Increased mining activity
in West Africa is boosting
growth in other sectors,
says Karel-Jan Nothnagel,
managing member of Afri-
Cross Logistic Solutions.
As a freight logistics
provider, especially involved in
the Angolan market, Nothnagel
and his team are familiar with
the host of challenges that
exist in emerging markets –
especially Africa.
“A successful supply chain
remains one of the biggest
challenges in Africa,” he says
– and in the West African
context, dealing with customs
remains an issue.
“It probably is and always
will be the biggest challenge
as customs procedures are
complex and long-winded. At
the same time it is also a very
difficult environment for clients
who want to repatriate funds
from Angola and we have built
up some expertise in this regard
and can now help with getting
all the required documents in
place.”
With their own clearing
offices into Angola and their
vast first-hand knowledge in
dealing with the West African
market, Nothnagel is extremely
positive about the future.
“Growth has been very good
in this region in all sectors but
especially in the mining sector
which bodes well for all the
other sectors to grow. We have
especially seen some significant
growth in the road transport of
perishable goods into Angola.”
And it is growth that is
expected to be maintained.
“At the same time the
logistics processes into Angola
and West Africa are getting
better. Modernisation of the
customs system in Angola has
made the process slightly easier,
while new customs offices have
opened up in Santa Clara with
new holding areas for trucks,
thus decreasing clearance times
– all aspects that have been
challenging in the past.”
He said all of this had helped
to improve transit times from
loading in Cape Town or
Jo’burg to delivery in Luanda
within seven to
nine days.
Nothnagel
says in light of
all this the company
plans to grow its
operations into Zambia
and the DRC as it is already
trucking from Cape Town into
Kinshasha.
INSERT
In the West African
context, Customs
red tape remains
an issue.
