Dj Medhi's Head banger volume 2 commercial

Paris-
The album features, Mr. Oizo, Uffie, Justice, DJ Mehdi, Mr. Flash, Krazy Baldhead, Feadz, Busy P, SebastiAn and So Me.

Les blancs ne savent pas danser

Bruxelle-

Seen around the web

Publicity banners created by Advertisment and marketing Agency, W&W Communication based in Paris.

Where the twenty best public institutions in Africa can be found

Eight of them are in Southern Africa
Five of them are West Africa
Four are in North Africa
Two are in East Africa
One is off the continent

John legend is @ it again

Chicago-
John Legend most recent Video promotion.

Released by Sony BMG Music [Nyse:SNE] from his album Once Again

Vibe with Keisha Cole

Keisha Cole grace the cover of Urban magazine Vibe for the month of november.

Countries touched by the Coupe Decale Fever

The Coupe decale, a musical commodity, has been exportable mainly due to its pop appeal and the need for foreign based African ears to hear that good old groovy African urban sound.
Urban centers in North America[ Chicago,New York,DC,Miami,Toronto,Montreal,LA,Philadelphia] West Europe[ London,Paris,Lisbon,Madrid,Zurich,Berlin]and Africa[ Cotonou,Ougadougou,Bamako,Abidjan,Dakar,Doula,Luanda..] have all been contaminated by the Coupe Decale fever.

American gangster[concept album]

" Scarface the movie did more than Scarface the rapper, so until we all free of sins ,let's stop the finger pointing.."

Best rap album of 2007.
Available on Itunes [ Nasdq:AAPL]
Amazon [Nasdaq:AMZN]

African economies with the highest internet penetration

1. Seychelles (24,7%)
   
2. Mauritius(23,2%)
3. Morroco (15,1%)
4. Sao Tome & Principe (11,5%)
5. South Africa (10,3%)
6. Zimbabwe (9,7%)
7. Tunisia (9,2%)
8. Sudan (7,6%)
9. Egypt (6,9%)
10. Cap Verde (5,9%)

Canal 2 international streams free material online

Douala-

Canal 2 International a privately held Cable TV network goes ahead with their plan to stream some of their content over the Internet making themselves more available to potential viewers,especially the ones that do not want to subscribe to a cable provider.

The channel also expand their advertisement earnings potential as they can offer advertisers and marketers thousands and even million of eye bulbs interested in Business,social,cultural and political news from Cameroon.

Example1

Example 2

Zambian Airways changing the way Africans fly

Lusaka-

Low cost carriers are very trendy in the African sky nowadays. With destination from and to Johannesburg,Lusaka,Harare,Dar-es-Saleem and Livingstone, Zambian Airways is another carrier[ Fly 540] trying to make a traveler of every income earning African citizen.

The African market can easily absorb 5 other low cost carriers, we do not think that Demand would be a issue.Fair prices is probably a deterrent for many would be [African] traders or tourists.
Transportation in the history of societies have always played a major role in whether or not wealth,information,knowledge will circulate and provoke a spiral of economic,cultural and social growth.

CFA and the Euro

Tele3aSud's financial show discusses the effects of having the CFA pegged against the Euro.[In French]

MTN Everywhere you go

The south African mobile-based telecommunication company[JNB:MTN] delivers 57 seconds of creativity and imagination.

The company is present and active in these markets:

Benin (Investcom),
Botswana (Botswana Mascom),
Cameroon (MTN Cameroon),
Republic of Congo (MTN Congo SA),
Cote d'Ivoire (MTN Cote d'Ivoire),
Cyprus (Investcom),
Ghana (Investcom),
Guinea Bissau (Investcom),
Republic of Guinea (Investcom),
Iran (MTN Irancell),
Liberia (Investcom),
Nigeria (MTN Nigeria),
Rwanda (MTN Rwanda),
South Africa (MTN South Africa),
Sudan (Investcom),
Swaziland (MTN Swaziland),
Syria (Investcom),
Uganda (MTN Uganda),
Yemen (Investcom), and
Zambia (MTN Zambia

Ethiopia future regional food basket

Addis Abeba-

Economist Eleni Gabre-Madhin outlines her ambitious vision to found the first commodities market in Ethiopia. Her plan would create wealth, minimize risk for farmers and turn the world's largest recipient of food aid into a regional food basket.- To found the first commodities market in Ethiopia, bringing rates and standards (not to mention trading systems, warehousing and data centers) to the trade of crops is the plan she outlines in this speech.[Ted]

Centralized network of online classified advertisments

Jobs, internships, housing, for sale/barter/wanted, services, community, gigs, resume, personal ads can all be posted on Kerawa. The site just launched and could be to the African Web what Craiglist has been to the Western World Web.


The marketing question that comes to mind is how to the managers behind the site make sure that the Africans with the most obvious access[ Living in WE,US,SA,Morocco,Egypt,Kenya] to the Internet know and want to use the site. Only when the site attracts enough users will it become relevant @ a cultural level and will we see a natural instinct by Internet browsers to come the site to post for free and find information regarding sales,jobs,business opportunities and love.

The financial question that comes to mind is how the heck to they intend to generate any revenue out of this beautiful baby ?

6.8% growth for the African markets on avg

Experts and analysts forecast a 6.8 percent growth for the continent in 2008. Up from 6.1 percent in 2007.[PSD Blog]it's a nice start but some form of satisfaction should come one we reach a average of 9% economic growth across the African markets.

