African Venture Capital: Nigeria and Kenya are leading the continent with startups and fundraising | VentureBeat | Entrepreneur | by Chris O'Brien African Venture Capital: Nigeria and Kenya are leading the continent with startups and fundraising Tags: Africa , global , Kenya , nigeria , starups , vc4a , Venture Capital Image Credit: Screengrab - Startup Kenya While still small compared to much of the rest of the world, Africa’s startup scene is starting to gather momentum, led by Nigeria and Kenya, according to a new report . Published by Venture Capital For Africa, or “VC4A,” the report says that Nigeria has the most startups raising capital, but Kenya has attracted more overall investment. However, it also notes that the startup action is still not widely distributed across the continent, with only a handful of other countries attracting meaningful amounts of entrepreneurs or venture capital investments. “The research shows there are a growing number of businesses that are successfully growing their operations over time and adding much-needed jobs to the African marketplace,” said VC4Africa cofounder Ben White, in a statement. “This is a key message to investors. Now is the time to get involved in this space.” VC4Africa is a platform for connecting entrepreneurs in Africa with investors.

In general, there’s not a lot of solid information on the African startup ecosystem, which is why VC4A says it produced the report. Its findings indicate that from the 113 venture-backed startups in the survey, 21 percent (or 24 startups) are based in Nigeria and have raised $1.4 million. Another 17 percent (19 startups) are based in Kenya and have raised $4.7 million. Also making the list from companies surveyed: Tanzania (12 startups), South Africa (11), Ghana (10), Uganda (10), Cameroon (9), and Egypt (9). These companies had created 1,000 jobs through the end of 2013, the report says, but it’s hoping that number will grow to 5,000 by the end of 2015. Again, these are tiny numbers by Silicon Valley standards. But there’s a reason that European-based companies like Rocket Internet and Chinese are investing a lot of time and money in the region: Its small base of Internet adopters is growing rapidly. The question now is how long before all this activity has a meaningful impact on Africa’s economy.

Southern Africa by Trust Matsilele Last Updated: Wed, 16 Mar 2016 08:00:49 GMT 0 Mugabe's Zimbabwe was one of the wealthiest countries in Sub Saharan Africa on a wealth per capita basis, now the poorest. PHOTO: YouTube In 2000, Zimbabwe was one of the wealthiest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa on a wealth per capita basis, ranked ahead of the likes of Nigeria, Kenya, Angola, Zambia and Ghana, but now, it is ranked the poorest. Vote rigging, the lack of respect for ownership rights, violence, absence of press freedom are some of the reasons that have been cited for the Southern African country’s collapse and ultimate malaise. The 3rd Annual Africa Wealth Report says, people living in Zimbabwe are the poorest on the continent having on average US$200 each. The amount most public servants are earning. ﻿ “Ownership rights are key to facilitating wealth creation. In Zimbabwe, business owners are unsure as to whether their businesses or property will still belong to them a year down the line, which creates a situation where no one will take the chance of investing in the country.," said the report.

Press freedom has also been at the centre of the Zimbabwe crisis. “The banning of the independent media in the early 2000s, which has created a situation where it is impossible for investors to tell what is happening there. Foreign journalists are also not allowed inside Zimbabwe. The only TV footage that comes out of Zimbabwe comes from state-owned TV stations,” adds the report. Zimbabwe has however relaxed a number of its restrictive media laws over the past few years. A number of international media houses have representives within the country. The report surveyed 20 countries - all of them saw a surge in per capita wealth during the period between 2000 and 2015, apart from Zimbabwe. ﻿ While Zimbabwe is collapsing the Island country of Mauritius is rising. The country saw the wealthiest individuals in Africa with US$21,700 in wealth per person. The success of Mauritius has been attributed to secure ownership rights that has seen a large number of wealthy individuals moving there over the past decade. “Low taxes which encourage business formation and appeal to retirees.

Company and personal income tax rates are only 15%, with no inheritance or capital gains tax.” ﻿ What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent - Politics (5) - Nigeria Link. . and for all u ppl talking about botswana or ghana. . .na because say una never travel out of nigeria b4. . . GDP is the gross value of goods and services produced in a country so simply totting up Nigeria's GDP and placing it alongside other African states is silly. Nigeria has a population of at least 150 million. Imagine 2 households, one composed of 10 people with gross income of $100k and another household of 4 people with gross income of $60k, which household do you think is better off? Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by paddylo1 (m): 1:53pm On Dec 19, 2009 GDP is the gross value of goods and services produced in a country so simply totting up Nigeria's GDP and placing it alongside other African states is silly. Nigeria has a population of at least 150 million.

