By João Gaspar Marques There is a cost that does not appear on any balance sheet and yet is one of the most consequential expenses a company operating in Africa will incur. I call it the Perception Tax: the financial and strategic penalty paid by organisations that price African markets on the basis of assumption rather than intelligence. It is, in every meaningful sense, a tax on ignorance. And unlike most taxes, it is entirely avoidable. The Mechanism The perception tax operates through a simple but destructive logic. In the absence of credible, granular market intelligence, decision-makers default to the…
Author: Montage Africa
In 2024, the Coca-Cola system in South Africa contributed R51.2 billion in value-added economic impact across its value chain. The Coca-Cola system and its value chain supported over 87,000 direct and indirect jobs in South Africa in sectors including retail, agriculture, manufacturing, transport and services. The Coca-Cola system purchased R25.6 billion worth of goods and services from suppliers in South Africa in 2024, strengthening the country’s industries and communities. The Coca-Cola (www.Coca-ColaCompany.com) system in South Africa today announced the results of a comprehensive socio-economic impact study, conducted by global consulting firm Steward Redqueen. “This new independent study highlights the scale…
The West Africa Climate Resilience Summit will bring together public officials, local authorities, researchers, youth, and development partners to discuss regional priorities and identify actionable pathways for climate resilience. Themed “From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience: Pathways for West Africa and the Sahel at Local and Regional Levels,” the event is part of a global series of Climate Resilience Summits jointly organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (PAS) and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS). The Dakar edition (https://apo-opa.co/4sY4Q1C), hosted in partnership with AKADEMIYA2063 (https://AKADEMIYA2063.org/) and the Centre de Suivi Écologique, aims to foster high-level policy dialogue to…
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) and FCI will jointly host the Africa Regional Conference on Factoring, Receivables Finance&Credit Insurance on 15–16 April 2026 in Kampala, Uganda. As Africa moves towards a unified market, these financial tools serve as essential catalysts for bridging the trade finance gap, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and accelerating intra-African trade volumes. Held under the theme “Beyond Traditional Lending: The Continued Rise of Factoring and Supply Chain Finance in Africa,” the conference is supported by Afreximbank, FCI Academy and ICISA. The event will bring together senior representatives from financial institutions, development finance institutions, insurers,…
Two Russians are due to go on trial in Angola accused of stirring up anti-government protests, conducting a campaign of disinformation, and attempting to interfere in next year’s presidential election. Arrested last August, political consultant Igor Ratchin and translator Lev Lakshtanov are facing 11 charges, including terrorism, espionage and influence peddling. The BBC has obtained a copy of the indictment that includes charges relating to an alleged operation aimed at changing the political course of Angola. The Russians’ lawyers challenge the indictment on the grounds that it lacks “concrete and objective facts”. According to the prosecution, the Russians acted on…
by Nazia Pillay, Managing Director: Southern Africa at SAP AI agents have moved from sci-fi to C-suite. From managing customer support workflows to orchestrating complex supply chains, agentic AI is redefining how businesses operate, respond, and grow. These intelligent digital co-workers act with autonomy, context, and speed, with growing capabilities for reasoning, making decisions, and working alongside humans to execute multi-step processes across departments. According to IDC , agent-driven applications are rapidly becoming the standard for enterprise management. Global estimates suggest AI agents could contribute trillions to the world economy by 2030 through productivity gains, faster decisions, and cost reductions. Transformative…
Police in Nigeria say 15 people have been arrested following allegations of sexual assault at a community festival in the southern Delta state. Videos circulated online showing young men openly attacking women who were on their own. The clips sparked widespread anger, leading to the hashtag #StopRapingWomen to trend on social media, and renewed calls for accountability over gender-based violence. Delta state police have rejected claims circulating online that the Alue-Do festival in Ozoro was a “rape festival”. Local spokesperson Bright Edafe told Channels TV on Monday that no formal report of rape had been made in connection with the festival.…
By Rédaction Africanews Ukraine has expressed interest in importing liquefied natural gas from Mozambique, as years of Russian attacks have strained its energy resources. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with his Mozambique counterpart Daniel Chapo on Monday. After the meeting, Zelensky wrote on X that Ukraine could help Mozambique counter “security challenges” in exchange for “gas supplies.” “Ukraine is interested in additional energy supplies. Mozambique is interested in Ukraine’s experience and technologies to strengthen its internal security and protect people from terror,” Zelensky wrote. Mozambique has been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2017. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s domestic gas production covered almost all…
For Moses Itauma, success in the ring has come quickly. But for the heavyweight prodigy, who only turned 21 in December, the search for identity lasted longer. That is until a trip towards the end of last year to Nigeria, his father’s homeland, where he realised the importance of his African heritage. “This isn’t just my boxing, this is kind of my personal life,” he told BBC Sport Africa shortly after the visit to Akwa Ibom state in the south-east of the country. “Some of the questions that I want to be answered are in my dad’s village. Why am…
By Rédaction Africanews President Donald Trump said Monday the U.S. was talking with a “top” and “respected” Iranian leader and claimed the Islamic Republic was eager for a deal to end the war. He also extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants, saying it has an additional five days. “We have had very, very strong talks. We’ll see where they lead. We have points, major points of agreement. I would say almost all points of agreement,” Trump said, adding the talks went “perfectly.” Iranian state media cited Iranian…