Business Africa

The two-day African Critical Minerals Summit currently in Johannesburg, South Africa, has brought together government officials, industry executives, investors, and technical experts.   The discussions include Africa's role in global critical mineral value chains, geopolitics, energy architecture, and infrastructure. The presentations also include Building Africa's future ready mining workforce for the critical minerals era. To talk to us further on the summit, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Yamani Selana Director at Andersen South Africa.

Aluwani Museisi is Country Chair of Shell Downstream South Africa. He has pinned an article where he argues that South Africa's infrastructure challenge starts before money. He goes on to explain the discrepancy between what budget announced by the Finance Minister in public-sector infrastructure expenditure and how much is formally classified as public-private partnership expenditure. He says that the figures expose a conversion gap between the infrastructure South Africa intends to build and the projects that are sufficiently prepared to attract finance and reach construction.  To explain more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Mr  Museisi.

Internet connectivity in townships received a boost this after South African  telecoms and connectivity businesses, Frogfoot Networks, Vox and Hypa secured new equity capital and debt facilities in a transaction that values the companies at over $870 million. The new growth capital will materially accelerate the physical expansion of high-speed fibre to previously underserved and lower-income township communities. The funding is said to accelerate Frogfoot's fibre rollout to 360 000 connected homes a year within 12 months. The three sister firms will operate under Vivica Group and to tell us more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to  Abraham van der Merwe who will lead as CEO of Vivica Group.

The United States is turning up the economic pressure on Iran, announcing sweeping new sanctions as the war continues to disrupt one of the world's most important energy routes. Washington is warning countries and businesses that continue trading with Tehran that they too could face consequences, while China is pushing back against what it calls economic warfare.  Innocent Semosa has more.

For the past few months as we aware covering the economic situation in Malawi and how the country has been trying to turn the situation around. From increasing higher education fees to cutting funds for Independence Day celebrations. Well today we are talking about the European Union (EU) in Malawi launching a new 143 million-Euro package of EU support under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument, Global Europe.  It is developed in close partnership with the Government of Malawi and said to translate the priorities of the EU-Malawi Multiannual Indicative Programme. To explain what it is, what it means and how the repayment is going to work, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Dr Andrea Mjuma Chief Economist, Department of Economic Planning and Development in Malawi's Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation.

Last year in October, South Africa (SA) exited the Financial Action Task Force's grey list after more than two years of intense scrutiny, entering a new assessment cycle by the FATF. This then means that the country has to tighten legislation as the FATF review, which runs until October 2027, will assess not only whether SA's anti-money laundering laws meet international standards but also whether authorities can successfully investigate and prosecute complex financial crimes.  To talk about the importance of this and what it is that South Africans should know about it, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Bradley Elliott, CEO of RelyComply.

The province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa (SA) continues to produce a new generation of creative talent who are making their mark across the country's film and television industry. Thami Ngubeni spoke to film producer Sphumelele Sibeko about her journey into production, the power of storytelling, working alongside her sister and the opportunities available to young women looking to build careers behind the camera.

In today's markets slot, we look at South Africa's inflation easing from to 4 - point - 3 percent. We also discuss if investors are concerned about rising oil prices. For more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Thanda Sithole, FNB & Wesbank Senior Economist.

Makole Mupita, co-founder and fund principal at Mahlako Financial Services has penned an article where she says that South Africa has enough savings to finance much of the infrastructure development it requires, which is why there is a growing debate about how the retirement savings industry can play a bigger role in financing economic growth. She goes on to say that South Africa has one of Africa's deepest pools of institutional capital and that pension funds manage approximately R5.8-trillion in assets, around 64% of GDP. She spoke to Thami Ngubeni to share her thoughts.

In today's markets slot, we look at Standard Bank Group and UnionPay International (UPI), which has expanded UnionPay e-commerce acceptance across nine African markets, enabling participating merchants to accept secure online payments from UnionPay cardholders and giving businesses broader access to cross-border consumer demand. The expanded capability strengthens digital commerce across Africa by helping merchants offer more payment choice, reduce checkout friction and serve international travellers, cross-border shoppers and businesses transacting across multiple markets.   Thami Ngubeni spoke to Norman Nyawo, Head of Merchant Solutions for Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank South Africa joins us on the line.

Ghana's union of mineworkers has reportedly delivered a petition to the country's central bank to ​demand more than 380 million Cedis ($34.55 million) they ‌say they are owed and that have been frozen since a clean-up of the financial sector.  The Ghana Mine Workers' Union which is an affiliate of ​the largest trade union in the country says that the money in the form of provident funds, welfare savings and severance packages ​belonging to over 19,000 workers, was still frozen ​as a result. To explain more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Eric Mawuena, Channel Africa's correspondent in Ghana.

