The PRovoke Africa SABRE Awards are Africa’s leading Public Relations Awards
CAIRO, Egypt, June 29, 2022/APO Group/ —
APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is delighted to announce that it has received a prestigious Certificate of Excellence at the PRovoke 2022 Africa SABRE Awards for having supported the communications of Africa Frontiers of Innovation Campaign to Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com).
The PRovoke Africa SABRE Awards are Africa’s leading Public Relations Awards. Held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the 2022 SABRE Awards attracted more than 2000 entries from Public Relations agencies all over the continent.
The collaboration between CCNA and APO Group impressed the jury, which was made up of industry leaders, and chaired by PRovoke Media founder Paul Holmes.
For more than 75 years, Canon has been known for pioneering imaging products, and it is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of cameras, copiers, and printers. CCNA has been active in Africa for more than 15 years providing high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace.
In 2020 and 2021, CCNA unveiled its monthly series called Africa Frontiers of Innovation – a project involving monthly discussions that bring together influential academics and pioneers of change to converse on the future of innovation impacting the African continent.
Canon and APO Group Win PRovoke Africa SABRE Award
APO Group has enabled us to reach deeper into the continent than ever before, and this award is a fantastic way to celebrate the work we have done together
With the world in the grips of the pandemic, CCNA wanted to tackle pertinent issues affecting technology on the continent, and inspire Africans from all walks of life to view every challenge as an opportunity.
As part of this initiative, CCNA approached APO Group to create a sustained thought leadership programme across Africa, with the goal of bringing together industry experts and award-winning journalists. Specifically, APO Group was tasked with developing a strategic plan, calendar, and facilitation of a monthly series of online events accessible to audiences in all 54 African countries.
APO Group is uniquely positioned to execute a brief like this due to its team of local experts who all have vast experience in their region and, collectively, are able to utilize deep relationships with media in every part of Africa.
With the team’s efforts, this campaign resulted in a total of 10 Live LinkedIn sessions on subjects ranging from Education, Music, Digital Transformation, Sustainability, Information Security, Printing, and Women Trailblazers, with a total coverage of 4,466 attained in both English and Arabic. A total of 36 industry professionals from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, and Senegal participated in the Live Sessions of the Africa Frontiers of Innovation series.
“For this campaign to be successful, we needed to ensure we had the best participants and access to the widest audience in Africa,” said Mai Youssef, Communications and Corporate Marketing Director, at Canon Central and North Africa. “APO Group has enabled us to reach deeper into the continent than ever before, and this award is a fantastic way to celebrate the work we have done together to get African people excited about technical innovation.”
“We relish the opportunity to work with organizations like Canon who are using their influence to make a difference to people’s lives all over Africa,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), Founder and Chairman of APO Group. “Because this project was truly Pan-African, we were able to demonstrate our media reach into all 54 countries, connecting technology experts with the widest possible audience.”
This is a joint press release by Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) and APO Group.
The financing will enhance DOTT’s capacity to execute strategic projects across the continent, facilitate intra-African trade in goods and services and strengthen regional value chains
CAIRO, Egypt, November 4, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has activated and approved a US$28 million dual-tranche facility for DOTT Services Limited, the leading Uganda-based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, and has begun disbursing funds to support the execution of its EPC projects pipeline, valued at more than US$550 million.
Provided under Afreximbank’s EPC Contract Promotion Initiative, the facility is designed to strengthen the capacity of African EPC champions to secure and execute large-scale infrastructure projects across the continent. Specifically, the financing will support DOTT Services Limited in executing contracts and pursuing near-term opportunities valued at approximately US$550 million across Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Commenting on the transaction, Mr.Humphrey Nwugo, Director of Regional Operations at Afreximbank’s Eastern Africa office, said:
Through the initiative, the Bank provides support, including financing, twinning and matchmaking
“This facility reflects Afreximbank’s commitment to building strong African EPC champions capable of delivering the infrastructure that underpins Africa’s industrialisation, trade and economic integration. By supporting DOTT Services Ltd, a well-established regional contractor with operations across five African countries, we are addressing a critical financing gap that has historically constrained the ability of African firms to participate meaningfully in large-scale, cross-border infrastructure projects.
The financing will enhance DOTT’s capacity to execute strategic projects across the continent, facilitate intra-African trade in goods and services and strengthen regional value chains. It also advances Afreximbank’s EPC Contract Promotion Initiative, which seeks to increase African participation in the development and delivery of Africa’s infrastructure.
Through partnerships such as this, we are ensuring that greater value, expertise, employment opportunities and economic benefits are retained within Africa while fostering the emergence of globally competitive African contractors.”
Mr. Nwugo further noted that most local commercial banks lacked the capacity to support intra-African and regional projects because they were poorly placed to absorb the associated cross-border risks, while international banks tended to prioritise non-African contractors. As a result, African entities were often left without adequate financial support.
He said: “Afreximbank’s EPC Initiative was therefore designed to address this challenge by supporting African EPC contractors in securing and executing a greater share of infrastructure contracts across the continent. Through the initiative, the Bank provides support, including financing, twinning and matchmaking, as well as issuing letters of support, among others”, he explained.