Fly 540

Nairobi-



FIVE FORTY AVIATION LTD (fly540.com) began operating in 2006 with the simple objective of providing an alternative, value for money, airline network which would meet Kenya's growing domestic travel demand. Now, with regular flights already launched from the capital, Nairobi, to the Indian Ocean and Kisumu, the team at 540 are preparing to expand their 'no frills' low cost business model into the East African region maintaining high levels of customer service, outstanding value for money and scheduling built around the needs of today's traveller.

25.5 million USD put on the market by Mauritius central bank

View Larger Map

Port-Louis-

25 million USD bonds issued by the central bank of Mauritius.[Reuters Africa]

Mobile payment could well slow down Credit card application growth

Nairobi-


View Larger Map
The Sh40,000 hybrid gadget, dubbed Biashara Phone, acts both as a point of sales terminal and as normal mobile phone giving merchants access to a more portable option for card payments.

The device is expected to provide the security and functionality of a traditional point of sale (POS) terminal, merged with the convenience and flexibility of a mobile phone.

Consumers will be able to purchase goods and services and pay for them with a wave of their mobile phone. [BusinessDailyAfrica]

Image courtesy of BDA.

Financial markets performance

Three economic quarters in ,the Johannesburg stock exchange,Abidjan stock Exchange, the Mauritius stock exchange are just some of the top performing stock exchanges in African financial markets.CapAfrique [In French]produces ,two tables showing the returns realized n the short and long term by investors with enough savvy and access to information on the robust health of African economies driven in part by energy, real estate/construction, tourism, manufacturing,
banking,telecommunication,outsourcing, transportation and heavy investment in infrastructure[ Seaports,airports,roads,urban development].

25.5 million USD put on the market by Mauritius central bank

Port Louis-


25 million USD Bonds issued by the central bank of Mauritius, are available for purchase/trading on the market.[Reuters Africa]

Around the Web: Dead prez Live in Nairobi

Nairobi-

Concert by American Hip Hop group Dead prez in the city of Nairobi.

Jamhuri Wear fall collection

New York-

The Clothing line led by the vision of designer/principal ,Kimathi, announces the release of their fall collection.The purveyor and trendsetter in African inspired urban clothing wear is



Here is Jay Z[American gangster is official] seen wearing the line:

Their online store accepts credit card payment in the following currency:
American Dollar
British Pound
Kenyan Shilling
Euro
Australian Dollar
South African Rand
Japanese Yen

Abbysinia attracts diverse investors

View Larger Map
Addis-Abeba-

AfricaNews reports that, Ethiopia has seen in the lapse of one month, 173 investments projects registered.Chinese investors led with 18 projects,followed by Americans[17], and Britons[10].
Other investors originate from India,Chad,Sweden,Germany,Australia,South Africa,France,Pakistan,Italy,Nigeria,Indonesia,Cameroon,Sudan,Trinidad,Kenya and Djibouti among others.
The sectors of the economy that appear to attract the most investments are ,Real estate,Manufacturing,Hotel and construction[ Duh someone has to build the hotels etc..]

Music Video: D'banj- Move your body-

London-

Singer-songwriter D'banj 's single "move your body" from his album No Long Thing.
The very charismatic,energetic an infectious performer delivers amusing lyrics over a bumping beat.



Track listing

1. "Intro"
   
2. "Tongolo
   
3. "Socor"
   
4. "Pastor (Skit)"
   
5. "All The Way"
   
6. "Iya Mi"
   
7. "Mr. Olopa"
   
8. "Witches (Skit)"
   
9. "Mobolowowon"
   
10. "Ika O Da"
    
11. "Ask Me" ft. Kween
    
12. "Na Lie" ft. Nova & Raga Remi
    

Music Video: Chameleone-Baby Girl-

Kampala-

One of the nominees for Best African act @ MTV Europe Awards[Nyse:VIAB]

Music Video: Morafe-Letter to Motswako

Johannesburg-

Morafe is a Hip Hop group that fuses vernacular rap with a twist of soul and R&B. The group has three members, namely; Kgaugelo (aka Kay-G), Khulani (aka Khuli) and Lerothodi (aka Towdee).
The group has gone for a Vintage look and feel but the Morafe image is still maintained -- stylishly calm with brilliant taste .

Tribal spears planted in the heart of Harlem

Harlem-
Tribal Spears Cafe/Gallery is a coffee ,snacks and arts retail location in Harlem,New York.
The store located at 2167 Frederick Douglas Blvd will provide you with a atypical experience of arts,lounge and music and overall of socializing.
An interview with the owner of the business will give us a better idea of the business model and why it might be working for a neighborhood undergoing investments frenzy.

Urban videos: Tabi Bonney- Slice it/Elevator-

DC-
Tabiabuè Bonney born in Lomé Togo, West Africa and son of afro-funk superstar Itadi Bonney, releases this single"Slice it/Elevator" out of his debut album A Fly Guys Theme.
The album is available on I-Tunes[NASDAQ:AAPL]

Image:Memoirs of an immigrant

Columbia[NYSE:SNE] music artist,Wyclef Jean, is set to release his sixth studio production in the month of December of the year 2007.



Traclkisting:
Intro
Trouble Again
Sweetest Girl
Welcome to the East
Slow Down
King and Queen
Fast Car
What about the Baby
Bollywood to Hollywood
Any Other Day
Heaven's in New York
Selena
Touch A Button/Carnival Jam
Outro

Urban sound: Sean Paul- Watch them roll-

Kingston-

Jamaica's dancehall current ambassador is back with his latest musical effort untitled "Watch them roll" directed by Rich Newey.