We start the show with our weekly business round up, where we look at the top stories across the continent, Thami Ngubeni is joined by Victor Kgomoeswana, author of "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back".  Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo.

For our C SUITE feature we speak to Ayanda Seboni Group Executive for PPS. With 20 years of financial services experience. She refers to herself as an accomplished senior leader, passionate about developing commercially viable business solutions and making financial services available to the economically marginalized. She goes on to say that she has an extensive history of developing revenue generating strategies for some of South Africa's leading multi-nationals and delivering consistent revenue growth.  Ayanda Seboni spoke to Thami Ngubeni to share her journey.

Someone Always Pays is a new investigative video series launched by the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) in partnership with a business task force. It brings to light the harmful, human costs of the illicit economy home to South African viewers. It’s probing the country's illicit-goods trade, exposing how these products enter supply chains, and then have devastating impacts right across society.  To talk about the message in this video and what reaction they would like to see from consumers, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Johnny Moloto, Area Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, British American Tobacco - Sub-Saharan Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa (SA) and Zimbabwe must work together to build the bridges, roads, dams, airports, health facilities and schools needed to drive economic growth and development.  Speaking in Pretoria at the Fourth Session of the SA–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission, Ramaphosa said institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) are ready to invest in high-impact projects in Zimbabwe. He says these investments should help create factories, strengthen agriculture and ensure that food produced by farmers reaches markets. Thami Ngubeni spoke to Collen Moyo, Managing Director of Viridi Solutions in Zimbabwe who is attending the meeting to talk more about their business and their thoughts on the two countries.

Yesterday (Tuesday) as SADC leaders went back to their respective countries, South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council  (HSRC) hosted a webinar titled: Debt, trade, and infrastructure: The political economy of regional integration. The webinar provided a transdisciplinary platform for scholars, policymakers, researchers, civil society actors, and development practitioners to critically engage with the political economy of trade integration, sovereign debt, and infrastructure development within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework. To explain more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Dr Vuyo Mjimba, Chief Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council...

AI has no doubt taken over almost every aspect of our lives, and moving beyond being a tool that simply assists people. Increasingly, AI systems are becoming capable of acting on behalf of individuals, researching products, comparing financial options, initiating transactions and managing routine financial tasks with permission. What then does this mean for the future of banking. As AI agents become more autonomous, banks will need to evolve from serving only human customers to securely serving both people and authorised AI agents acting in their interests. To talk to us more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Chipo Mushwana, Divisional Executive of Emerging Payments at Nedbank...

We wrap up the show by talking about the business of beauty. A proudly South African beauty manufacturer WM&R Naturals, says that it is meeting the demand of more African women wanting to nurture their ethnic hair. They have a range of Hair Growth Oil and Shea Butter Hair Cream designed for African hair textures. The business was founded by Thato Bosealetse who is also the Managing Director, and says that the company is tapping into a national hairdressing sector that contributes R24.85 billion to South Africa's GDP. WM&R Naturals is currently scaling operations to expand into commercial retail, supply salon networks, and build a professional manufacturing facility.   Thato spoke to Thami Ngubeni about her business...

South Africa's hospitality industry is said to have hit its 2030 target for women in senior management four years early. But those in the industry say that it still has ground to make up at the top. Women from designated groups now hold 47.3% of senior management roles, exceeding the 46.1% target, while top management sits at 36.2% against a 38.1% target. As employers begin reporting against their employment equity plans from 1 September, attention will turn to whether the sector can translate its progress in senior management into greater representation at the top. To find out what contributed to this outcome, Thami Ngubeni spoke to  Alison McKie, General Manager of Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront Cape Town...

As organisations navigate rapid digital transformation and an evolving world of work, the ability to build inclusive, high-performing cultures has become increasingly important to long-term business success. Technology may enable transformation, but it is people who ultimately bring it to life. How then does one create a corporate culture that will see a corporation grow, and become productive? To talk to more on this, Thami Ngubeni to Palesa Ntoagae, Chief People Officer for Personal and Private Banking at Absa Group…

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa says that he will place infrastructure development at the centre of its year-long Chairship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). He is calling for faster implementation of regional corridors, railways, ports, roads, energy and water projects. President Ramaphosa goes on to say that infrastructure would be critical to turning the region's industrialisation ambitions into factories, jobs, trade and economic opportunity. Let's get a perspective now from the Malawian delegation attending the summit to hear what their expectations are and what they would like to see come out of the gathering. Thami spoke to Dr Andrea Mjuma Chief Economist, Department …

We conclude our coverage of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit by looking at some of the issues that were raised there, and the reality of implementing them. South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa who is the current chairperson says that the success of the 46th summit will be measured by the impact it has on the lives of the people in the region's 16 member states. He said this at the end of the regional bloc's Heads of State and Government meeting as his closing remarks. Among others, the gathering signed three legal instruments and committed the region to industrialisation and the beneficiation of its mineral resources. But realistically, what will it take to implement? For a perspective, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Dr Kingsley Makhubela, Former diplomat and international relations expert...

