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Nothing chicken about KFC’s bold ambition to be the most inclusive brand in South Africa

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3 years ago

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KFC

KFC Africa is committed to becoming the most inclusive organisation in the traditionally male-dominated Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector and across sub-Sahara Africa, and to actively advocating for allyship in every sphere within the business

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, August 10, 2023/APO Group/ — 

National Women’s month in South Africa is both an opportunity to honour and celebrate the women who decided on the 9th August 1956 that the participation of women in the economy was not only the right thing to do but the only thing to do to build and grow the economy of this beautiful country. Today society has taken that even further to insist on addressing gender inequality and diversity in the workplace, in particular female representation in key, decision-making, leadership positions. This month, therefore, as KFC Africa (www.global.KFC.com) we take a moment to ask the question, “who is seated at your table”?

While efforts to address gender inequality in the workplace have boosted female representation at every level within organisations, the reality is that we are far from being fully representative and as organisations we have to continue to create an environment and culture where all voices are heard, respected, and valued, where the table is big enough for all.

Championing inclusivity and better representation is in fact good for business. Numerous reports (https://apo-opa.info/47uDTZp) comprehensively show that inclusive organisations that boast the greatest gender, ethnic and cultural diversity achieve better commercial returns and are more profitable than their less diverse counterparts. Moreover, more diverse teams tend to exhibit greater complexity in problem-solving and are more innovative.

Yes, the gender gap continues to close globally, with the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Index (https://apo-opa.info/3YtKbo1) report showing a 0.3 percentage points improvement compared to 2022, which represents a 68.4% in terms of closing of the gap. At this rate of progress, however, it will take 131 years to reach full global parity. In South Africa, where 51% of the Economically Active Population is female, the gap is even wider as women comprise of only 40% (https://apo-opa.info/3s3fdqW) of directorships at state-owned entities, with just 36.7% representation in the professional services industry and only 26.9% of directorship positions at JSE-listed entities. From a broader continent perspective, while sub-Saharan Africa has closed 67.9% (https://apo-opa.info/3OxDoVZ) of its gender gap, it also means that 32% of females on average are less likely to have the same opportunities as males in the region – with individual country performances varying greatly.

As a result of these disappointing stats, KFC Africa has some bold ambitions when it comes making a seat at the table for women.

“Female empowerment is about engraining true transformation into the core of the organisation, and it must be driven throughout the value chain and embedded into the social fabric of the business to ensure it lasts,” explains Akhona Qengqe, the recently appointed first female General Manager for Africa at KFC. “As a people-first business, KFC Africa is committed to becoming the most inclusive organisation in the traditionally male-dominated Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector and across sub-Sahara Africa, and to actively advocating for allyship in every sphere within the business. As a customer facing business, it is important that our employees, stakeholders and franchise partners reflect the communities that we operate in.”

KFC has placed women at the forefront of its socially led initiatives and its hiring processes. For example, KFC Add Hope has a 60% female volunteer complement and 90% of the Add Hope beneficiary organisations, which KFC work with, are championed by women. Not to mention that KFC Mini-Cricket boasts a female volunteer community of 70%. In fact, today the organisation employs over 40,000 people across 23 markets in sub-Saharan Africa in over 1250 restaurants and 60% of those restaurants are managed by women. This is testament to the brand’s commitment to female transformation.

Today the organisation employs over 40,000 people across 23 markets in sub-Saharan Africa in over 1250 restaurants and 60% of those restaurants are managed by women

“Giving women leadership opportunities to drive some of the core aspects of the overall business and bringing them into key decision-making roles ensures that their voices and views are represented in a meaningful and impactful way,” continues Qengqe.

But more than simply aiming to meet representation targets, Qengqe explains that KFC is intentional about how it creates an environment where women feel like they belong and can contribute meaningfully at a decision-making level.

“Gender equality at corporate level means understanding issues that women face, be it gender-based violence, single-income households, women-led households and family responsibility, and truly dig deep to ensure that the company provides support mechanisms that speak to real-life issues,” explains Nolo Thobejane, Chief People and Transformation Officer at KFC.

In this regard, KFC Africa develops, empowers and emboldens women to leverage their innate leadership qualities and take their seat at the table – with the confidence – to lead with impact and fuel results. KFC achieves this through its Women on the Move Program, which aims to build leadership know-how and equip women with the tools and resources that will accelerate the growth of female talent into meaningful leadership roles.

Conceptualised by Qengqe and launched in 2021, this transformative 12-month programme adopts a blended learning approach that includes formal training courses, personal development interventions, mentorship and peer learning circles, all of which results in bench readiness for leadership and drives a high-performance culture within the organisation.

“We have extended the reach and impact of this initiative even further through our Women on the Move Extended Network (WOM.EN) programme, which brings women across the globe together, at all levels, and affords them the opportunity to share experiences, learnings, challenges and create growth networks in the workplace,” elaborates Thobejane.

