Africa’s Financial Future: Corporate Expansion Beyond the Obvious
By Relebohile Malahleha, Executive for Strategic Finance, Barloworld
Africa’s financial markets present one of the most compelling opportunities for long-term investment — not because they are easy to navigate, but because they are transformative in nature. The continent’s infrastructure is both a challenge and an opportunity: our trade potential is currently hampered by fragmented logistics, ageing systems, and insufficient maintenance. But the blueprint for growth is clear — when we invest in infrastructure, we enable exponential economic activity.
Strategic projects like South Africa’s rail revival, Angola’s Lobito Corridor, and the East African TAZARA line hint at what’s possible. These aren’t just transport routes — they are catalysts for trade, regional integration, and capital flow. If we can imagine a speed train connecting Tanzania to South Africa, we must ask: why not make it happen?
Of course, infrastructure alone isn’t enough. The sophistication of financial ecosystems varies across the continent. South Africa stands out with a world-class, digitized financial system. But emerging markets like Rwanda, Zambia, and Namibia are proving that visionary leadership and policy alignment can create investor-friendly environments that punch above their weight.
For companies looking to expand into African markets, understanding tax structures, currency accessibility, and the presence of globally aligned financial institutions is crucial. However, technical compliance is only one piece of the puzzle. Success also depends on understanding the unspoken — local nuance, national priorities, and the socio-economic context.
We’ve seen companies thrive when they deliver products that solve real problems, enable adjacent industries, and embed themselves into the economic fabric of their host markets. Missteps often stem from parachuting in pre-built solutions without local insight. Scalability must be balanced with deep market customization, especially across a continent as linguistically, legally, and culturally diverse as Africa.
Fintech is helping to overcome traditional barriers. Solutions like M-PESA and Mukuru prove that innovation doesn’t need to wait for perfect physical infrastructure. Digital platforms offer a path to financial inclusion and market access, reducing reliance on brick-and-mortar systems.
Ultimately, international competitiveness for African corporates hinges on knowing what we do best — whether that’s efficient logistics, sectoral depth, or capital movement — and having the courage to lead with it. Africa doesn’t need to be reframed as a risk, but rather repositioned as a strategic frontier, ripe with opportunity for those willing to invest, listen, and build for the long term.