Zambia's Electoral Commission has confirmed that Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected with around 60 percent of votes cast on 13 August.   His closest challenger, Brian Mundubile, a former provincial minister, won nearly 38 percent of the vote. Our regular economic contributor from Zambia, Kelvin Chisanga, says that a strong mandate gives President Hichelema room to move from stabilising Zambia's economy to making its recovery felt in household budgets. To discuss this further, he spoke to Thami Ngubeni...

Research by Kaspersky has reportedly identified cyber espionage as a growing threat across Africa. Looking specifically at cyberthreats aimed at businesses, Kaspersky's research shows that organisations in Africa experienced a sharp increase in espionage-related threats over the past year, and say that Spyware detections rose by 16% in Africa, password stealer attacks by 51%, and backdoor detections by 23%. They say that these types of malware are commonly used to infiltrate corporate environments, steal confidential information, establish persistent access, and facilitate subsequent stages of targeted attacks. What then do they recommend and what is it that companies and establishments should be aware of? To educate us on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Omar Amin, Senior Security Researcher, Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky...

In today's Markets slot, we look at the high unemployment figures that came out in South Africa. We also look at the country's economic indicators on South Africa's growth outlook for the second half of the year. We also shine the spotlight on the latest manufacturing output. For more on this Thami Ngubeni spoke to  FNB & WesBank Senior Economist , Thanda Sithole...

The Motor Industry Staff Association South Africa says that it welcomes the progress made towards extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which they say brings encouraging news for South African exporters and the many workers whose livelihoods depend on healthy trade. You may have heard in the news that the United States Senate has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a two-year extension of the programme. To tell us more on this and also what this means for the motor industry, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, spokesperson for the Motor Industry Staff Association...

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa who is also the SADC Chairperson, has implored his regional peers to fully implement a raft of decisions adopted at their previous meetings. He was speaking after assuming the chairmanship of the regional body at its 46th summit under way in South Africa's coastal city of eThekwini. The SADC Heads of State and Government meeting is attended by among others, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Botswana's Duma Boko and King Mswati III of Eswatini as well diplomats from the body's 16 member states. Ramaphosa says the idea and wish of regional integration must be put into reality. For perspective on the summit, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Neville Matjie, Chief Executive Officer for Brand South Africa....

We end the show by speaking to Dr Andrew Dickson, Engineering Executive at CBi. He is pointing out a very serious problem the country is facing and not dealing with fast enough. He says that the focus is more on Ai and tech and neglecting artisans. The share of companies struggling to recruit artisans is said to have more than doubled in a year, from 10% in 2024 to 22% in 2025, with electricians, millwrights, fitters and instrumentation technicians hardest to fill.   He goes on to say that the average South African artisan is now in their mid-fifties, and the country lags far behind the National Development Plan's target of 30 000 qualified artisans a year by 2030. He says that training system is not closing the gap. Thami Ngube engage him on the subject and possible solutions...

The month of September will be playing host to the Embassies Business Fair & Conference 2026, which returns for its 3rd Annual Edition with a focus on practical networking, investor engagement, global buyer linkages and cross-border trade opportunities in Africa. The event will bring together embassies, investors, buyers, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and entrepreneurs to strengthen trade links between business and diplomacy. Thami Ngubeni spoke to Mndeni Mthabela from Diplomacy SA about why those in business should be interested...

Thami Ngubeni does the weekly business round up, where she looks at the top stories across the continent, we are joined on the line by Victor Kgomoeswana, author of "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back".   Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo....

For our C SUITE feature we speak to Ms Ramasela Ganda, Group Chief Executive Officer of Zeda Limited, the holding company for Avis brand in South Africa, and 10 other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. She's a qualified chartered accountant with a B. Com (Hons. & CTA) from the University of Pretoria. We talk to her about her role as captain of her ship, career and her vision for the company. As in any other business, competition can be tough and one needs to be sharp in steering the ship. Where did it all start for her and how has she been overcoming the storms that may be hitting her industry?   She spoke to Thami Ngubeni give a glimpse of her story...

