Boston Consulting Group identifies telecom company, others as continental drivers of integration

The others include Dangote Group, Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa, Nigerian Breweries and Jumia.

According to BCG, a total of 150 companies are blazing the trail toward a more integrated Africa. They consist of 75 Africa-based companies and 75 multinational companies that have established impressive track records in Africa and are contributing to further integration of the continent.

The 150 companies were drawn from 18 countries, namely Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Tunisia. The multinational companies also listed in the report are mainly from France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, while the rest are from China, India, Indonesia, Qatar, and the UAE.

The report indicated that economic integration is gathering momentum on the continent despite the barriers of fragmentation which exist in Africa.

Globacom and the other listed companies are driving the process, according to the report.

The various ways that the companies are making their impact felt on the continent include the active expansion of their footprint across several African countries, building strong African brands, using local innovation to adapt to the African consumer; investment in local talent and developing people advantage; building local ecosystems and connecting Africa by facilitating the movement of people, goods, data, and information.

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BCG Senior Partner and co-author of the report, Patrick Dupoux, said: "Fragmentation in Africa is much greater than anywhere else in the world, and it adds significantly to the economic challenges facing countries that typically lack the critical mass to compete globally. Despite these barriers, we see more signs of economic integration with each passing month, quarter, and year. The primary drivers come from within the continent, led by African business."

Globacom has over the years built a reputation as an authentic African brand offering innovative solutions in voice and data services, thereby making telecommunication services more accessible to all in the markets it operates.