What are challenges and opportunities of doing business in Africa ? Case study of the Democratic Republic of Congo. What kind of perception do we have of Africa from the western countries ?

1. “Is Africa the new Asia? On the
challenges of doing business in
Congo”.
Prof. Dr Patrick Bakengela Shamba,
CENTRAL AFRICA EUROPE BUSINESS SCHOOL (CAEBS)
Email: Bakengela.shamba@upc.ac.cd
www.caebs.org
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th 2015, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

2. Outline
I. Perception of Africa from Europe
II. Is Africa becoming a new Asia ?
III. Challenges and opportunities of doing business
in the Democratic Republic of Congo
IV. Keys aspects of being successful in doing
Business in DRC ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management

3. I. Perception of Africa from Europe
1. Africa ?
2. What image of Africa
do we have from the
Europe ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th 2015, Frankfurt
School of Finance & Management, Germany

4. I. Perception of Africa from Europe
What is Africa ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th 2015,
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

5. I. Perception of Africa from Europe
Africa is diverse:
• 53 countries
• Different languages
(English, French,
Spanish, Swahili, etc.)
• Different cultures
• Different people
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th 2015,
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

6. • What image do we have of Africa from the
Europe ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
I. Perception of Africa from Europe
AFRICA is poverty

7. • What image do we have of Africa from the
Europe ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
I. Perception of Africa from Europe
AFRICA is BOKO HARAM
insecurity

8. • What image do we have of Africa from the
Europe ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
I. Perception of Africa from Europe
AFRICA is SKINNY CHILDREN
Looking for food
Starvation…

9. • What image do we have of Africa from the
Europe ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
I. Perception of Africa from Europe
AFRICA is lack of infrastructure
In health care sector

10. • How these negatives images impact the
European people (investor’s appetite) to do
Business an Africa ?
• What Young Chinese people think about
Africa ?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNU7N1GCNU8
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
I. Perception of Africa from Europe

11. a) The economic growth
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
II. Is Africa becoming a new Asia ?

12. b) Investor’s appetite
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
II. Is Africa becoming a new Asia ?

13. II. Is Africa becoming a new Asia ?
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management
C) Population

14. III.Challenges or opportunities ?
of doing business in the DRC
– Challenge in the banking sector: case study of a
German Bank in Congo
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management

15. III.Challenges or opportunities ?
of doing business in the DRC
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management

16. III.Challenges or opportunities ?
of doing business in the DRC
– In every challenge there is opportunity for doing
business
a) Banking sector : in 1990 less than 1 % of
population had a bank account, in 2013: 5, 3 %
of population had a bank account
b) Energy: solar power ?
c) Management education ?
d) Telecommunication: internet connection
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management

17. Mobile opportunity in DRC
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management

18. IV. Keys aspects of being successful in
doing Business in DRC
1. Change your perception
2. Find local partner
(e.g. Alumni EMBA in Kinshasa )
3. Be disruptive (Think out the box)
4. Start small, learn and Grow…
FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management

19. FS Alumni & Friends, Monday, May 11th
2015, Frankfurt School of Finance &
Management