For our C SUITE feature we speak to Ms Ramasela Ganda, Group Chief Executive Officer of Zeda Limited, the holding company for Avis brand in South Africa, and 10 other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. She's a qualified chartered accountant with a B. Com (Hons. & CTA) from the University of Pretoria. We talk to her about her role as captain of her ship, career and her vision for the company.  As in any other business, competition can be tough and one needs to be sharp in steering the ship. Where did it all start for her and how has she been overcoming the storms that may be hitting her industry? She spoke to Thami Ngubeni give a glimpse of her story.

Thami Ngubeni does the weekly business round up, where she looks at the top stories across the continent, we are joined on the line by Victor Kgomoeswana, author of "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back".  Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo.

The month of September will be playing host to the Embassies Business Fair & Conference 2026, which returns for its 3rd Annual Edition with a focus on practical networking, investor engagement, global buyer linkages and cross-border trade opportunities in Africa. The event will bring together embassies, investors, buyers, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and entrepreneurs to strengthen trade links between business and diplomacy.  Thami Ngubeni spoke to Mndeni Mthabela from Diplomacy SA about why those in business should be interested.

We end the show by speaking to Dr Andrew Dickson, Engineering Executive at CBi. He is pointing out a very serious problem the country is facing and not dealing with fast enough. He says that the focus is more on AI and tech and neglecting artisans. The share of companies struggling to recruit artisans is said to have more than doubled in a year, from 10% in 2024 to 22% in 2025, with electricians, millwrights, fitters and instrumentation technicians hardest to fill.  He goes on to say that the average South African artisan is now in their mid-fifties, and the country lags far behind the National Development Plan's target of 30 000 qualified artisans a year by 2030. He says that training system is not closing the gap. Thami Ngube engage him on the subject and possible solutions.

South Africa's (SA) President Cyril Ramaphosa who is also the SADC Chairperson, has implored his regional peers to fully implement a raft of decisions adopted at their previous meetings. He was speaking after assuming the chairmanship of the regional body at its 46th summit under way in SA's coastal city of eThekwini. The SADC Heads of State and Government meeting is attended by among others, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Botswana's Duma Boko and King Mswati III of Eswatini as well diplomats from the body's 16 member states. Ramaphosa says the idea and wish of regional integration must be put into reality. For perspective on the summit, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Neville Matjie, Chief Executive Officer for Brand SA.

The Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA) South Africa says that it welcomes the progress made towards extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which they say brings encouraging news for South African exporters and the many workers whose livelihoods depend on healthy trade. You may have heard in the news that the United States (US) Senate has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a two-year extension of the programme. To tell us more on this and also what this means for the motor industry, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, spokesperson for the MISA.

In today's Markets slot, we look at the high unemployment figures that came out in South Africa (SA). We also look at the country's economic indicators on SA's growth outlook for the second half of the year. We also shine the spotlight on the latest manufacturing output. For more on this Thami Ngubeni spoke to  FNB & WesBank Senior Economist , Thanda Sithole.

Research by Kaspersky has reportedly identified cyber espionage as a growing threat across Africa. Looking specifically at cyberthreats aimed at businesses, Kaspersky's research shows that organisations in Africa experienced a sharp increase in espionage-related threats over the past year, and say that Spyware detections rose by 16% in Africa, password stealer attacks by 51%, and backdoor detections by 23%. They say that these types of malware are commonly used to infiltrate corporate environments, steal confidential information, establish persistent access, and facilitate subsequent stages of targeted attacks. What then do they recommend and what is it that companies and establishments should be aware of? To educate us on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Omar Amin, Senior Security Researcher, Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky.

Let's end the show on a tasty note with no fowl play!! KFC has launched their KFC Rewards which they say is a new loyalty programme that flips the script on what it means to be rewarded. They go on to say that it does not involve points, discounts at the till, it's about feeding all your obsessions. It' works through purchases made the KFC app or on Kiosk which unlocks access to the experiences and cultural moments a customer genuinely care about they say. To tell us more on this and how different it is from what we know in the market, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Siyabulela Ngcukana, Chief Operations, Digital and Technology Officer, KFC Africa

In today's markets slot we focus on the Official Countdown to the Standard Bank National Kasi SME Pitch Challenge & Summit 2026 taking place in Gceberha, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.  In its second year, the competition shines the spotlight on promising majority black-owned businesses that have emerged from a highly competitive provincial selection process across all nine provinces. Lesiba Matladi (Senior Manager for Enterprise and Supplier Development Programmes at Business and Commercial Banking, Standard Bank South Africa) spoke to Thami Ngubeni..

