Nonprofits & Activism

4 myths and misunderstandings about doing business in Africa | Nomava Zanazo

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Business in Africa is booming — but international companies are missing out, says emerging markets expert Nomava Zanazo. Rushing in without knowing their customers, businesses underestimate Africans and make costly assumptions about their diversity, preferences and buying power. Sharing…

Published

5 years ago

April 27, 2021

CYBER TECH TV

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

Business in Africa is booming — but international companies are missing out, says emerging markets expert Nomava Zanazo. Rushing in without knowing their customers, businesses underestimate Africans and make costly assumptions about their diversity, preferences and buying power. Sharing the basics about what companies need to know to succeed on the continent, Zanazo debunks four myths and misunderstandings about Africa and its citizens — and invites businesses from overseas to share in its wealth … once they’ve done their research.

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You’re welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know.

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Related Topics:Africa Business Consumerism featured Marketing Shopping TED Talk TED Talks TEDTalk TEDTalks

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46 Comments

zeorhymer6

April 27, 2021 at 2:50 pm

South Africa…the elites of Africa. Please base everything around them.

Reply
user928029174

April 27, 2021 at 2:55 pm

She left out the brown envelopes and back handers needed to do business in south africa, let alone the rest of africa. Another huge concern is shrinkage in businesses, employee theft is astronomical. I’ve seen everything from computers to toilet rolls being stolen from businesses by their staff.

Reply
- Angie
  
  April 27, 2021 at 3:58 pm
  
  What are brown envelopes and back handers?
  
  Reply
- user928029174
  
  April 27, 2021 at 4:00 pm
  
  @Angie money needed to pay corrupt buyers and officials.
  
  Reply
MIDI RESURRECTED AGAIN

April 27, 2021 at 3:13 pm

SMH

Reply
Big Dee

April 27, 2021 at 3:37 pm

Full time professional victims … sitting there while the rest evolved

Reply
- Chi Official President Cao Hexillionaire Star STORE
  
  April 27, 2021 at 4:28 pm
  
  P
  
  Reply
Maulanaisme

April 27, 2021 at 3:38 pm

I like her accent

Reply
lin90210

April 27, 2021 at 4:03 pm

The Western world stereotype that other countries are lower than them…no way…other countries are way more forward and lead the way in developing technology and products

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- N Jones
  
  April 27, 2021 at 8:47 pm
  
  such as?
  
  Reply
sleep lover

April 27, 2021 at 4:10 pm

Thank you so much! Your speech was very useful and interesting!

Reply
William Wright

April 27, 2021 at 4:16 pm

And once they figure out how to market to local African communities, apply those same principles to the US, as US cultures are also quite granular and very diverse and both businesses and customers would be better served if these facts were properly appreciated.

Reply
William Wonka

April 27, 2021 at 4:24 pm

Pass

Reply
Butch Atkinson

April 27, 2021 at 4:40 pm

Is this an advertisement?

Reply
Jimmy's

April 27, 2021 at 4:51 pm

You are smart and brave, thanks for sharing 🙂

Reply
Kevin Matthew Joubert

April 27, 2021 at 4:55 pm

Doing business in South Africa means you need to be prepared to give away half your company to the black connected and this lady is obviously one of them defending the corrupt.Tsek

Reply
BvL

April 27, 2021 at 4:55 pm

Loved this, so many still don’t understand that Africa isn’t one big country

Reply
0 0

April 27, 2021 at 5:21 pm

Is this how all Africa thinks or certain africans. Im sure there is a bit of everything everywhere.

Reply
TopGames 111

April 27, 2021 at 5:25 pm

Fact 5: you can dump oil in nature and get away with it. Talking about you DutchShell.

Reply
- walperstyle
  
  April 28, 2021 at 6:20 am
  
  Oil came from nature, and is leaking naturally in Northern Alberta. We just clean it up. Yet we too have activists that produce nothing and complain all day with no solutions they bring to the table because they think if they make enough noise, people will care about them.
  
