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Sandton Central, Africa’s Business Capital

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Sandton Central

The Sandton Central precinct provides the infrastructure, services, energy and convenience needed for African businesses to thrive in the current climate

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 7, 2023/APO Group/ — 

As businesses put the pandemic behind them and enter the new year with fresh targets to tackle and bigger goals to accomplish, many are realising once again the value of well-considered office space. Now, one African city is emerging as the continent’s hub of commerce. The Sandton Central (https://SandtonCentral.co.za) precinct, that used the lockdown period to enhance its facilities, has the infrastructure, services and convenience needed to put the continent’s trade and industry sector in a position to excel. 

The pandemic undoubtedly triggered a rethink of many aspects of how business is conducted, caused companies to re-evaluate their priorities and accelerated the adoption of new technologies. However, putting employees in a position to thrive, so that the business can too, remains at the heart of commerce. Adjusted requirements for working conditions have come to the fore, highlighting the value of bespoke commercial office space, aptly suited to each company’s unique needs.

Why offices are more beneficial than you think

A recent study revealed that 87% of employees would like their employer to offer healthier workspace benefits and that an incredible 93% of employees in technology-oriented roles said that they would stay longer at an organisation that offers healthier workplace benefits. The right workspace design leads to lower stress levels, enhanced well-being and improved productivity. There is also new appreciation for face-to-face conversations and physical interaction.

Additional to elevating productivity, offices elevate innovation and collaboration, providing a safe and easy environment for idea generation and knowledge sharing. By enabling a separation of work and home life, being able to mentally switch off from work at the end of the day, helps to reduce employee stress.

Workspaces influence company culture and provide invaluable opportunities for connection. Whether it’s a work-related topic or a personal problem shared, this builds social cohesion, important connections between colleagues and helps to create stronger bonds between employees.

Offices provide a physical representation of a brand which is essential for long-term success. Businesses can communicate their brand identity, values and ethics here, as employees, clients and visitors physically experience their brand. This can also aid in winning business and attracting talent, as what people feel when they walk into an office significantly influences how an organisation is perceived, which in turn impacts its success.

Whether you are looking for dedicated traditional commercial space, mixed use space, shared space, or even co-working space, Sandton Central has it all, at a variety of price point

Location is a fundamental element of this mix as one’s neighbours and surrounding services play a key role in convenience and productivity. This is why the Sandton Central precinct, which is often referred to as a 15-minute city, abounds with accountants, auditors, attorneys, insurance providers, advertising agencies, information technology service providers, stockbrokers, investment bankers and more. The sharpest minds have realised that proximity is a key factor in incubating continued success.

Sandton Central, the options

The Sandton Central precinct is widely regarded as South Africa’s business capital, housing not only the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and numerous listed companies, but also many of Africa’s most prolific thinkers, green wooded spaces, highly sought-after retail experiences and umpteen leisure facilities. Serviced by the Gautrain, the Rea Vaya bus service, local taxis, numerous e-hailing services and close to two freeway on-ramps, in terms of commercial space facilitating easy commutes, the options are endless.

While South Africa is currently grappling with an energy shortage, most of the commercial buildings in Sandton Central are equipped with alternative solutions, such as solar power and back-up generators. This enables businesses to continue productivity uninterrupted and for teams to work under one roof, on the same schedule, and to avoid the connectivity challenges posed by remote working conditions.

Whether you are looking for dedicated traditional commercial space, mixed use space, shared space, or even co-working space, Sandton Central has it all, at a variety of price points. Additionally, a new campaign, aptly titled #WFHSandton (WFH referring to “work from here”) is seeing landlords offer attractive incentives to enable tenants to maximise their options in the year ahead.

Rental prices range from R70 (US$ 4) per m2 for secondary space to R255 (US$ 14) per m2 for high-end space per month, with landlords being commercially minded. Property owners welcome new businesses, understanding that new entrants to this node add value for all. Global shared workspace giant, WeWork recently opened a sparkling five-storied facility in the precinct. This facility’s hybrid solutions include private office suites, dedicated desks, thoughtfully designed co-working facilities and pooled amenities, all available on monthly memberships with flexible terms.