In the media: Opera from the Sahel

In the media-
The Sahel region which covers the economic spaces of Mauritania, Cape Verde,Senegal,Gambia,Guinea-Bissau,Mali,Guinea Conakry,Nigeria,Burkina Faso,Chad,Mali and Niger has been the source of many inspirations in the field of music,fashion ,design and dance.

The Sahel Opera production casting took place in Morocco,Mali,Senegal and Burkina Faso. The production team not only casted for dancers,singers and actors but also technicians,designers and logistic experts.

A village in the Sahel. Young people are confused and have no hope in the future, trapped as they are by natural disaster, war and dictatorship. Weary of life in Africa, they decide to leave and try to breach the walls that separate the Sahel from Europe. Bintou-Were, a former child soldier, is expecting a "love child". She decides to cross the barricades protecting the borders of Morocco and Spain along with several other people she has met in her hectic life. If the perilous attack of the barbed wire of Melilla is successful, and the baby waits to be born on the other side, will there be a "right of asylum" for all those claiming paternity of Bintou-Were’s baby?
All social levels intersect in this modern day odyssey. Those on the road to exile encounter others who are returning. They challenge one another in their songs. From the ethnic Fulani shepherd to the delinquent apprentice who has been jailed several times, from the woman who is following her husband to the enigmatic frontier runner who is the king pin of the puzzle…

Seen around the internet

Afriurban sound presents: Corneille - Back to life-

Montreal-

Corneille recently signed to Motown[EURONEXT:VIV], is set to release a new album "The birth of Cornelius" in the American market [ Japan ,Canada,UK,France have already been serviced] during fall 2008.

Tracklist:
1. Back To Life
2. Love Is Good
3. Too Much Of Everything
4. I Never Loved You
5. Murder
6. Spending On You
7. Sweet Dependency
8. Home Is By You
9. I’ll never Call You Home Again
10. A Man Of This World
11. The One
12. Heaven

Economic trends: Chinese battery makers seek to meet high demand

Nairobi-
Chinese owned company Osel is seeking to meet the high demand in the African markets for good quality batteries.With intention of capturing 30% of the market,Osel ,who already produces about one billion batteries every year for companies like Energizer(NYSE:ENR ) and European retailer like
Carrefour(EURONEXT:CA),claim that the African markets are " a good opportunity for us.. the future is in Africa for sure. Their living standards are going up and they will want more quality” .



Read more

The economics of sex tourism ( NSW @ all)

Third world women are now migrating to foreign countries as entertainers and brides for these foreign men.Men in Scandinavia ,Germany,Australia,Britain,USA and Japan not only want sexual access to third world women while vacationing,they also want to enjoy their services at home.

The sex tourism industry takes different forms:
-Production of videos featuring nude-dancing
-Freelancer prostitutes and Gigolos
-Bondage Picture courtesy of Nino
-Brothels
-Private cottages

The following are the testimonies by veteran vacationers in Africa. We hope that reading these you would not get mad at the men and women involved in the body and flesh trade. It should bolster your desire to help create a macro-economic environment that would give the choices needed by the youth. Some will always resort to that trade for whatever reason but many feel pressured to enter the sex industry out of mere despair.

Africa represents[ in the collective inconscious of many foreigners] a place where life is perceived as raw and wild ,where people are uncontrolled sex beasts,liberal and polygamous.A lot of tourist engage in sex tourism because they may be fleeing from unhappy relationships @ home and,perhaps,from women who may tend to question male/patriarchal domination.

" Marco said he was in Kenya[could replace it with any other African Country] for a month but within 4 days, he boasted of already f...ing 5 girls.he said he f...ed one girl at the beach but pretended that he had no money,so he got that one for free.Another girl he f...ed on the beach for less than 2 dollars and told her that he did not have any more money than that. the others he had to pay about 3.50 dollars"

.

The power of imagery and branding

The images of D..k swollen African males with firm butts ,and naked African women bursting with sexual energy probably affects the unconscious of many of the travelers.
African men and women have been pictured as wild sex animals from slavery times on to modern day porn industry.




Their hope is to find a white tourist who can pay more [for sex] or who might marry them and take them to paradise[ the western world] or at least who might become a reliable[financially & emotionally] boyfriend.

Increasing poverty and the profitability of prostitution makes the traditional societal ethics and the codes of sexual conduct almost irrelevant for many people,including the parents of the prostitutes.



"Close to the bars they are several young (18-22) hookers running around,if you like anal sex,go to Tanzania...by the way you could easily get a girlfriend for you entire stay...they have time,you have money Have fun f..ing hard in black holes"

" If you are a tourist with some cash in your wallet,then getting laid should not be a problem in Anywhere in Africa,just be sure to always use a condom,PLEASE"



" She kissed passionately with plenty of tongue,sucked like a hoover and screw me in any position imaginable-she is a single hairdresser by day-and out to get laid by night-"

" I was in Douala,let me tell you ,this place is sex on legs.12 guys all from Aberdeen looking for oil and fun away from their wives.The best place to pick up girls is a club called mega slots( also known as mega sluts)..within 30 minutes the club was wall-to wall with girls.Most of the girls will go for 30-40 dollars for the night.Douala is good,fun girls are plenty available.I took the girl into my room that night for BJ and she was fantastic.Just gave her 20 USD and she was delighted."

" I just visited Douala, the city is very good,there is sex,sex,sex,sex,everywhere.If you like to have 24 hours sex,if you are a butt man,then Douala is your destination,all African big butts are in Cameroon.Normally all taxi drivers will ask you if you want any girl.One thing that is amazing,if you like any girl on the street,you can point to her and the girl will be inside your taxi..one indeed came off the street into the taxi and agreed to anal sex with me for 6 dollars.They just want to spend the night in a hotel with AC and during the night they may want dinner."