In the end, rather than rising into leadership roles in isolation, KFC’s approach to female allyship creates powerful advocates for true upliftment. This process gives women the opportunity to achieve their goals, and creates a virtuous cycle of support, where women can pull up more chairs to make room for more female voices at the table.

“We understand the unique perspective and values women bring to our company and are bold in our ambitions to create opportunities for more inclusion, equity and belonging. Our commitment to advance more women into senior roles and achieving greater gender parity in senior leadership, globally, by 2030 is stronger than ever and we will continue to make fundamental steps to become the most inclusive brand in SA,” concludes Qengqe.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KFC Africa.

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Africa and Caribbean trade potential could reach $1.65 billion annually by 2030: International Trade Centre (ITC)-Afreximbank report

Published

4 hours ago

on

November 4, 2026

By

Afreximbank

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.

Read the full report HERE (https://apo-opa.co/4exHBH9)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

 




 

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MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 Investment Track to Spotlight New Capital Opportunities

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4 hours ago

on

November 4, 2026

By

Etu Energias

A high-level ministerial roundtable, a project development clinic and matchmaking sessions are set to drive partnerships across the MSGBC region

DAKAR, Senegal, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –The MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference and exhibition, taking place from December 1–3 in Dakar, will introduce a dedicated Investment Track designed to deepen capital engagement across West Africa’s energy landscape. Building on the region’s expanding upstream activity, infrastructure development and cross-border integration, the track will serve as a platform where governments, investors and project developers can align on investment pathways across the MSGBC basin.

 




  

At the core of the Investment Track will be the Ministerial Leadership & Global Capital Roundtable, where energy ministers will convene to examine how enhanced regional cooperation, regulatory alignment and coordinated infrastructure development can accelerate capital flows into the sector. The session is expected to focus on the policy and financing frameworks required to unlock large-scale projects, including investment codes such as Mauritania’s 2025 reform, as well as strengthening fiscal incentives and improving regulatory clarity to attract capital into the energy sector.

The Investment Track is designed to move beyond dialogue and into deal facilitation, bringing together decision-makers who can directly shape the next phase of energy investment

For the first time at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power event, the Project Development Clinic will introduce a more technical format. In this small-group advisory setting, project developers, government representatives and investors will engage directly on project challenges. The clinic aims to improve project structuring, address financing bottlenecks and identify practical solutions to accelerate development timelines and move projects closer to final investment decisions.

The Investment Track will also feature structured Business-to-Business Matchmaking sessions designed to connect stakeholders across the energy value chain. These targeted engagements will facilitate discussions between investors, operators, service companies and public-sector institutions, enabling participants to explore partnerships and co-investment opportunities.

Together, these sessions reflect the MSGBC region’s broader shift toward investment-led growth. In Senegal, this momentum is already visible through the partnership between state-owned agencies APIX and COS-PETROGAZ to improve the business environment for energy projects and streamline investment processes. With PETROSEN advancing development work on the Yakaar-Teranga gas project and targeting a final investment decision in December 2026, alongside new exploration opportunities emerging onshore, the Investment Track will provide a platform to connect the region’s resource potential with investors and project developers.

“The Investment Track is designed to move beyond dialogue and into deal facilitation, bringing together decision-makers who can directly shape the next phase of energy investment across the region. By creating a space for investors, project developers and public-sector stakeholders to engage directly, the track will help turn investment priorities into concrete partnerships and project opportunities,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director, Energy Capital & Power.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region’s oil, gas and power sector. Visit www.MSGBCOilGasAndPower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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Afreximbank and partners bring together investors and industrialists in Benin to Accelerate local processing and investment in Special Economic Zones

Published

4 hours ago

on

November 4, 2026

By

Afreximbank

Held under the theme “Investing in Local Processing and Industrialisation”, the forum brought together international investors, industrialists, buyers and development finance institutions to explore the vast opportunities for local processing and strategic partnerships offered by the GDIZ

COTONOU, Benin, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), in partnership with the Société d’Investissement et de Promotion de l’Industrie (SIPI-BENIN S.A), the entity responsible for developing the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), and Panafritex, hosted the Special Economic Zones Investment Forum (FocusSEZ 2026) on 21 and 22 October 2026 at the Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel and the GDIZ.

 




  

Held under the theme “Investing in Local Processing and Industrialisation”, the forum brought together international investors, industrialists, buyers and development finance institutions to explore the vast opportunities for local processing and strategic partnerships offered by the GDIZ.

Local processing at the heart of discussions

In his address, Mr Jean Arsene Yemina, Regional Director of Operations for Francophone West Africa at Afreximbank, speaking on behalf of Ms Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, highlighted the role of financing and industrial partnerships in transforming Africa’s raw materials into finished products:

“Here in Benin, textiles have become the driving force behind this transformation. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone was established through a partnership between the Government of Benin and ARISE IIP, with Afreximbank proud to have contributed to financing its development.

