Tuesday 28 January 2014

Some East African Business Opportunities You May Wish To Know

By Judy Sullivan


Africa is generating a lot of business interests from all over the world. Not only does the region provide a ready market for manufactured goods from the Western world but it is also a big exporter of various goods and services. The strength of the continent as a business partner is mainly due to the numerous natural resources scattered within its boundaries. East Africa has become a big player in world business in recent times. As an investor, there are numerous East African business opportunities you may want to consider.

One of the biggest areas that you need to consider is in the mineral exploration sector. The African continent and East Africa in particular is endowed with numerous deposits of precious minerals most of which are large enough to warrant commercial exploration. The main limiting factor is of course the huge size of capital that is involved. The returns are usually very tremendous for the investor. Oil reserves have been found in some areas recently and this is likely to be a major area of business in the near future.

The main economic activity in the region is agriculture. The growth and export of cash crops such as coffee, tea and horticultural products continues to sustain many families in the region. Investors may participate in this area in many ways. For instance, one may sell fertiliser and farming machinery to the millions of farmers. For the implements that may be a bit costly for the individual farmers, credit facilities from financial institutions exist.

Apart from the selling of inputs, the other area that may provide an opportunity of investment is the purchase of agricultural produce. You can act as a link between the farmers and their markets. Many of them want to cash in as soon as possible without going through the hustle of looking for markets. After buying the produce at an affordable price, you can look for the market and make a profit.

The tourism industry has blossomed for decades. Visitors are attracted to the region because of the varied and unique wildlife and the beautiful scenery. During some years, the number of annual guests approaches hundreds of thousands translating in huge earnings for the industry players. As a potential investor in this area, some opportunities that you need to consider include setting up travel agencies, hotel and hospitality facilities and tour guide companies.

There is a lot of enthusiasm for technology in Africa. Internet usage rates have soared over the last few years. Related to this increase is the increase in demand for computers, mobile phones and other electronics. If you put your money in technology, you most certainly will not be disappointed. All that you need to do is to research well to clearly identify your target clients.

Clothes are one of the defining components of a given culture. Although Africans have been known to be quite conservative as regards their culture as evidenced by their dressing styles, there has a huge change in this in recent times. Fashion has crossed boundaries and has been readily embraced. The sale of clothes and shoes from other parts of the world is now a very profitable business.

There are numerous opportunities in East African business. You only need to understand the market and the forces that drive demand and supply. Conducting some form of research before investing will be a wise thing to do.




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