" my experience in Douala was extraordinary...i met a taxi driver that knew all the answers to get girls...drive around colleges when they let students out..


"This woman was amazing,her body was fine,she smelled good,genitals clean,nice chest,not a single ounce of fat,no wrinkles,and no stretch marks..I stayed there for two weeks, and every night I spend with her. I paid the first three nights,thereafter it was free.



"Massage parlour in Abidjan are places where girls in need of cash await for you,massage plus Hand job or Blow job or full service.Girls are usually easy to convince,most of the time they will offer you with after duty dates at your place which is best for sex."

" Addis-Abeba must be one of the easiest place to get laid by a beautiful woman."
a lot of the women are happy to become your holiday wife and follow you around for free exchange for some travel,nice meals and a chance to visit other parts of the country."


"This was my opportunity to finally have some cheap sex..well Africa is known for it,my colleagues put me on...my first one was a pure Ghanaian girl,big boobs,firm ass...we met at the beach resort...I payed less than 15 dollars for the whole night of entertainment...

" Recent situation in Conakry nightlife is excellent,girls are available everywhere,including hotel personnel and waitresses.. many girls are open to anything,BJ,anal,group sex,anything goes.I spend three months in Conakry and I should recommend that everyone should go."


"Generally uses condoms,since everybody here knows that 700 hundred people die daily of AIDS related complication.The Kenyan girls will do everything,...and the Somali girls are used to take it up the ass by Israelis."

Friendfinders.com [ which as of Sep 07 had 1.4 million unique visitors]Kenya section

"Liberian girls love to f..k..Liberian girls are frisky and sassy and wear little in the hot,humid climate,so you will need not to talk to them too much.. they are ready for action."


Malabo is a sexual deviant paradise...anywhere westerner men go, African women will be available...cost is 10 USD and anything goes,1,2,3, or more women together,poverty is rife and they are not professional but poor African girls.. you have been warned,enter a bar and you will be swarmed by women."

"I Visited the Gambia for two weeks, I could not get enough of the girls..absolute stunners everywhere,spent the entire two weeks with an hard on,no need to go looking for it,Chambermaids,waitresses are willing and available some for a quickie in you room,some back @their place... Will definitely be back to fuck my brains out with some stunning black girls."


At the end of all the economics of sex tourism are complex and have both external and internal social,economic and cultural reasons to be so vibrant.
We advice our youth to understand that the future is not so bleak and that are better ways to use one's body to generate income or create opportunities for oneself.
The future of African youth lies in the vision and determination of thousands of visionaries and builders that will lead thousands of other young men and women to better choices and the knowledge that they can positively create a better environment for themselves.

Africaincorp best:Africa most connected unhabitants

1)South Africa(5,100,000)
2)Egypt ( 5000.000)
3)Morocco(4,600,000)
4)Sudan ( 2,800,000)
5)Algeria(1,920,000)
6)Zimbabwe(1,200,000)
7)Kenya( 1,100,000)
8)Tunisia(953,000)
9)Senegal( 540,000)
10)Uganda/Nigeria(500,000)
11)Benin(425,000)
12)Ghana(400,000)
13)Tanzania(333,000)
14)Togo/Mauritius(300,000)
15)Cameroon(250,000)
16)Zambia(231,000)
17)Reunion(220,000)
18)Libya(205,000)
19)Cote D'Ivoire( 200,000)
20)Ethiopia(164,000)

For a total of 27 million Internet users Appx living in 20 out 53 nations.With the low penetration rates African markets have,this number is certain to go up.Let's not forget to take in account the cheer number of potential Internet surfers once broadband cellphone becomes affordable.

Africaincorp best: Africa's best economic markets

1) Mauritius
2)Botswana
3)South Africa
4)Namibia
5)Uganda
6)Swaziland
7)Madagascar
8)kenya
9)Cape verde
10)Ghana
11)Zambia
12)Mozambique
13)Tanzania
14)Ivory Coast
15)Malawi
16)Guinea
17)Burkina Faso
18)Benin
19)Ethiopia
20)Cameroon


Based on the Economic freedom index 2007

Afriliterature:The world is flat 3.0

The world is flat 3.0-

According to the author of the book,the flattening of the world presents us with new economic opportunities,new challenges,new social networks. We as young African adults will have to work harder,smarter and faster to make sure that more of us are able to connect ,collaborate,and most importantly innovate thus be able to derive all the benefits such attitude can offer.

He goes on saying that globalisation 3.0 is going to be driven more and more by non western companies , and non white group of individuals.Will African companies and young sheetahs be part of the group determining global economic growth ?

If African companies and individuals are to play their part in this ,it will come down to the perspective and predispositions that they carry around in their head.They are very important in shaping what an individual/company sees and what an individual/company does not see.
African countries,its people and business leaders have to be honest with themselves and examine clearly where they stand in relation to other economies and in relation to the ten flatteners.
Some African economies already practised this ,Ghana ,Rwanda ,Angola ,Mozambique, Mauritius, Morocco,Botswana,Namibia,Uganda,South Africa , are seeing the fruits of their self analysis. The other economies need to practise some introspection,like drunks do,because to get back on their feet, they have to learn to see themselves as they really are.

The key factor in explaining why some countries are able to move forward is , the the country culture and values, such as HARD WORK,THRIFT,HONESTY,PATIENCE and TENACITY,as well as the degree to which it is open to change,new technology and gender equality. Another[ key factor] is to what degree is there a sense of SOLIDARITY and a FOCUS on accumulation of wealth and development,to what degree is there TRUST,to what degree are the financial,intellectual,sexual, ELITES concerned with the masses and READY TO INVEST @ HOME.

