Slide of the month (SOTM) December. Automotive market in Uganda

The automotive aftermarket is one of the key sectors of opportunities in Africa – not just for Germany, but for many global automotive nations as well. However, many international automotive firms face challenges when doing business in Africa as markets function differently compared to other parts of the world – and within Africa itself. The typical route to market is one example: while consumers in markets like Nigeria tend to buy parts from retailers, consumers in some East African countries – like Uganda here – tend to go for the more convenient option of buying from workshops directly. This changes dynamics in decision making, of which automotive suppliers need to be aware to efficiently position their brands in the market.  

Slide of the month (SOTM) November. Chemicals application sectors in Nigeria

Africa‘s chemical industries have experienced enormous growth over the past decades. Though at a smaller scale, various markets in Africa offer substantial market opportunities for global chemical companies. One of them is our client for this project.  

Taking a certain set of chemicals in our client‘s portfolio, the project objective was to identify the most interesting countries on the continent, as well as the key application industries and important potential customers. After a targeted industry analysis across various countries, africon was able to provide a detailed market sizing and competitive analysis, leading to a comprehensive prioritization of countries and industries, along with recommended routes to market.  

Despite being hampered by its recent recession, the Nigerian market partially shown here emerged as an important country on the list, even though countries like Egypt and Kenya currently rank partially significantly higher than Africa‘s giant“.