“Here in Benin, the textile industry has become the driving force behind this transformation. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone was created through a partnership between the Government of Benin and ARISE IIP, and Afreximbank is proud to have helped finance its establishment. Today, the zone is home to West Africa’s first fully integrated cotton-to-garment manufacturing platform, operated by Benin Textile (BTEX). The entire value chain, from ginning and spinning to weaving and finished garments, is carried out on African soil by African hands. Before the creation of the GDIZ, less than 1% of Benin’s cotton was processed locally. In just three years, the zone has come to process approximately 40,000 metric tons of cotton—nearly 12% of national production—and to produce millions of “Made in Benin” garments for major international brands such as US Polo, Kiabi, and H&M.”

He also highlighted similar efforts underway at the GDIZ to develop local processing in the cashew, soybean and shea value chains.

Mr Létondji Beheton, Director General of SIPI-BENIN S.A., emphasised the need to strengthen value addition across the continent:

“Our ambition can no longer be limited to producing and exporting raw materials. We must go further by processing more of these resources on our continent, developing competitive industries, strengthening our value chains and retaining a greater share of the wealth generated from our natural resources.”

He added: “It is against this backdrop that the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) was established, as the outcome of a public-private partnership between the Republic of Benin and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP). This integrated industrial platform embodies a shared commitment to making local processing a driver of economic growth, job creation and industrial development.

“By attracting manufacturing facilities and developing integrated value chains, the GDIZ is helping transform raw materials into higher-value-added products, strengthen Benin’s industrial capacity and enhance its competitiveness in regional and international markets. In doing so, it is contributing to the development of a more diversified economy that generates wealth and creates sustainable opportunities for the country.”

Africa has significant potential to strengthen its position in the global textile industry

Mr Arvind Mathur, CEO of PANAFRITEX, highlighted the role of ARISE IIP’s textile platform in developing an integrated textile industry in Africa, capable of transforming the continent’s cotton into finished, high-value-added products.

“Africa has significant potential to strengthen its position in the global textile industry. Realising this ambition will require the development of integrated industrial capacities that can transform cotton grown on the continent into higher-value-added finished products, while enhancing the competitiveness of the sector and expanding its access to international markets.

“At PANAFRITEX, we are contributing to this momentum by developing a model that brings together industrial processing, business development and the promotion of finished products. Our own brands, Obalé and SúSú, are part of this approach, connecting Africa’s manufacturing capabilities with consumer markets.

“The commissioning of our first industrial facilities at the GDIZ in Benin marks a major milestone in the rollout of this model. At the same time, the development of new facilities in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania reflects our ambition to progressively expand our industrial footprint across the continent.

“Through this expansion, we aim to contribute to strengthening Africa’s textile value chains, creating skilled jobs and ensuring that a greater share of the value generated is retained locally.”

Financing, Market Access and Business Networking

Discussions focused on the development of a new generation of African industrial hubs, the cotton value chain, financing for the textile industry, as well as logistics and integrated supply chains. The programme also featured business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) meetings with targeted public-sector institutions, aimed at identifying investment opportunities, financing solutions and potential business partnerships.

Afreximbank presented the range of financial instruments and support facilities it offers investors and businesses to facilitate the establishment and expansion of their industrial operations. These include long-term financing and equipment financing, trade finance and working capital facilities, guarantees and risk-sharing mechanisms, as well as project preparation support and equity investment through the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA).

The Bank also highlighted its Africa Buyers Programme, which connects African buyers with manufacturers operating in industrial zones across the continent. The initiative aims to complement access to finance with market opportunities for products manufactured in Africa.

A full day was dedicated to a visit to the GDIZ, during which participants toured its infrastructure and industrial facilities and took part in business matchmaking sessions bringing together investors, manufacturers and buyers. These activities were designed to facilitate the establishment of new manufacturing facilities and expand sourcing opportunities for “Made in Benin” products, particularly in agribusiness, textiles, plastics, packaging and industrial equipment.

Across sectors ranging from agro-processing and textiles to plastics, packaging and industrial equipment, the overarching objective is to accelerate the establishment of new production facilities and strengthen the supply of quality-certified “Made in Benin” products.

An Integrated Model for Advancing Industrial Sovereignty

Covering 1,640 hectares, the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) is the result of a strategic partnership between the Republic of Benin and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms. Designed as a comprehensive, integrated ecosystem, it supports investors across the entire value chain, from securing supplies of locally sourced agricultural and mineral raw materials to industrial processing and the export of finished products, leveraging its direct connectivity to the country’s logistics infrastructure and the Port of Cotonou.

By hosting this international forum, Benin is once again demonstrating its ability to offer an attractive business environment, an enabling regulatory framework and world-class infrastructure to help build the future of African industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

 




 

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