THREE BASIC THINGS:
1)Right infrastructures to connect more people with the flat-world platform,in the form of,cheap internet bandwitdth and mobile phone,to modern airports,well maintained roads, and seaports.

2)Right educational system to get more innovation and collaboration

3)Right fiscal policy ,rule of law and efficient bureaucracy

Key terms:
Outsourcing-Offshoring-Uploading-supply chaining-Insourcing-Digitization-Virtualisation.

Interesting facts:
-Total global internet usage grew 186 percent in Africa.Google( ) AMD(),HP() moving in these markets should be an hint that Internet usage in African markets is about to enter a new phase.
-HP is the largest IT company in South Africa

-Tolerance breeds trust and trust is the foundation of inovation and entrepreneurship.

-Culture is not wired in the DNA,its a product of context,geography,education level,leadership,and historical events.
- Middle class is a state of mind ,not a state of income.
- In societies that have more memories than dreams,too many people see dignity,self-worth by chewing on the past,usually not a real past but an imagined and adorned past.


Purchase the book on:
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN )
Barnes and Noble (NYSE:BKS )
E-book version

in the media: Money transfer using Cellphone networks

F.T- reports that an agreement reached by the association of cellphone operators and money transfer giant Western Union (NYSE:WU) would give the ability to up to 80% of the world population to transfer money from the convenience of their mobile handsets.
More people in African markets have access to a cellphone than they do a laptop or a PC. Add to that highly reliable connectivity offered by the mobile phone networks and the chance of seeing a viable manner to conduct financial transaction without a Paypal( NASDAQ:EBAY) or credit card payment system, are soon to become a reality for African traders and consumers.

Visualize being able to pay your bills,the taxi driver, your bar tab,make a purchase online but sending the money to the number provided on the site if you do not have a credit/ATM card.All of this should be possible in the near future.

Afriliterature: Because young Africans need to know their icons too

Abidjan-
This is the cover of the first edition of business magazine Tycoon. The magazine is published in French and its editors target , college students,the young working professionals,entrepreneurs and investors living in Ivory Coast for the first phase and the remaining french speaking market - Senegal,Mali,Burkina,Guinee,Benin,Togo- in the second phase of operations.

Afrifinance: Merger in Nigeria financial sector

Lagos-
Being that Nigeria would like to position itself as Africa financial hub,quite a challenge when facing Angola,Egypt and South Africa,Ecobank Nigeria and lesser known Sterling bank are going to merge,thus allowing the newly formed entity to better service millions of customers through a de facto Network of 325 branches.
The Nigerian banking sector has been very active of lately, raising more than 10 billion USD in capital and announcing triple digit profit-growth in the past 3 years or so.



Official Ecobank site

Africinema: Who wants to be an immigrant ?

Maryland-

Green Passport Inc, is the company behind a documentary-based reality TV show,that shows the true picture of life in the United States from the perspective of immigrants. The show will air[ fourth quarter of 07] simultaneously on selected Nigerian TV networks and online.

See trailer below

trends: Customers business review goes online

Abidjan- Pleased and displeased customers in Abidjan,Cote d'Ivoire would be in position to share their experience and grade the quality of the customer service of companies operating in the Ivory Coast market.
This customer review system should give an hint on what companies are doing right and what they are doing wrong in this market.Senior management of the critiqued companies ,should be alert to the influence of customer reviews on the decision making of customers,investors and job seekers.

The company making this all possible is CritiqueIvoire.com, the company goal is to collect the opinion of customers on the quality of the services & goods provided by companies operating in the Ivory Coast market. They also conduct online surveys that allow them to draw an index of the best companies in each sector of activity.For example ,MTN ( JNB:MTN) is considered to be the best provider of telecommunication service,followed by Moov,Orange ( EURONEXT:FTE;NYSE:FTE) and Koz, a subsidiary of cellphone operator Comium.Comium also has operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Afriupdate: Google still hiring for the African markets

Afriupdate- After the Eastern and Northen region of Africa,Google( NASDAQ:GOOG) is in search of a candidate to monitor the West African market offices. The responssabilities in the region will include but are not limited to:

-Help build a team in West Africa and manage the Dakar office's day-to-day operations.
-Provide superior technical oversight of local Google projects.
-Identify, initiate and manage key local project and partnerships in the areas of infrastructure, product, and sales.
-Provide a strong communication link to Google's Mountain View, California, headquarters and other remote offices.
-Scout market development opportunities for Google in West Africa and think creatively how Google current technology asset could be deployed in the region.
-Recommend specific initiatives for West Africa in line with Google mission, values and capabilities.
-Be the voice of the region at Google

Again we must ask the question,is google map of hiring indicative of where IT innovation would emerge in Africa ? Is it also indicative of the location of the pool of talents in Africa ? if so what does it mean for Businesses and Entrepreneurs based in or targetin the African markets ?

Afriupdate: Google still hiring for the African markets

Afriupdate- After the Eastern and Northen region of Africa,Google( NASDAQ:GOOG) is in search of a candidate to monitor its West African market offices. The responsibilities inspected to be handled by the hire will include but are not limited to:

-Help build a team in West Africa and manage the Dakar office's day-to-day operations.
-Provide superior technical oversight of local Google projects.
-Identify, initiate and manage key local project and partnerships in the areas of infrastructure, product, and sales.
-Provide a strong communication link to Google's Mountain View, California, headquarters and other remote offices.
-Scout market development opportunities for Google in West Africa and think creatively how Google current technology asset could be deployed in the region.
-Recommend specific initiatives for West Africa in line with Google mission, values and capabilities.
-Be the voice of the region at Google

In the media:Applied technology in the transportation industry

Textually-
Mumbi's Dial-a Cab company is one of 20 fleet firms in Kenya which have adopted a new vehicle-tracking technology that has been made possible through the ingeniously of two young IT engineers,Waweru Kimani and Paul Mahiaini.Companies are in the new position to monitor their vehicles in real time on the Internet using Kenyan mobile phone networks.