DOTT Services Limited presence in Africa spans 28-years, with operations in Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). It also has European offices in Italy and the UK, and a workforce of over 6,000 people. The company procures from, and distributes to, African countries goods such as bitumen, asphalt, steel and spare parts, as well as yellow goods equipment and services, making it a significant player in intra-African trade. Its track record of promoting trade-supporting infrastructure across the continent makes it a natural partner for Afreximbank’s EPC Contract Promotion Initiative, which seeks to build African EPC champions capable of delivering the infrastructure that underpins intra-African trade.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
Developed in partnership with Henley Business School Africa, the programme equips high-potential leaders with the skills, experiences and perspectives needed to drive growth, create value and deliver impact across the business
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 4, 2026/APO Group/ –Thirty-one leaders from across 12 African countries have graduated from Coca-Cola Beverages Africa’s (CCBA) (https://www.CCBAgroup.com) EDGE Senior Leadership Acceleration Programme, marking the completion of the programme’s second generation and the first pan-African EDGE cohort.
Created by CCBA, EDGE is the company’s flagship senior leadership development programme. Building on previous participation from The Coca-Cola Company, the programme was further expanded in 2026 to include leaders from Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, creating a broader pan-African learning experience across the Coca-Cola system.
Developed in partnership with Henley Business School Africa, the programme equips high-potential leaders with the skills, experiences and perspectives needed to drive growth, create value and deliver impact across the business.
The 2026 cohort marks an important milestone for EDGE as the programme brought together leaders from across the Coca-Cola system
The graduating cohort represented leaders from multiple countries and business functions. Through classroom learning, business projects, mentoring and coaching, participants gained practical experience in addressing real business opportunities and challenges.
With CCBA serving more than 840,000 customers across Africa, the company requires leaders who can navigate complexity and create value in diverse markets. EDGE helps build these capabilities through practical, business-focused learning.
“People are at the heart of everything we do, and programmes like EDGE demonstrate our commitment to investing in their growth and future success,” said Natasa Prodanovic, Chief People and Culture Officer at CCBA.
“The 2026 cohort marks an important milestone for EDGE as the programme brought together leaders from across the Coca-Cola system. By learning alongside colleagues from The Coca-Cola Company, Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, participants were able to build meaningful connections, share diverse perspectives and strengthen collaboration across our markets.”
The curriculum focused on strategy, value creation, transformation, commercial decision-making, leading self and leading teams. Participants also presented business projects aligned to organisational priorities as part of the programme’s graduation requirements.
EDGE forms part of CCBA’s broader commitment to developing future leaders and building the capabilities needed to drive sustainable growth and impact across Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa.
The report finds that around 80% of Africa’s annual goods export potential to the Caribbean remains untapped
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –Annual trade in goods and services between Africa and the Caribbean could reach up to $1.65 billion by 2030, excluding mineral fuels, according to a new report launched today by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.
The report, Reshaping Africa-Caribbean Trade: Opportunities for Economic Transformation, (https://apo-opa.co/4eiz62u) finds that while Africa and the Caribbean share deep historical and cultural links, trade between the two regions continues to represent only a small share of each region’s overall trade, despite complementarities across sectors ranging from agribusiness and manufacturing to services and the creative economy.
A look at the numbers
The report finds that around 80% of Africa’s annual goods export potential to the Caribbean remains untapped, with are significant opportunities for export growth if trade and investment is actively promoted and facilitated.
Africa and the Caribbean must transform a shared history into shared prosperity
Caribbean export potential lies in the services sector, reaching $481 million. The report identifies business opportunities across several priority sectors, including processed food and animal feed, chemicals, minerals and metals, apparel and textiles, leather and footwear, tourism, transport services and creative industries.
These findings – and more – are based on trade and export potential analysis, detailed sector assessments and a survey of 1,175 businesses and business support organizations across Africa and the Caribbean.
Tapping into priority sectors
ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton (https://apo-opa.co/3WHHZMU), in launching the report, said: ‘At a time of major shifts in global trade, countries need to strengthen regional ties and invest in value addition, to build resilience. We know the major trade opportunities between Africa and the Caribbean – and now we can focus on helping businesses take advantage of those opportunities through better market intelligence, improved logistics and greater access to finance.’
Commenting on the report, Denys Denya, Senior Executive Vice President at Afreximbank, said: ‘Africa and the Caribbean must transform a shared history into shared prosperity. With our CARICOM office in Barbados, about $1 billion in approved transactions and a $5 billion regional financing commitment, Afreximbank is advancing this vision through financing, deposit mobilization under CENDEP, business links through the annual Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum, local-currency payments through CAPSS and creative-industry collaboration through CANEX. This report offers a practical roadmap to turn untapped potential into bankable opportunities across agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism and the creative economy. Through targeted financing, stronger transport and logistics links and strategic partnerships, we can build a Global Africa connected by heritage, trade, investment and shared opportunity.’
The report finds that businesses continue to face significant challenges, including high transport costs, limited direct shipping links, regulatory barriers, limited access to finance and difficulties in identifying trusted commercial partners. It highlights that future economic cooperation should extend beyond traditional trade in goods, including through joint investment ventures, digital services, creative industries and tourism. It also calls for targeted action to improve market intelligence and business matchmaking; expand access to trade finance and payment solutions; strengthen transport and logistics connectivity; support sector-specific value chain development; improve regulatory cooperation and market access; and foster stronger partnerships among business support organizations.
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