Whether your needs are for business or pleasure or both, there has never been a better time to kickstart your next chapter by being in the epicentre of African business and leisure. See you in Sandton Central!

To view some of the commercial office options available or for more information on the Sandton Central precinct, visit www.WFHSandton.co.za. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Sandton Central.

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Hainan FTP marks 6-month milestone of special customs operations, signs deals during Hong Kong visit

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June 30, 2026

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Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 June 2026 – As the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) marked the six-month milestone since the launch of its full special customs operations, a Hainan provincial delegation wrapped up a three-day visit to Hong Kong. During the visit, the delegation signed deepened cooperation agreements with several major local chambers of commerce and promoted the latest policies introduced since the island-wide special customs operations took effect.

According to data released by Hainan Province during the visit, Hainan’s foreign trade has surged since the launch of special customs operations. As of June 17, the province’s total goods imports and exports reached RMB 173.98 billion (approximately US$24 billion), up 54.6% year on year. Imports of zero-tariff goods hit RMB 2.645 billion, a 120% jump that generated tariff savings of RMB 440 million. A total of 172,100 new market entities were registered—a 61% increase—including 1,240 foreign-invested enterprises. Zero-tariff items now account for 74% of all tariff lines, benefiting more than 12,000 market entities.

During the Hong Kong visit, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hainan Provincial Committee (CCPIT Hainan) signed separate deepened cooperation MOUs with the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Under the MOUs, the parties will establish a regular liaison mechanism for the periodic exchange of economic and trade information, and will promote collaboration in areas including professional services, green finance, the digital economy, supply chain management, and cultural tourism. Mutual enterprise service desks will be set up to provide consulting services regarding policies and projects. The parties will leverage their complementary strengths to help Chinese mainland enterprises access overseas markets via Hong Kong, while facilitating Hong Kong companies’ entry into the Chinese mainland through Hainan.

The delegation also held talks with the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, exploring ways for British and American businesses to leverage Hainan’s value-added processing tariff exemptions and multifunctional free trade accounts to position themselves in regional supply chains and cross-border investment and financing. HSBC, De Beers, and other British firms are already active in Hainan, and the UK served as the Guest of Honor country at the 2025 China International Consumer Products Expo.

According to industry analysts, amid the shifting international trade landscape, Hainan is leveraging Hong Kong’s “super-connector” role to accelerate its integration with global capital and business networks, while simultaneously offering the Hong Kong business community a policy testing ground for entering the Chinese mainland market.

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Africa’s Grid Constraints Come into Focus as Regional Markets Push Toward Integration

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June 26, 2026

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Africa

Regional power pools are advancing and renewable pipelines are growing, but the regulatory and financial architecture needed to connect them remains the continent’s most critical infrastructure gap – an issue central to the Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s electricity demand is projected to nearly double to 2,291 TWh by 2050, requiring an estimated $30 billion in transmission and grid infrastructure investment to unlock and integrate new generation capacity. Yet across the continent, grid systems are struggling to keep pace with rapidly expanding supply pipelines and rising demand.

In Nigeria, repeated nationwide grid collapses as recently as February 2026 underscore the fragility of aging transmission infrastructure. In East Africa, tower failures along the 428 km Loiyangalani-Suswa line temporarily stranded output from Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s largest wind installation. Meanwhile, demand growth pressures are accelerating across North Africa, where electricity consumption is expected to rise by around 50% by 2035, driven by urbanization, desalination projects, and climate-related temperature increases.

Despite these constraints, generation investment continues to accelerate across Africa, particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and hybrid systems. However, without equivalent investment in transmission and interconnection, much of this new capacity risks being underutilized or stranded. This growing imbalance between generation and grid capacity is driving a sharper focus on system-wide planning and regional market design – issues that will be central to the newly launched Power Africa Today conference at African Energy Week 2026. The platform will bring together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to explore how regional interconnection, cross-border trading frameworks and financing structures can better align generation growth with grid expansion.

Power Markets Experiment with Reform

Alongside infrastructure challenges, Africa’s electricity sector is undergoing gradual – but uneven – market reform. Most countries still operate vertically integrated systems dominated by state utilities, but a growing number are introducing competitive frameworks to attract private capital and improve efficiency.