Good news coming out of Kenya is that the country's Capital Markets Authority has approved a new investment fund from Wall Street Africa (WSA), which is a Nairobi-based financial media and fintech startup. It will allow investors to buy into a group of listed banks in a single investment. Those in the know say that the WSA Banking exchange-traded fund (ETF) will hold shares in banks listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). According to CMA,  it will be Kenya's first locally domiciled exchange-traded fund and is expected to list in the fourth quarter. To tell us more on this and its significance, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Eric Asuma, Founder & Chairman of the Wall Street Africa Group..

Zambians went to the polls on the 13th of August becoming important a critical electoral focal point for the SADC region. It is the only SADC country conducting its national electoral process which would naturally placing it under significant regional and international attention.  We speak to Kelvin Chisanga, an economist based in Zambia who says that his assessment is that Zambia's challenge is no longer simply to conduct an election, but to demonstrate that democratic governance, political stability and economic transformation can reinforce one another. He spoke to Thami Ngubeni about expectations around the economy and how Zambia managed to maintain their peaceful image for so many years

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has been holding public hearings on its draft regulations and the potential impact on the deployment of digital infrastructure. They also looked at why regulatory certainty is essential for achieving universal, affordable connectivity in SA. To talk more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Nomvuyiso Batyi, CEO of the Association of Comms and Technology..

Over the years, many people who go on retirement would downsize their large family homes and move into something smaller hoping to use the funds they would've raised from selling the house. But today that does not seem like a reality anymore as life keeps getting expensive.  Grant Smee, CEO of Only Realty Property Group argues that retirees face an additional challenge: the home they planned to sell may be worth less than the smaller, more secure retirement property they now need. He spoke to Thami Ngubeni  explaining what he means and also what questions those who retire should ask well before they retire.

Continuing on the Quarterly Labour Force Survey which shows an increase in the unemployment rate, this time around we speak to Talita Boodhram, Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer for MiDesk Global. She's pointing out that the results indicate that women and young girls remain vulnerable in terms of being able to support themselves and their families by securing job opportunities. She goes on to say that she believes that the ongoing sidelining of girls and young women in the job market is a direct result of the education infrastructure gap for disadvantaged children in early childhood. To mark International Youth Day, Ms Boodhram shared her thoughts with Thami Ngubeni.

Data from Statistics South Africa (SA) shows that the unemployment rate rose by 0.9 percentage points, from 32.7% in the first quarter to 33.6% in the second quarter of the year. This indicates that the number of unemployed persons increased by 345 000 to 8.5 million, while the number of employed persons decreased by 16 000 to 16.7 million. Chifi Mhango, Chief Economist at Don Consultancy Group says that the figures demonstrate that the fundamental challenge facing SA is not simply unemployment, but the economy's inadequate capacity to generate employment at a pace that matches the growth in the labour force.  He spoke to Thami Ngubeni to share his thoughts on the issue.

According to media reports food in Nigeria is getting too expensive. Commentators in that country say that Nigeria is producing food that millions of its citizens may never get to eat.   The Bank of Agriculture has reportedly estimated Nigeria's post-harvest losses at between 30 million and 40 million metric tonnes. At a time when households are struggling with high food prices and declining purchasing power, that figure should provoke more than concern. To find out what is going on there and what is the  reality on the ground, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Jonathan Lyamgohn, Channel Africa's correspondent in Nigeria.

Last week the CEO of South Africa's Public Investment Corporation, Patrick Dlamini was reinstated into his position after the Gauteng High Court in the country's capital, Pretoria set aside his suspension, which it found to be unlawful and invalid. The ruling follows the collapse of the PIC board, which was characterised by the resignation of the board chairperson and deputy Finance Minister David Masondo, along with eight other board members amid a leadership clash. Commentators believe that the recent judgement reinforces the urgent need for a fundamental restoration of confidence in the PIC. To talk more on the governance implications of these developments, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Stephen Sadie, Chief Executive Officer at the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa.

The South African (SA) Mint which is the continent's leading manufacturer of legal coin tender as well as commemorative and rare collectible coins has launched the 2026 Martial Eagle collection, the second release in its Odyssey of the Sky seven-coin series. This they say is celebrating Africa's extraordinary birdlife, rich natural heritage and world-class minting craftsmanship. Struck in 24 ct gold and fine silver, the limited-edition collection it honours one of Africa's most powerful birds of prey. To tell us more on this, Thami Ngubeni spoke to Shane Kennedy, Acting General Manager Sales & Marketing for the South African Mint.