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Micro-health insurance: the user perspective
There are many social and cultural obstacles facing micro-health insurance in developing countries. While disadvantaged communities develop their own solidarity, risk-sharing and planning mechanisms,...
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The insurance sector sets its sights on Africa
Africa is home to 15% of the World’s population but generates barely 1.5% of global insurance premiums. Nevertheless, a number of indicators point to rapid future growth in the sector: the Continent’s...
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Mining as a transformative opportunity for Sub-Saharan Africa
Mining can be a formidable transformative opportunity for Sub-Saharan Africa but measures and regulations are required to strengthen the finances of the local utilities and provide a less uncertain an...
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Abidjan international airport, a viable concession despite the turmoil
In 1996, management of Abidjan international airport was taken over by a private operator. Although the financial equilibrium of the concession was disrupted by a series of events – not least the 2010...
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Supporting sustainable air transport innovations
Air transport is vital for local and global economic development. It plays a key part in regional integration and generating jobs. In terms of the environment, energy and climate, the sector has set i...
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The aviation sector in Africa - How can it be funded?
Because of the capital-intensive nature of the business, raising adequate finance is one of the major challenges facing Africa’s aviation sector. Local banks frequently lack the necessary resources or...
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Fastjet, a low-cost airline flying high in Africa
The low-cost airline model has experienced rapid growth right across the aviation sector with the notable exception of Africa. With the rise of Africa’s middle classes and the gaps in its road network...
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Education in Africa: international schools are a stepping stone to the best universities
Although student mobility in Africa is high by global standards, African students are under-represented in the best international universities. This raises questions about the standard of education. A...
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Air transport, a sector generating powerful socio-economic benefits
The study demonstrated that liberalisation does not just benefit passengers and cargo shippers. Increased levels of air service stimulate employment in the aviation industry as people are needed to h...
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Open skies - Recommendations for enhanced African air connectivity
Poor connectivity not only results in onerous travel schedules, it also holds economies back by hampering the development of air transport in general. Past initiatives to open up Africa’s skies, such...
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Development of wind and solar power in sub-Saharan Africa: how can the obstacles be removed?
Sub-Saharan Africa possesses considerable solar and wind energy resources and demand for electricity is growing steadily. Despite this favourable scenario however the realisation of projects based on...
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Low-cost private schools scalable solution to a massive gap?
To provide low-cost nursery and primary school education in poor neighbourhoods, Bridge International Academies has developed a vertically-integrated system. It includes operational tools and systems,...
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Improving air transport efficiency in Africa
The opportunities presented by air transport are particularly relevant to Africa, however the sector is hampered by lingering over-dependence on governments, supervisory bodies that are often ineffici...
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Tourism in Africa: a priceless resource with untapped potential
Although there has been a significant increase in tourism in Africa, the sector’s abundant potential remains largely untapped on the continent. Mossadeck Bally gives an overview of the challenges and...
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Financial sector in Africa: training the next generation of managers
For investors in financial institutions in Africa and other developing economies, a lack of managerial capacity is particularly evident in the “post-expatriate” phase – the moment when local capacity...
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Social business: the challenge of scaling up
Entrepreneurship can meet the needs of “base-of-the-pyramid” populations, provided the business in question has reached the critical size needed for profitability and sustainability. Examples of “incl...
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Palmis Enèji: from NGO to enterprise - the story of a social business in Haiti
In 2012, the French NGO EDM launched a programme to distribute Palmis Enèji cooking and lighting appliances to meet energy demand among the poorest sections of the Haitian population. Two years ago, t...
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The diversity of social business: the case of Madagascar
Despite a troubled macroeconomic and political environment, Madagascar possesses a fairly diversified, dynamic economic fabric in comparison to other countries with a similar level of development. Thi...
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Using measurement to enhance and share social business practices
To achieve credibility, social entrepreneurship must spell out the basic principles underlying its practices and objectively measure its outcomes. Measuring social performance – particularly by analys...
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