Economy
Business Priorities Make 2019 Year of Africa’s Consumers
The latest Nielsen Africa Prospects Indicator (APi) Report reveals interesting shifts in African manufacturer and retailer business priorities and a growing appreciation for the fact that no one size fits all and no total continent, country, city, consumer or channel approach is enough to ensure ongoing success in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Nielsen Executive Director: Thought Leadership Global Markets Ailsa Wingfield reports; “In 2015, companies were primarily focused on the retail environment and growth could be achieved by making more, or new products available to consumers in the right stores. Three years on, and Route to Market/ Distribution is still the core focus, but four other areas are now present in the top five priorities
“Consumer Demand has risen rapidly through the ranks. It didn’t feature in the top five priorities in 2015 whereas it placed second in 2017 and 2018. This reinforces the necessity for comprehensive knowledge of consumer circumstances and needs in order to establish, generate and meet demand. In SSA the main drivers of product choice are trust, affordability and availability, but brand success factors and differentiators now extend beyond these attributes,” explains Wingfield.
Products for the people
She adds that Product Innovation has also risen through the ranks since 2015 when it didn’t place in the top five list of priorities, to where it featured in fifth place in 2017 and is now third in the rankings, highlighting the importance of qualities that meet Africa’s diverse consumer needs and aspirations.
It’s also no surprise that Marketing and Media has moved into fourth place given that awareness, consideration and trust from respected sources are important basics required to generate trial and repeat, especially for new products in increasingly competitive brand environments.
In addition, fifth placed Operations Optimisation is essential in light of tough trading conditions and volatile currencies, which means streamlined production processes can achieve cost savings enabling vital, lower product price points.
Regional nuances
Wingfield says that sub regional priorities also reveal nuanced differences. “In West Africa, where retail priorities were formerly at the forefront, companies can no longer focus predominantly on getting products into trade but need to get to grips with identifying different consumer preferences to regenerate demand.
“Similarly, consumer demand is the key focus in Southern Africa where economic headwinds have dampened consumer prospects. Emphasis on Operations Optimisation as well as Marketing and Media is particularly evident in South Africa, where sophisticated and competitive modern trade and digital media platforms exist, including a growing connected commerce environment.”
In comparison Route to Market and Distribution remain the key focus across Central and East Africa while businesses in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia are faced with challenging governance and regulatory restrictions raising this as a critical business area.
The Year of the Consumer
Looking ahead, Wingfield says country-specific company priorities over the next twelve months, highlight a consistent spotlight on consumer demand, making it the main focus area in ten of the 17 countries within the study.
“The priorities by country reveal similarities but also distinct differences, depending on individual market factors. What is more common is the significance of having rich insights into consumer needs to better determine future demand. Retail proficiency will be the shared winning ground, once companies are equipped with consumer understanding, optimal products and meaningful media messages and moments, to connect with consumers.”
“Overall, Africa offers one of the greatest gifts of untapped consumer potential, but requires differentiation, individualisation, resilience and focused but adaptable strategies. It’s not enough to make products available that may have worked elsewhere – they need to be the right fit for Africa’s consumers and appeal to their diverse consumption ‘moods’ and mindsets.”
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited witnessed Santa Claus rally on Wednesday after it closed higher by 0.12 per cent.
Strong demand for Nigerian stocks lifted the All-Share Index (ASI) by 185.70 points during the pre-Christmas trading session to 153,539.83 points from 153,354.13 points.
In the same vein, the market capitalisation expanded at midweek by N118 billion to N97.890 trillion from the preceding day’s N97.772 trillion.
Investor sentiment on Customs Street remained bullish after closing with 36 appreciating equities and 22 depreciating equities, indicating a positive market breadth index.
Guinness Nigeria chalked up 9.98 per cent to trade at N318.60, Austin Laz improved by 9.97 per cent to N3.20, International Breweries expanded by 9.85 per cent to N14.50, Transcorp Hotels rose by 9.83 per cent to N170.90, and Aluminium Extrusion grew by 9.73 per cent to N16.35.
On the flip side, Legend Internet lost 9.26 per cent to close at N4.90, AXA Mansard shrank by 7.14 per cent to N13.00, Jaiz Bank declined by 5.45 per cent to N4.51, MTN Nigeria weakened by 5.21 per cent to N504.00, and NEM Insurance crashed by 4.74 per cent to N24.10.