Zimbabwe opened its electricity market to full private participation across generation, transmission and distribution in 2025, targeting $9 billion in new investment. South Africa is advancing one of the continent’s most ambitious grid expansion programs, with plans for 14,500 km of new transmission lines and 133,000 MVA of transformer capacity by 2034, alongside mechanisms designed to crowd in private financing. Kenya, meanwhile, has introduced open access regulations enabling independent power producers to wheel electricity directly to multiple off-takers, reshaping how generation assets interface with the grid.

Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future

Regional Integration Remains Fragmented

Efforts to connect Africa’s fragmented power systems are progressing, though at different speeds across regions. In Southern Africa, the World Bank’s RETRADE SAPP program, approved in 2025, is deploying $12 million to strengthen renewable integration and transmission capacity across 12 member states. In East Africa, the Ethiopia–Kenya–Tanzania Electricity Highway is now in trial operations at up to 2,000 MW, marking a significant step toward a more interconnected regional grid.

West Africa is also moving toward deeper integration, with permanent synchronization of the West Africa Power Pool expected in 2026. Analysts, including the African Finance Corporation, argue that such synchronization is critical to unlocking large-scale hydropower potential and industrial demand across the region. Longer term, full synchronization between the Eastern and Southern African power pools – targeted for the end of 2026 – could create one of the world’s largest cross-border electricity trading corridors.

Building Bankable Financial Architectures

While interconnection is advancing, infrastructure alone is not enough to create investable electricity markets. Investors consistently cite the lack of standardized offtake structures, creditworthy counterparties, and cross-border payment guarantees as key barriers to scaling capital deployment.

New models are emerging to address these constraints. Africa GreenCo, operating across Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, is helping to aggregate independent power producers under a single creditworthy intermediary, standardizing power purchase agreements and reducing counterparty risk. At a broader level, AUDA-NEPAD estimates that Africa requires around $30 billion in additional investment to complete priority transmission corridors and establish three fully interconnected regional trading blocs by 2030.

“Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The question at Africa Energy Week is not whether integration is possible – the evidence is already there. The question is which regulatory frameworks and financial structures will get projects to financial close, and which markets will be ready when capital is looking to move.”

The Power Africa Today conference will run alongside AEW 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, and will focus on the regulatory, financial and infrastructural architecture needed to build interconnected electricity markets capable of attracting institutional capital and delivering reliable, cross-border power at scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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African Development Bank Group and La Francophonie Sign Partnership Agreement to Promote Youth Employment in Francophone Africa

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June 26, 2026

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The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France

PARIS, France, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) on Wednesday entered a strategic partnership to strengthen digital skills, employability, and entrepreneurship of young people and women in five African countries: Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.

 

The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France. The agreement will address a major challenge faced by countries in the Francophone world and across Africa: providing young people with access to opportunities offered by the digital economy and fostering the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The partnership calls for the implementation of training programs in digital professions and entrepreneurship, in fields such as web and mobile development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. Participants will also receive guidance toward employment and self-employment, as well as support for innovation and business creation, notably through training camps, prototyping activities, and partnerships with incubators and accelerators.

The African Development Bank Group and OIF will also work with national authorities in these five countries and training institutions to sustainably strengthen local capacities and promote ownership of the programs by national stakeholders. An initial pilot phase, lasting 12 to 24 months, will be rolled out in the five partner countries, followed by a gradual expansion to other member states depending on the results achieved.

The African Development Bank Group is pursuing a bold agenda based on “Four Cardinal Points” developed by Dr Ould Tah, the third of which is ‘Turning Demographics into a Dividend.’ This is about strategically converting Africa’s rapidly growing and youthful population into a decisive engine of inclusive growth, productivity, and innovation through large-scale investment in human capital—particularly youth and women.

 

It sees Africa’s growing young population not as a risk, but as a major asset. With the right policies and investments, this potential can create jobs, help small businesses grow, bring more informal businesses into the formal economy, and equip young people with the skills needed for the future. By investing more in education, science and technology, vocational training, entrepreneurship, finance, and digital tools, Africa can help its people drive economic transformation, stay competitive, and build lasting, resilient growth.

The OIF said the agreement marked the first concrete step in its initiative to mobilize innovative and additional funding for its most impactful projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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