The technology allows management to know:
Which car is low on fuel
Which car has gone astray
Which has been car jacked
What car doors are opened
How long a car has stopped
Where a car is located

The technology allows:
To stop the car @ touch of a button in case of car theft
Kill what is known as African time

Cost of Technology:
40.000 shillings or $ 570 installation fee
3.000 shillings or $ 40 dollar monthly usage fee

See video below for interview of owner of Dial-a Cab and the Engineers behind the technology. Content courtesy of Video journalist Ruud Elmendorp

in the media: Housing market in Angola boom or Bubble ?

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FT- The housing market,which includes the construction,sale,resale of all residential properties across the market, is indicative of the general state of an economy.According to this article by the Financial Time,"Rents are just as eye-popping. A fairly average flat rented by an expatriate businessman costs between $12,000 and $15,000 a month...The boom is a simple matter of supply and demand. Angola exported nearly $30bn of oil last year, a bonanza for a country with a population of 14m-17m people. As production has increased, so has the number of expatriate workers...Demand has been like a balloon".

Homes are considered durable goods.New home construction and sales are often highly correlated with economic cycles-Angola,Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Congo, Mali, Morocco, Tunisia,Botswana,Ghana,Mozambique,Rwanda,Kenya,Mauritius,Uganda,Algeria,Egypt,Senegal - All of these countries have a real estate market with a shortage of properties. The emerging middle classes and expatriates( Chinese,Indian,European) who constitute the majority of the
Buyers of new homes make the investment that is the purchase of a residential property because they feel confident about current and future economic conditions.
In addition to the building,appliances,furniture,utility services,home insurance,security, landscaping,architecture,etc.. are expenses that are all tied to the purchase of a home.The sub-industries derived from the real estate industry are all markets waiting for entrepreneurs and corporations with business models adapted to each individual market.

African prostitition in Europe

Truths,Lies, and Slavery is the subtitle of this very powerful book.The editor of this blog had the chance to read it a couple years back.
Some things are best brought to light, to discover the experience of young men and women prisoners of delusions,greed,hopelessness and sexual impulses, has change my prospective on a lot of things.

Sex,drugs,murders,voluntary prostitution,sodomy,orgies,mind control, and the European adult film industry are among the many topics covered by the book.

Purchase book here ( French version)

Some facts shared by the author of the book:
-More than 500.000 African sex workers hold a job in the European market.
-Cameroon supply a majority of the sex workers,pimps,brokers and suppliers of the African sex industry in Europe. Following are Nigeria,and Ghana.
-9 out of 10 girl married to an "online dating " husband found themselves in the prostitution networks.
-Retirement for the men/women that survived the trade means becoming a overseer and importing more men/women to the European market.


While the aforementioned facts are undeniable, let's not forget that these young men and women are part of the generation let down by inefficient governments and private sectors. The scarcity of options to make a decent living coupled with the natural instinct to want to live a luxurious life ( instinct not helped by the imagery TV,films and fairy tales by the diaspora) led these unrealistic fools to fail prey to deceivers and their own ignorance. The questions that should linger in our minds must be: What is going to be the impact of these individuals once they return (if alive) to their home countries ?
Public health ,cultural values influences,economic impact and should all be taken in consideration by the government and think tanks of these nations.

The month in magazine

Click on pictures to access online version of the magazines.

Afrieros:The business of sex in Africa ( NSFW)

Afrieros-

The business of sex appears ( only) to be a complicated issue in Africa. The upcoming blog on Cultural sex and African Urban pornography would attempt to discuss the, economy, history,social roots and impact of,cultural manifestation of sexuality in our era.

For now African sexuality cosmology has been kept hidden and as it is often the case is defined by outsiders to the culture and group. The adult industry in Brazil,the USA,France,Germany,UK and the prostitution networks of the aforementioned countries in addition to the Middle East have painted and branded an African sexuality( true or false) that meet their fantasies. The fact of the matter is that we are sexual beings with culturally( @ least for the most part) define affinities for body parts[ lips,shoulders,legs,buttocks,breasts,thighs,backs,hair,eyes,genitals,nose,neck..].
They way we physically penetrate,touch,caress,or rough up the sexual partner is something that each culture and individual decide for themselves.
What is the state of the business of sex in Africa and who is shaping it and why ?

Afrimage: The sexy edition

Afrimage-

The sexy edition is a pre- runner to two events:
- The publication of the Business of Fashion and Modeling

- The publication of Cultural sex and African pornography.


Both publications will be framed according to their very,professional,visual,social,artistic,physical, and economic manifestation/trends in the African Urban context.


AMN, hopes to challenge the lack of inspirational coverage of the industry of fashion and modeling as well as sexuality and pornography.The underlying elements, as it is often the case,when discussing these two topics are the notions of ,US against Them,White versus Black/African, or Pure versus Impure. This black and white world does not of course exist but only in the minds of those nourishing such ideas.

Let's us stir away from that and try a different approach. There is dire absence of the African men/women sexuality and expression aside from the commercialised pornography observable on the Internet and in Pornowood ( no pun intended).Let's face it the adult industry is a capitalistic lifestyle choice for many but it can also be a survival choice for many more.