Yesterday, a total of 1.8 billion shares valued at N30.1 billion exchanged hands in 19,372 deals versus the 677.4 billion shares worth N20.8 billion traded in 27,589 deals in the previous session, implying a slump in the number of deals by 29.78 per cent, and a surge in the trading volume and value by 165.72 per cent and 44.71 per cent apiece.
Abbey Mortgage Bank was the most active equity for the day after it sold 1.1 billion units worth N7.1 billion, Sterling Holdings traded 127.1 million units valued at N895.9 million, Custodian Investment exchanged 115.0 million units for N4.5 billion, First Holdco transacted 40.9 million units valued at N2.2 billion, and Access Holdings traded 38.2 million units worth N783.3 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian food and beverage company, Rite Foods Limited, has extended warm Yuletide greetings to Nigerians as families and communities worldwide come together to celebrate the Christmas season and usher in a new year filled with hope and renewed possibilities.
In a statement, Rite Foods encouraged consumers to savour these special occasions with its wide range of quality brands, including the 13 variants of Bigi Carbonated Soft Drinks, premium Bigi Table Water, Sosa Fruit Drink in its refreshing flavours, the Fearless Energy Drink, and its tasty sausage rolls — all produced in a world-class facility with modern technology and global best practices.
Speaking on the season, the Managing Director of Rite Foods Limited, Mr Seleem Adegunwa, said the company remains deeply committed to enriching the lives of consumers beyond refreshment. According to him, the Yuletide period underscores the values of generosity, unity, and gratitude, which resonate strongly with the company’s philosophy.
“Christmas is a season that reminds us of the importance of giving, togetherness, and gratitude. At Rite Foods, we are thankful for the continued trust of Nigerians in our brands. This season strengthens our resolve to consistently deliver quality products that bring joy to everyday moments while contributing positively to society,” Mr Adegunwa stated.
He noted that the company’s steady progress in brand acceptance, operational excellence, and responsible business practices reflects a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and responsiveness to consumer needs. These efforts, he said, have further strengthened Rite Foods’ position as a proudly Nigerian brand with growing relevance and impact across the country.
Mr Adegunwa reaffirmed that Rite Foods will continue to invest in research and development, efficient production processes, and initiatives that support communities, while maintaining quality standards across its product portfolio.
“As the year comes to a close, Rite Foods Limited wishes Nigerians a joyful Christmas celebration and a prosperous New Year filled with peace, progress, and shared success.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira closed the pre-Christmas trading day positive after it gained N6.61 or 0.46 per cent against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Wednesday, December 24, trading at N1,443.38/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,449.99/$1.
Equally, the Naira appreciated against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment by N1.30 to close at N1,949.57/£1 versus Tuesday’s closing price of N1,956.03/£1 and gained N2.94 on the Euro to finish at N1,701.31/€1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,707.65/€1.
At the parallel market, the local currency maintained stability against the greenback yesterday at N1,485/$1 and also traded flat at the GTBank forex counter at N1,465/$1.
Further support came as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) funded international payments with additional $150 million sales to banks and authorised dealers at the official window.
This helped eased pressure on the local currency, reflecting a steep increase in imports. Market participants saw a sequence of exchange rate swings amidst limited FX inflows.
Last week, the apex bank led the pack in terms of FX supply into the market as total inflows fell by about 50 per cent week on week from $1.46 billion in the previous week.
Foreign portfolio investors’ inflows ranked behind exporters and the CBN supply, but there was support from non-bank corporate Dollar volume.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it witnessed a slight recovery as tokens struggled to attract either risk-on enthusiasm or defensive flows.
The inertia follows a sharp reversal earlier in the quarter. A heavy selloff in October pulled Bitcoin and other coins down from record levels, leaving BTC roughly down by 30 per cent since that period and on track for its weakest quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2022. But on Wednesday, its value went up by 0.9 per cent to $87,727.35.
Further, Ripple (XRP) appreciated by 1.7 per cent to $1.87, Cardano (ADA) expanded by 1.2 per cent to $0.3602, Dogecoin (DOGE) grew by 1.1 per cent to $0.1282, Litecoin (LTC) also increased by 1.1 per cent to $76.57, Solana (SOL) soared by 1.0 per cent to $122.31, Binance Coin (BNB) rose by 0.6 per cent to $842.37, and Ethereum (ETH) added 0.3 per cent to finish at $2,938.83, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
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