E-commerce stimulates business growth

Africa’s growing

middle class is

stimulating the growth

of e-commerce

by purchasing

online in

growing

numbers.

“By 2025,

African

countries

will have

middle class

majorities,

and many are

already becoming

attractive consumer

markets for investors,”

says Mike Higley, managing

director of FedEx Express

Southern Africa.

“Improving physical and

financial infrastructure along

with mobile and internet

connectivity are making Africa,

especially sub-Saharan Africa,

an easier and more attractive

place to do business.

“In 2014, mobile technologies

were responsible for an

estimated 3.8% of global GDP in

Africa, of which two percentage

points came from the associated

productivity increases.

“Mobile phone access per

share of population is higher in

southern Africa than access to

electricity, sanitation, financial

services, or paved roads,” he

adds.