As for the Business of fashion and modeling , there is an underlying sentiment among the stylists,designers,models,publicists & marketers,editors,traders,retailers and sourcers that the time has arrived for the fashion industry of Africa to assume a position of leadership in the market.The BFM will follow the stories of the trendsetters and companies blazing the trail, as well as the F& M markets they are impacting.

In the media: Algeria sixth oil supplier to the US market

Algiers-

Algeria is the sixth supplier of oil to the US market since the beginning of the year 2007.721,000 barrels are exported daily to the US. In light of the roaring global economy and the ever increasing demand for oil derived products by industries in the US, China,South East Asia and Eastern Europe. The Sudan,Ivory Coast,Ghana and Angola have the natural capacities to compete with the likes of Venezuela, Russia,Saudi Arabia, and Mexico.

Afritravel: Azalai Hotel

Bamako-

Azalai is a four stars hotel chain with headquarters in Bamako, Mali and operations in Ouagadougou( Burkina Faso ) Cotonou ( Benin) and Bissau ( Guinea-Bissau).

The operations are :
Azalai Grand hotel
Azalai Salem

Azalai Nord-Sud

Azalai Independance

Azalai 24 de Septembro

Official website

If interested to make a reservation,click here.

Africinema: MR Ibrahim and the coranic flowers

Paris-

Afriliterature:The month in Lifestyle Magazines

Afriurban sound presents: Life and Times of Doug Saga

Abidjan-

The video ,available on the Video network by Africahit.com ,is a visual summary of the rise and fall of the catalyst @ the root of the Coupe Decale fever. Doug Saga started a movement that has its epicenter in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire but extends to Dakar, Lome, Douala, Niamey, Ouagadougou, Accra,Addis-Abeba,Paris,London,New York,Toronto and other Urban centers with African youth.
The Coupe Decale new stars , DJ Lewis,JJK,Di Caprio,Dj Debordeaux, and Le molare are making sure that elements such as marketing, PR and communication,endorsement deals, sponsorships, and VIS ( Video with international standards) are all part of the Coupe Decale industry and by extension the African urban music industry.

Afribusiness: The future of African media

Afribusiness- A report by Bankelele.com on the presence of Kenyan media outlet NTV on Youtube( NASDQ:GOOG) is fueling debate among the staff that we might be finally seeing the future of the African media industry.
While most of the coverage is centered around political activities, it is one step forward to engage directly stakeholders in the Kenyan economy, about the environment shaping and influencing the economic state of the country.

The brand of any entity is determined by two factors, other people voicing their perception of you and the entity voicing the perception they have of themselves.For too long African markets let other depict what they saw, when what they saw was only the tip of the Iceberg.
To show and explain the inner workings of the African markets would remove the fog caused by the lack of data,updated facts and more importantly strong visual proofs of the reality.

Another relevant story that played at the global level of the industry was the purchase by MSNBC ( EURONEXT:VIV )of the New media company, NEWSVINE. What could it mean for the future of the African media industry ?

One of the staff member suggested that instead of seeing this type of deal- Traditional media acquiring New media- We might see quite the opposite, New media acquiring traditional African media companies.
A lot of the domestic non-political newspapers lack the 21st century touch that will take them and their constituencies to the next stage of journalism evolution. One of the role of media is after all to-intelligently- aggregate, -and efficiently -disseminate useful information to the readers.One can be entertaining but must absolutely be informative to retain any value in the eyes of the educated reader.

Africinema: Why did I get married

Africinema-

Latest project by Tyler Perry. Why Did I Get Married ,touches on the dynamics driving the sanctified relationship that is marriage.Partners of the most sought after however most risky venture, are characterised in this story as we are taken through the bliss and hardships that relationships bring.
Conflicting characters,hidden agendas,egotism,framing,communication, and conflict resolution are some of the subjects that this movie will allow you to reflect on once the screen goes black.

Africonference: American Black Film festival

Los Angeles-

The festival-Oct 25th to 28th- which offers an actor boot camp, a filmmaker workshop, and symposiums and talks on :
-Tools for success in the digital age
-The business of comedy

See full schedule here.

The event is being sponsored among others by, HBO(NYSE:TWX),Allstate(NYSE:ALL),Kodak( NYSE:EK),Heineken( EURONEXT:HEIA),Target( NYSE:TGT) and Blockbuster(NYSE:BBI).

Afriurban sound presents: Blue Magic- Sean Carter

Brooklyn-
New video from Def Jam's artist- Jay-z -latest project " AMERICAN GANGSTER"




Production by Pharrel
Directed by Hype Williams.

Afribusiness: What business model for the African music industry ?

Last100.com- Following announcement of Madonna leaving Warner Music Group( NYSE:WMG) for a rumored 120 million dollars ( Cash & stocks) deal with concert promoter Live Nation ( NYSE:LYV), record executives of the African music industry must ask themselves what Business models to consider in this era of change. High levels of piracy( some markets are low), weak network of distribution, and inefficient A&R departments all led to a deficient Music and Entertainment industry. M&E companies like Eben Entertainment from Gabon are among the few that are restructuring their revenue model.New times ask for upgraded ways one will say.

Live Nation( LYV) revenue structure is the following:
Events
Promotion
Venue management( owns,operates or has equity in 160 locations)
Digital distribution

These are three alternative Business models that should be considered by the music industry :

Free music
The music is given away for free,this will kill all incentive to make pirated music, the product being at no cost for the customer.The CDs are used as promotional items to market the artist/brand to the public. The revenues are generated from tours,merchandising and endorsement & other deals.


