"It’s Africa’s Time"-Excerpts From CNBC Africa Executive Vision

By: Tim M. Solso, Cummins Inc & N. Justin Chinyanta, Loita Group

'.......Today, Africa is the new frontier, ripe for foreign investment.

Africa is booming – in part because African governments are heeding the call to action, removing barriers to trade, lowering taxes and improving the physical and social infrastructure that had impeded business growth. Africa’s collective GDP, at $1.6 trillion in 2008, is roughly equal to that of Brazil or Russia, and the rate of return on foreign investment in Africa now is higher than in any other developing region.

Despite all of these changes, and a proven ROI, most American investors are still missing out on a major opportunity for growth that would in turn create jobs and opportunity for millions of Africans.  Local knowledge has been critical to Cummins Inc new approach for investing in Africa, allowing the company to expand in a way that supports the communities in which it does business. This is the aim of the Initiative for Global Development’s Frontier 100 group, of which we are both members, which connects CEOs like us from the United States and Africa to learn how best to maximize Africa’s potential.

To be sure, Africa is a continent, not a country, and there are hurdles to overcome in certain countries before sustainable business development and poverty reduction can happen. But the tremendous growth in foreign direct investment and track record of robust economic growth is clear evidence that the continent’s leaders are making progress – and shows investors looking for the next emerging market what could be possible.

What made enterprise growth in China and India work then – the only way to make it work in Africa now – is a long term view, and a plan to nurture not only the business, but the communities in which business is being done. A corporation and its employees are only as healthy as the communities in which they operate. 

 The long-term solution to business growth has often been an emerging market. This time, the emerging markets are in Africa. American businesses should explore this new frontier, or miss out on a chance to do well, and to do good....... '

Based on these article excerpts……………………

If African businesses do not interact with the web via online marketing and promotion, how will they benefit from these clear and present interests of companies wanting to have real staying power in a global marketplace.  How will these companies that are taking the chance to partner, buyout or invest in these “emerging” markets in Africa find your products and services? 

AFRICANS Just Having A Website Is Not Enough ANYMORE!

We must involve ourselves with the infrastructure of the virtual urban world and its global blend of thinkers.

Most African businesses and Christian ministries believe that once they have a website, they have conquered the internet. Unfortunately, all they have really done is to simply open the door for their business or ministry to enter the World Wide Web.

Despite the fact that search engines such as Google, Yahoo or MSN, do allow people to immediately find a business if they type the exact website address; it may not effectively enhance the business.

The explanation is that if someone types in a certain “key word or phrase that relates to your business products or services and you have not employed some sort of internet marketing for your website-it may not even show up at all in the search engine.

There are so many easy and free ways to make a business stand out on the internet. The AfricanMarketingTech, consultants for African online marketing, suggests that “African companies or Christian ministries have got to aggressively and explicitly make their services and products known to the world via the use of internet marketing tools.”

Most Africans update their Facebook pages more than they do their business websites. If African companies and Christian ministries do not have time to constantly update their websites or blogs, seek the services of internet marketing consultants that will write articles about your business and update your keywords and phrases with search engines.

Ultimately the more you give about your business presence on the internet, the more you will get from people who urgently need your services and products.

WEBSITE Not Bringing In Business?

1.9 billion people on the web - and 4.6 billion on mobile phones. Mobile is here to stay, and you can't treat it like the rest of the web. The power of the click is replaced by one-touch phone calls, and the right Ad means everything.

On the one hand is Google’s model: search-and-go, get people out into the third party web. On the other hand is Yahoo!’s web portal model: provide a singular experience, give searchers what they’re looking for without having to leave the network of Yahoo! properties.

Google’s dominance in the mobile search market- the sources of their traffic. The Google App by itself can stand as the 2nd biggest iPhone search engine. As seen in  Search Engine Land and ReadWriteWeb.


Call AfricanMarketingTech. Today!We are experts in online marketing, we can increase your ranking from page 131 to page 1 with search engines so people can find your business with just key words. 

According to Google's Link Building SEO advice, the way the search engines operate is almost always changing. Sometimes the changes happen while we sleep and sometimes we are given a heads up way in advance so that we can prepare for the blow. Regardless building links is always going to be an integral part of building up a business online. In a recent blog post Google offered some advice for SEO link building.

Will GPS Navigation Technology Ever Work in Africa?

In numerous international countries such as Europe or America, the ease of knowing information about travel routes or traffic conditions is already showing how the physical realm and virtual cities interact and assist the society. Is this possible for Africa?

Could we have a GPS that speaks Yoruba, Swahili, Ibo, Hausa, or Zulu. Or is it that many of the streets in Africa don’t have proper names to even be entered into Navigation Technology System.

What do you'all think?

What's The Hold Up Naija?

The UN suggests that a mere 100 cities still account for 30% of the worlds economy, power players such as London, New York and Tokyo have been joined by a new category of mega cities, -such as Manila or Lagos. Albeit considered as economic underperformers(for now at least) they are vibrant, innovative and functioning ecosystems.

What’s the hold up Naija?  You should be the number one business advertisers and marketers in Africa.  Some how it seems like South Africa has taken over due to the FIFA WORLD CUP.