  Reply
Shanaya Botão

April 27, 2021 at 5:32 pm

Okay, so she’s inviting foreigners to start business here (in Africa)?

Reply
- user not found
  
  April 27, 2021 at 10:05 pm
  
  First we start new businesses and take over all your larger existing ones, then we move into your local-politics.
  In the end we will run your country like good old times, except, this time we were invited to take over.
  
  Reply
- Shanaya Botão
  
  April 27, 2021 at 10:10 pm
  
  @user not found ????????????
  
  Reply
Wateen Al_sayadi

April 27, 2021 at 6:06 pm

That was really fascinating.. really glad to come across this.

Reply
Mohamed Dianka Traore

April 27, 2021 at 6:21 pm

Great speech we appreciate keep pushing and good luck

Reply
NGUIMENI STEPHANIE

April 27, 2021 at 9:13 pm

Thanks for this beautiful presentation of the REAL AFRICA. These are concepts people really need to understand.

Reply
Beverly Rose

April 27, 2021 at 9:49 pm

*No 1: Don’t Only Hope On Government For Income,*

*No 2: As An Individual Look For Different Self Income Not Only Waiting on Monthly Wages,*

*No 3: Always Save The Little You Can And Think Of What To Do With It When It Become Good For Capital.*

*It’s 100% Good To Have Different Ways To Gain Income*

*Because Government have failed us so therefore let’s try and survive*

Reply
user not found

April 27, 2021 at 10:00 pm

1:39 – There is a lot of money to be made in Africa, but, it does not come from the Africans themselves, it comes from exploiting their natural resources.

Reply
ambereen ahmed

April 28, 2021 at 1:13 am

How wise are the Africans. They should be appreciated more.

Reply
DrJackJeckyl

April 28, 2021 at 1:42 am

Where is the furniture?

Reply
rika

April 28, 2021 at 3:57 am

She is absolutely brilliant

Reply
Govind Bagariya

April 28, 2021 at 4:50 am

Ek video future of block chain technology in India pr bhi banaye.
Block chain is exponentially changing the technology world.
How India’s business sector can implement it?

Request of govind

Reply
D. Vee

April 28, 2021 at 5:42 am

Kill the boer.
. Removes the food

Reply
Ngalla Herdman

April 28, 2021 at 10:45 am

A workmate of mine had a uncle in South Africa he had his leg chopped off because he wouldn’t leave his farm

Reply
Terraena

April 28, 2021 at 11:10 am

OMG she is gorgeous!

Reply
Antony Jones

April 28, 2021 at 4:20 pm

ADA Cardano

Reply
roberto duarte

April 29, 2021 at 3:21 am

The myth about that Africa is one country is true, a lot of people really believe that, and that is almost in all the country

Reply
chonbonachonn

April 29, 2021 at 6:56 am

THANK YOU SO MUCH, grettings from Spain.

Reply
Ottar Kraemer

April 29, 2021 at 11:15 am

Excellent talk! <3

Reply
Irina Pereira

April 29, 2021 at 5:54 pm

Such an interesting talk! Uau!

Reply
Another Name

April 29, 2021 at 8:21 pm

Booring!!!

Reply
Mangold Kelz

April 30, 2021 at 1:18 am

Food for thought

Reply
Esther de Levie

April 30, 2021 at 7:41 am

Bravo, love your content and your powerfull presentation

Reply
Salvatur7

April 30, 2021 at 5:44 pm

I was born and live in South Africa… I wouldn’t do business here. Corruption and incompetence will screw you over.

Reply
Lisa Love Ministries

May 2, 2021 at 1:40 pm

Proverbs 9:10 ????

Reply
Ahegod

May 2, 2021 at 10:33 pm

2:03 Myth 1
4:34 Myth 2
6:55 Myth 3
8:56 Myth 4

Reply

Nonprofits & Activism

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TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

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