KNOWING MY CONTINENT, AFRICA, BETTER

In the News Week of January 2010, there is an article titled “How Africa is becoming the new Asia” please read on if you thought the continent (by that I mean the African Continent) is at its beginning or its end.
Here I share my personal experiences in the four months, December 2009 to March 2010. I have had the pleasure of visiting three countries: Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. This is just the beginning, as I am due to be back in Nigeria in April 2010. It’s the beginning because personally, I have decided to get to know my continent better, and our company, Amabubesi Group, is exploring various business and investment opportunities throughout the length and breadth of this continent.
I have always suspected, but now I am beginning to know, that South Africans, Black Africans in particular, are bad travelers. I overheard some people the other day planning a trip to Mozambique (602km from Johannesburg). They were talking about:
Ø Informing their friends exactly where they would be at any given time, just in case,
Ø Understanding hospitals there,
Ø Enough cash (dollars) just in case they have to return in a hurry.
Please note that you no longer need a visa now to travel to Mozambique.
My personal interest to explore has been increased by the huge numbers of fellow Africans from various countries, who visit, do business and invest in South Africa. Have you visited some restaurants lately, in Morningside and other shopping centers in Johannesburg?
The perceptions you gather in South Africa about Africa will cover:
Ø Most of what you will read will be about corruption, lack of infrastructure, Malariacomplex ways of doing business,
Ø You would be made to believe that hardly anybody travels to these countries,
Ø You might even be convinced that people in the continent are not interprenual,
Ø There are hardly government plans to improve the conditions of people.
I am the first one concerned about corruption in the rest of the African Continent but I am more concerned about corruption in South Africa because I have a feeling it’s on the increase. I want to see corruption being reduced drastically in South Africa and beyond.
Let me, for now, just highlight my experiences in Equatorial Guinea. Statistically it’s a country of just over 600k. A small country but if you read more about Africa you will, notice that there are lots of small countries, please exclude Nigeria (±120m people).
I found in Equatorial Guinea, a country that does business with everybody including the western world e.g.
Ø America and France are firmly in the Oil and Gas industry
Ø Israel – in hospitals
Ø Arabic countries– building of roads
Ø Chinese companies – construction
The country is abuzz with international operators but if you were to read today about Equatorial Guinea, you would swear nobody, especially from the western world, goes there. It is a country with immense opportunities, which is why everybody is there.
Off course, I do not want to leave an impression that it easy sailing, after all it’s been said that “Africa is not for sissys”. You will experience network congestions, hotels (top ones) do not take credit cards and therefore take cash along and it is rather expensive.

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