The African Centre for Competitive Intelligence (ACCI) plays a strategic role in supporting their endeavours. These investors depend on the ACCI’s core missions and reap the advantages of its tangible initiatives across various critical domains.

Information and knowledge of African markets

The ACCI’s primary mission is to collect, process, analyze, and secure information on African markets, promising sectors, competitors, risks, and investment opportunities. The goal is to produce high-value economic and commercial intelligence useful for decision-making in competitive, uncertain, or hostile territories.

As a corollary, the Centre also provides investors with in-depth sectoral investigation and analysis reports.

Furthermore, the ACCI regularly organizes high-level events at both local and international levels to inform investors about economic potential and provide keys to working on the African continent.

Facilitating business in African markets

The ACCI connects international investors who rely on it with qualified local key stakeholders such as government officials, companies, financial institutions, and civil society organizations.

The Centre also organizes meetings and business forums to facilitate networking between foreign investors and local actors.

Lastly, the ACCI supports international investors, when required, in their administrative and regulatory procedures in Africa.

Concrete example: The ACCI hosts a platform that connects its donors from Africa and the rest of the world. This instrument allows international investors to find local partners, seek specific information, and ask questions if needed.

Reducing investment risks

The ACCI independently evaluates investment risks such as political, economic, legal, and social risks in African countries.

Following this evaluation, the ACCI provides counsel and recommendations to investors who wish to minimize identified investment risks.

The Centre also contributes to the establishment of guarantee mechanisms to protect investments against identified risks in Africa.

Concrete example: The ACCI has developed a tool called SIRO (Risk and Opportunity Intelligence Service). This device helps not only states to anticipate risks but also investors to assess investment risks specific to each African country covered by the tool.

Strengthening the capacity of investors

As part of its Joint Capacity Building Program for public and private decision-makers, the ACCI has conceived short, intensive, and certifying training programs in collaboration with Knowdys Consulting Group and BVMW Afrika for international investors on the specificities of African markets and the investment risks they face.

Moreover, the Centre regularly organizes workshops in Europe and African countries on topics such as strategic monitoring and intelligence, due diligence, corporate diplomacy, contract negotiation, holistic risk management, and business culture in Africa.

Finally, the Centre provides investors with counsel and recommendations, upon request, for a better understanding of the African context.

In conclusion, the ACCI can be a valuable partner for international investors establishing themselves in Africa. The ACCI can provide them with essential information and knowledge about the African market, help reduce investment risks, and support them in their endeavors. According to Dr. Guy GWETH, President of the ACCI and director of the Doing Business in Africa programme at Centrale Supélec (France) since 2012, “the ACCI is committed to playing an active role in promoting investment in Africa and contributing to the continent’s economic development.”

The Editorial Team