Subscription
The subscription model is based around the idea that the music is made available in bulk. The interested consumers pay for the right to access an infinite amount of music for a period of time. It could be a monthly ,quarterly, or annual based subscription model. In short , you have access to an unlimited and diverse amount of music that is downloadable to any device[ Phone,Ipod,PSP,Zune(NYSE:MSFT)]

A music tax
There are rumors than a tax could be imposed to Internet service providers and Cellphone carriers,which should allow consumers to download unlimited amount of music through these third parties.

Read more

Can African music industry executives and entrepreneurs propose a new way to offer the experience of music to consumers in the African markets ?

Afrimage: Simply African, simply Urban

Afribusiness: Digital Entertainment Provider- FunAFRIC

Timbuktuchronicles- reports on FunAfric, an Internet company from which for a fee, clients will be able to access the web-based portal of the company, and download music and movies of their choice. The company will position its self as a low cost, fairly priced, easy access portal, targeted at a critical mass of diverse audience, Africans and non-Africans, who like African music, movies and culture and will like to know what is going on in the African entertainment scene. At its simplest, the business concept is modeled after the likes of Napster, Kazaa and I-Tunes( ).

The company primary products include:
Ringtones
Movies for download
Mp3 files

In the media:Indian Mergers and Acquisitions in African markets

-The Deal [ Merger & Acquisition magazine] reports on the investment history of India in the African markets:
.2005 81 million
.2006 340 million
.2007 294 million

It will be interesting to get a detailed break down of where the money went[ markets] and which industries where mostly beneficiaries of the flow of capital. Which entrepreneurs and businesses will be more successful attracting the attention of Indian investors in the 2008-2009 fiscal year ?

Let's hope that the deals take place in industries other than the traditional mining and energy.

Africaincorp: The future of communication and media companies

Africaincorp-

What will the future of communications and media companies in African markets be as Broadband Internet high speed connectivity, and Mobile 3G become a reality ?The African consumers are going to be offered endless [possible] experiences.

They would be able to access content anywhere,anytime and from any device: Desktop,laptop, Mobile phone,PSP(NYSE:SNE).
Information,Application,entertainment are @ the reach of a finger.

What will be the new revenue opportunities, what current business models work ?
Do businesses know their customers if so how well ?
What are these customers expectations ?
What are the businesses expectations for the market(s)

Will the Internet be [ for African browsers]more than a place to Email,Shop or Read political information,seek a marriage partner as it is actually the case for a vast majority of browsers ? Will it[ internet] give the chance to meet,interact and build social/business and cultural networks ?

Is mobile TV the future of television in African markets ? More people have access to a mobile device than a TV set. Combined that with the development of connectivity networks and you have the environment you need to distribute TV shows and short movies on Cellphones and other mobile devices.

The Internet has not fully changed the way consumers shop,manage their finance,and schedule leisure activities in the African social-cultural space.
Stakeholders such as Advertisers,Website owners,Content producers ought to provoke a cultural shift in the way African consumers embed the Internet in their social activities.

Will African consumers be willing to pay for music and other media downloads ? Is there a correlation between the perceived sometimes actual poor quality of the products and the disinterest in paying to enjoy the content ?

Communication operators are seeking to upgrade their communications infrastructure which should lead to better handle of data and mobile application.


What will be the role of content providers in creating a new experience for the million of consumers who after all deserve to be better serviced by companies ? When it is all said and done, the most innovative and practical companies would reap the financial benefits of their investment[time,ideas,labor,capital]

The Cedaberg ,A Boulder Mecca

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Christian Science Monitor- "It's a peculiar sport – to try to convey what it's about to somebody who hasn't climbed is a challenging thing," says Evan Wiercz, a Cape Town climber.. Not too many places in the world fit the bill..climbers consider it one of the top places for the sport in the world

Read more

In the media:Kirikou

Paris-
The animation movie " Kirikou et la sorciere" has been adapted and turned into a musical. The said musical is playing now at the "Casino de Paris" from october 2nd to December 31st.







Reserve your seat(s) here

This is excellent example of how to milk a succesful creative creation. The animation has been well received by the global critics at different festivals, then by the global consumers leading to the various translated versions of the movie.
The trail of checks should get quite long if the producers/owners of the movie rights, are looking at distribution through:
Brick -n- motar distributor like Blockbuster ( NYSE:BBI), la FNAC ,Movie gallery ( NASDQ:MOVI) Netflix(NASDAQ:NFLX)
Online distributor like I-tunes stores (NASDAQ:AAPL ) Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN ) , Walmart ( NYSE:WMT ).
Pay-per view

Africinema: Bambadjan's I think I love my wife scene

New York-

Bambadjan Bamba ,who is currently in a off-broadway play running through the month October , has this hilarious scene in the recent Chris Rock movie , I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE.

(warning:profane language used)

Afriliterature: Naked

Afriliterature-

Beauty ideals and acceptance of one self image are some of the issues discussed in this book. let it be noted that the book is written from the North American black women perspective.

The writers or publisher should do a NAKED series and tell the story from the African women prospective, the Caribbean and South American black women perspective.

While they are at it, they should geared themselves for the Black men naked editions.

The book is available
@ Barnes and Nobles
@ Amazon

In the media: GDP growth in Cote d'Ivoire

Abidjan-

The Economist discusses economic growth in the Ivory Coast :GDP growth is expected to rise to 1.7% this year, from an estimated 0.9% in 2006, and an average of 4.3% annually until 2012. Ivorian growth is projected at 5% annually for the period 2013-2027.