Not satisfied with merely being a titan on the mainland, Tencent is also apparently well and truly conquering Africa with the rise of the WeChat Wallet launched last November. Thanks to a long-term partnership with leading African media company Naspers, the Chinese service is also gunning for competition from the US.
Way back in 2001, Naspers acquired a 46.5% stake in Tencent for $32 million. While their stake has since diluted down to just 34%, it is now worth $65 billion.
In the context of Africa’s growth — in which China is known to have a vested interest — WeChat’s looks to be acquiring as much market share as possible during the country’s early Internet-using years, which are allowing for experimental business maneuvers. Indeed, the WeChat Wallet, which facilitates p2p money transfers, prepaid credit purchases, etc., doesn’t even require a bank account.
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WeChat ready to challenge Facebook, WhatsApp for mobile supremacy in Africa
Way back in 2001, Naspers acquired a 46.5% stake in Tencent for $32 million. While their stake has since diluted down to just 34%, it is now worth $65 billion.
In the context of Africa’s growth — in which China is known to have a vested interest — WeChat’s looks to be acquiring as much market share as possible during the country’s early Internet-using years, which are allowing for experimental business maneuvers. Indeed, the WeChat Wallet, which facilitates p2p money transfers, prepaid credit purchases, etc., doesn’t even require a bank account.
This article was published from
Vision 2030 Projects That Will Change the Face of Kenya
Kenya’s vision to transform into a middle-income economy by 2030 is taking shape with resources being directed to meet the infrastructure required to move the country into an industrialized nation.
Major changes have already taken place and the vision that looked unattainable when it was launched in June 2008 by then President Mwai Kibaki, is shaping up and the next few years will see Kenya’s face transformed completely through enormous and varied transport systems, energy and technology schemes among other developments.
Kenya’s Vision 2030 is the national long-term development policy aimed at transforming the nation into a middle-income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens in a clean and secure environment. The Vision comprises of three key pillars: Economic; Social; and Political. The Economic Pillar aims to achieve an average economic growth rate of 10 per cent per annum and sustaining the same until 2030.
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Obama signs Africa electricity initiative into law
The Electrify Africa Act, which unanimously passed the House of Representatives and Senate, leverages partnerships with the private sector in order to bring first-time electricity access to some 50 million people in underserved parts of Africa.
Virtually no new US federal funds are allocated for the project, which instead will use a system of loan guarantees to add 20 000 megawatts of electricity to the continent’s grid by 2020.
This article was originally published here
GUINEA IMMIGRATAION MATTERS (Jan. 29, 2016) – Employers required to submit Africanization plans
IMPACT – MEDIUM
What is the change? The Republic of Guinea has adopted new work permit rules that require employers hiring foreign workers to train local workers. The government has also increased the annual duty on work permits and designated certain jobs for Guinean workers only.
What does the change mean? Employers hiring foreign nationals must obtain authorization from the public employment service and the Guinean Agency for the Promotion of Employment (AGUIPE) and submit an Africanization plan that sets out the employer’s steps to train Guinean nationals for jobs held by foreign workers.
Implementation time frame: Immediate. Companies currently employing foreign workers who were hired before the new rule was adopted will have 90 days to submit Africanization plans.
Visas/permits affected: Work permits.
Who is affected: Companies hiring foreign nationals. Nationals of ECOWAS member states are not affected.
Impact on processing times: The requirement that employers submit an Africanization plan may lengthen the overall process.
Business impact: The measures seek to protect the local work force and make sure employers have plans to transition skills to Guinean workers.
Next steps: Companies with foreign staff holding supervisory and senior executive roles should prepare their Africanization plans. Companies already employing foreign nationals must submit the plans within the 90-day deadline. Companies applying for work permits must submit the plan with their applications.
Background: According to a ministerial order on regulating foreign labor, employers must submit Africanization plans to train Guinean nationals for jobs held by foreigners. Plans must be executed within two years for supervisory positions and four years for senior executives. AGUIPE will review the plans before issuing work permits.
In other changes, the government has increased the annual duty that employers must pay each year on work permits from US$300 to US$1,000 and has issued a list of protected jobs that may only be occupied by Guinean nationals. The list includes jobs in manufacturing, maintenance and repair, transport, construction, agriculture and others.
BAL Analysis: Employers should be aware of the new requirements to put in place training and transition programs. To avoid potential delays in processing, companies should make their Africanization plans available as soon as possible.