Five Pillars for Doing Business in Africa

Companies around the world are setting their sights on Africa as a new frontier for business. However, as with other emerging economies, African ones are tricky to navigate for the uninitiated. This article introduces the five pillars that companies need to consider in the African context. First the authors highlight the main macroeconomic trends; then they present a road map for companies planning to enter African markets. They draw on personal experiences and local insights distilled from interviews and collaborations with dozens of foreign entrepreneurs and executives who are living the realities of doing business on the continent.