Imagine 2 households, one composed of 10 people with gross income of $100k and another household of 4 people with gross income of $60k, which household do you think is better off? that is exactly why u have to look at GDP. . . if not then a country like equatorial guinea will be considered richer than america. . because of small population. . i will give u another example. . .if lagos was to break away and become a country in africa. . its GDP will be larger than 40african countries or if u take abuja its almost the same thing my point is all this african countries u mention are one city state countries that have tiny populations u cant compare that to serious countries like nigeria southafrica or egypt. . its just being silly. . . better to compare Ghana to lagos. . . Lagos GDP, $34bln Ghana GDP, $16bln paddy_lo: that is exactly why u have to look at GDP. . . if not then a country like equatorial guinea will be considered richer than america. . because of small population. . i will give u another example. .

.if lagos was to break away and become a country in africa. . its GDP will be larger than 40african countries or if u take abuja its almost the same thing my point is all this african countries u mention are one city state countries that have tiny populations u cant compare that to serious countries like nigeria southafrica or egypt. . its just being silly. . . better to compare Ghana to lagos. . . Lagos GDP, $34bln Ghana GDP, $16bln Your point is ridiculous. Who gives a hell about gross income when the average Botswanan is better off than the average Nigerian. So because Nigeria's GDP is larger than the UAE's GDP, Nigeria is more developed or wetin? Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by debosky (m): 2:17pm On Dec 19, 2009 4 Play: Your point is ridiculous. Who gives a hell about gross income when the average Botswanan is better off than the average Nigerian. So because Nigeria's GDP is larger than the UAE's GDP, Nigeria is more developed or wetin?

Not only is it ridiculous, it is off point - no one is asking which is the biggest country with the biggest GDP. The thread is, what are the 5 most developed and that is not dependent on gross GDP or population, but more on GDP per head, standard of living and other such measures. Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by paddylo1 (m): 2:18pm On Dec 19, 2009 Your point is ridiculous. Who gives a hell about gross income when the average Botswanan is better off than the average Nigerian. So because Nigeria's GDP is larger than the UAE's GDP, Nigeria is more developed or wetin? GDP is the wealth/output of a nation measured in dollars. . .if u dont want to recognize that as a valid measure,then its your problem not mine with your so-called measure,the average botswanan is also better off than the average indian. . .since indias GDP per capita is only $800. . chinas gdp per capita is also about $5,500.

i guess botswana is also more developed than india and china since their GDP per capita is $13,000 cause of the tiny population there. . . Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by debosky (m): 2:21pm On Dec 19, 2009 paddy_lo: GDP is the wealth/output of a nation measured in dollars. . .if u dont want to recognize that as a valid measure,then its your problem not mine with your so-called measure,the average botswanan is also better off than the average indian. . .since indias GDP per capita is only $800. . chinas gdp per capita is also about $5,500. i guess botswana is also more developed than india and china since their GDP per capita is $13,000 cause of the tiny population there. . . The ultimate measure of development is the well being of your citizens - so on that measure. . . .YES! There's no point being a big lumbering giant (aka Nigeria) and not be able to develop your nation to improve your standard of living.

Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by paddylo1 (m): 2:22pm On Dec 19, 2009 Not only is it ridiculous, it is off point - no one is asking which is the biggest country with the biggest GDP. The thread is, what are the 5 most developed and that is not dependent on gross GDP or population, but more on GDP per head, standard of living and other such measures. u can see my post above. . .or i will renew it below Nigeria GDP per head, $2300 China GDP per head, $5,500 India GDp per head, $800 botswana GDP per head, $13,000 so i guess from your arguement botswana is more developed than india,china and nigeria combined. . .ode u can see my post above. .

.or i will renew it below Nigeria GDP per head, $2300 China GDP per head, $5,500 India GDp per head, $800 botswana GDP per head, $13,000 so i guess from your arguement botswana is more developed than india,china and nigeria combined. . .ode In terms of wealth, I would rather be a Botswanan than Indian, Chinese or Nigerian. This Paddy Lo is thick. Effectively, he is saying than Nigeria is more developed than the United Arab Emirates or Ireland. Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by naliakar : 2:31pm On Dec 19, 2009 A combination of factors including the GDP, the Human index and probably what Buthan came up with , i.e, Gross National Happiness (GNH) I think if one were to try and ascertain from a country's citizenry whether or not they are happy with the state of affairs in their countries (all dimensions), and take the median response, it might just be possible to come out with a clear scale of developed to least developed African countries.

