Three Reasons why Africa is a good destination for Your Business

Written by:Asmaa Badawi
Three Reasons why Africa is a good destination for Your Business

If you are looking for ways to expand your business, you need to consider the youngest continent on the planet with the fastest growing economy now, that is Africa.

Although the pace of growth will bring more opportunities to seek there, it imposes challenges at the same time. 

It is reported that 10 of the world’s 15 fastest-growing economies are African countries. Moreover, South Africa recently became part of the representative groups for emerging markets.

Many businesses and organizations are trying to support and expand in the African market, here are some examples.

The Africa Netpreneur Prize and the Alibaba eFounders initiative support 100 African entrepreneurs with training and mentorship with a total of 10$ million investment.

Microsoft launched the first development centre in Africa in 2019. This came after witnessing the incredible growth on the continent and having better internet connectivity and digital capability.

Google opened the first AI research Centre in Ghana, in 2019 to gather machine learning researchers and engineers, aiming to ease the AI development in the continent.

Such moves in the continent prove that this land has a lot of potential and capabilities to incubate your business.

So, what Can You Do to Do Business in Africa?

Be Close to Your Future Customers

People of the youngest continent in the world, with the fastest population growth; are eager to apply their energy of creative innovations for the benefit of their land. It’s believed that Africa boasts the highest percentage of entrepreneurs among working-age adults all over the world. 

Eventually, entrepreneurship will rise. This means that the number of consumers will increase. Having your business right next to your customers, and being ready with your content, services, or agreements localized in their preferred languages; will be highly beneficial.

Rely on technology for everything

More Africans are becoming reliant on technology and using mobile devices than before, which made Africa the fastest growing region in mobile usage in the world. Since the year 2000, the number of internet users on the continent has grown by fifty times, according to Brookings[SA1] 

that led to a surge to engaging online educational activities, online payments, and buying products online.

For your business, such information and facts open a new window for new opportunities:

  • Just be where your client is
  • Talk to your client in their preferred language
  • Provide them with a device-friendly website to make it easier to reach you
  • Provide E-payment options
  • Develop content that Africans can resonate to

Work on Healthcare?

If yes, then Africa will be a blessing to your business!

Another industry that is becoming increasingly important in Africa is life sciences and healthcare. The reason for that is the growing middle class, rapid urbanization, and quick economic expansion.

Life sciences firms should be aware of the escalating regulatory requirements, product specifications unique to African countries, and expanding business potential as they direct their attention to the young continent.

The steps on how to set up a translation agency in the complete guide:

  1. Do your research. Before you do anything else, it’s important to research the translation industry and learn as much as you can about it. This includes understanding the different types of translation services, the different target markets, and the competitive landscape.
  2. Choose your niche. Once you have a good understanding of the industry, you need to choose a niche. This could be a specific language pair, a particular industry, or a type of document. Choosing a niche will help you focus your marketing efforts and target the right clients.
  3. Build a team of translators. You can either hire in-house translators or work with freelance translators. If you choose to hire in-house translators, you will need to find qualified translators who are fluent in the languages you need and who have experience in the types of translation services you offer. If you choose to work with freelance translators, you will need to build a network of reliable translators who can meet your deadlines and quality standards.
  4. Get the right software. There are a number of translation software programs available that can help you streamline your workflow and improve the quality of your translations. Some of the most popular translation software programs include SDL Trados, Memsource, and Smartcat.
  5. Market your agency. Once you have everything in place, you need to start marketing your agency. This includes creating a website, developing a social media presence, and attending industry events. You can also reach out to potential clients directly.
  6. Provide excellent customer service. In order to be successful, you need to provide excellent customer service. This means responding to inquiries promptly, meeting deadlines, and delivering high-quality translations.

The 7 procedures of translation:

  1. Borrowing: Using a word or phrase from the source language in the target language. For example, the English word “café” is borrowed from French.
  2. Literal translation: Translating a word or phrase in the source language directly into the target language, without taking into account the grammar or meaning of the target language. This can sometimes lead to awkward or unnatural translations.
  3. Transposition: Changing the grammatical structure of a sentence from the source language to the target language, while keeping the meaning the same. For example, the English sentence “The cat is on the mat” would be translated into Spanish as “El gato está en la alfombra”, which has a different word order.
  4. Modulation: Changing the meaning of a word or phrase in the source language to a more idiomatic or natural expression in the target language. For example, the English phrase “to pull someone’s leg” would be translated into Spanish as “tomarle el pelo a alguien”, which has a different meaning but is more idiomatic.
  5. Equivalence: Finding a word or phrase in the target language that has the same meaning as the word or phrase in the source language. This is often the most difficult translation procedure, as there is no one-to-one correspondence between words in different languages.
  6. Adaptation: Changing the content of a text from the source language to the target language to make it more relevant or appropriate for the target audience. This may involve changing the cultural references, historical context, or even the genre of the text.
  7. Explicitation: Adding information to the translation to make the meaning clearer for the target audience. This may be necessary if there is a cultural difference or if the meaning of the source text is implicit.

These are just some of the most common translation procedures. The choice of which procedure to use will depend on the specific text and the target audience.

The best type of translation depends on the specific needs of the project. There are many different types of translation, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the most common types of translation include:

  • Literary translation: This type of translation focuses on preserving the original meaning and style of the text. It is often used for translating novels, poems, and other works of literature.
  • Professional translation: This type of translation is used for business, legal, and technical documents. It requires a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
  • Technical translation: This type of translation is used for translating technical documents, such as manuals, specifications, and software. It requires a deep understanding of the subject matter and the ability to use terminology correctly.
  • Administrative translation: This type of translation is used for translating documents such as contracts, invoices, and letters. It requires a good understanding of legal and business terminology.

In addition to these common types of translation, there are also many specialized types of translation, such as medical translation, financial translation, and marketing translation. The best type of translation for a particular project will depend on the specific needs of the project and the target audience.

Conclusion:

As you can see, Africa can be a transformation station in the life of your business. The African countries economies are growing and the majority of the population are young. The sky is the limit when you think about what business opportunities you can find in Africa.

Asmaa is a translator and a content writer. She studies English language and literature at college and now writes content for different industries.