africa get professional women back into the workforce after maternity? By introducing greater flexibility, near-site crèche [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – Recent trends in fashion, economics and social interaction have lead me to an interesting question, are African emigrants the evolved version of Russian sleeper agents? Through recent history we have seen a surge in African emigrants looking to make a better life for themselves in first world countries. The causation for emigrating from ones [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – Land is well rooted in our being. Let’s be frank. Africa’s main asset is poverty. I must articulate that at this moment of writing this article, there is a surge of compassion overload, as the tears stream form my tear ducts. Looking for a fitting picture to add for the article, I [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – It’s Friday, 19 October 2012 and I am seated on board Qatar Flight 585 from Johannesburg to Qatar, final destination being Shanghai where I was to attend a development programme on Hi-Tech Business Incubation funded by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. Tucked in the seat pouch in front of me [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – Research from the US shows that financial planning is a critical factor separating those who are on track to meet their financial goals and those who are falling behind. With the beginning of a new year traditionally a time of resolutions, why not make financial planning your priority in 2013? Having a plan [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – With many African countries taking steps into becoming self-sufficient economically viable entities, governments all over the continent have taken steps to ensure attractive, investor-friendly policies, which is sometimes, to the detriment of the indigenous workers. In 2012 alone, there has been a spike in news reports around the continent about the workplace [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – South Africans had built up a sizeable debt burden with unsecured lending increasing significantly, according to a respected economist, Mike Schussler. Schussler made this statement shortly after it was announced that incomes of South Africans had risen substantially since the country’s first all-race elections in 1994. “And there is currently great concern [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – Despite talk that South Africa is facing a serious economic decline, incomes of its citizens have risen substantially since the country’s first all-race elections in 1994. These have been boosted by the country’s black economic empowerment (BEE) policies and employment equity legislation which was introduced soon after the fall of the apartheid [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – Last week’s final U.S. presidential debate – on foreign policy – included only passing reference to two sub-Saharan African countries – Somalia and Mali. But while the outcome of Tuesday’s poll will more likely hinge on the performance of the American economy than on any foreign policy issue, many with an interest [...]

VENTURES AFRICA – Access to credit, or a lack thereof, by consumers and businesses in capitalist and mixed financial systems usually serves as a major predictor of the strength of an economy. With the economic cycle of a country usually being steered by its credit trends, the September 17th, 2012 directive issued by the Central [...]