As it is now, GDP cannot be wished away that easily and per capita income, which would then have Botswana and SA sharing the top position. Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by 4Play (m): 2:31pm On Dec 19, 2009 paddy_lo: [b]GDP is the wealth/output of a nation measured in dollars. . .if u dont want to recognize that as a valid measure,then its your problem not mine You are a consummate olodo. So if a nation of 100m produces $1bn compared to a nation of 10m producing $900m, the nation of 100m is more developed than the nation of 10m? Wouldn't your bovine brain question why the 100 million people are not producing as much per person as the 10 million. That is the true measure of development. Otherwise, one can claim that Nigeria is more developed than Israel despite having lesser GDP per capita. In terms of wealth, I would rather be a Botswanan than Indian, Chinese or Nigerian. This Paddy Lo is thick.

Effectively, he is saying than Nigeria is more developed than the United Arab Emirates or Ireland. good for u. . .i would rather be nigerian. . . ireland had a huge property boom that is popping as we speak. . .there is nothing unique about the economy there as for U.A.E they have oil as we. . .just a tiny population thats all, see link below Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by paddylo1 (m): 2:49pm On Dec 19, 2009 You are a consummate olodo. So if a nation of 100m produces $1bn compared to a nation of 10m producing $900m, the nation of 100m is more developed than the nation of 10m? Wouldn't your bovine brain question why the 100 million people are not producing as much per person as the 10 million. That is the true measure of development. Otherwise, one can claim that Nigeria is more developed than Israel despite having lesser GDP per capita. again u keep shooting yourself in the foot. . .

i will pro rate nigeria and Ghana GDP nigeria population 150mil, GDP $212billion ghanas population 25million GDP $16bln if u prorate ghanas population up to 150 milion. . .thats 25million X 6, and multiply $16billion by 6 u get $96billion. . .less than half of nigerias GDP. . . u can do this for almost all african countries and see that very few will surpass nigeria when pro-rated for population but i dont expect u to get it though. . .perhaps u havent visited nigeria in 20yrs and only hear bad news from CNN Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by honeric01 (m): 3:50pm On Dec 19, 2009 UHM, na una know who develop and who no develop, just give me light, and i will be richer than most of the people living in America and Uk combined.

Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by hannibal1 : 10:26pm On Dec 20, 2009 Well, to be honest, I wonder if there is any We Africans, we are hot-headed and selfish - that's our main problem. It has nothing do with intelligence or natural resources 7.Botswana Guys.Percapita income is useless if individuals leads poor lives Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by edoyad (m): 10:37am On Jan 19, 2010 Joseric those figures of yours are not current, google african GDP and notice that South Africa now has a GDP of well over $400 billion Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by joseeric : 12:11pm On Jan 19, 2010 Yes you are right,but the list reflect some order I guess.

Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by edoyad (m): 12:59pm On Jan 19, 2010 @Joseric but one uses GDP per capita income which is a better reflection you know we fare much worse than many African countries, don't you ? Yes I know we fair worse in GDP,but am talking about wealth distribution. Can you imagine country like Chad has hig her per capita income than Naija, but the poverty bites to the spinal cord.

# 27 Chad: $1,744.00 # 29 São Tomé and Príncipe: $1,638.00 # 30 Togo: $1,600.00 # 33 Congo, Republic of the: $1,379.00 # 34 Mozambique: $1,335.00 # 36 Nigeria: $1,188.00 # 37 Central African Republic: $1,163.00 Sudan has a GDP of $2417 almost 2 times more than Nigeria but close to 70% of the population(Families) lives b below $1 per day. Which means they cannot afford daily meals unless international agencies convene. Nothing to be called roads infrastructure. What am trying to picture here is the well being of indivinduals,not the wealth at the disposal of the government / big bellied politicians to squander. Naija cant be in the top 5 in anyway.

But those mentioning Ghana should pleeaaseee stop Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by mojojojo (m): 11:43pm On Jan 19, 2010 Naija is definitely in the top three. I had a sudanese friend that was amazed when he saw Kano and speechless when he saw Abuja. He spent hours on the phone describing to his friends back home about the buildings, roads and people. Many people have not been to other african countries yet are giving Nigeria a low score. On the world stage Nigeria may not be something, but in Africa we are numera uno in may things. mojojojo: Naija is definitely in the top three. I had a sudanese friend that was amazed when he saw Kano and speechless when he saw Abuja. He spent hours on the phone describing to his friends back home about the buildings, roads and people. Many people have not been to other african countries yet are giving Nigeria a low score. On the world stage Nigeria may not be something, but in Africa we are numera uno in may things. Great, but there's only one problem, he's from Sudan. . .

. . . . . Top three with no constant electricity? I don't think so. Nigeria is definitely in the top 5 whether we like it or not. We have a lot of eyes on us, and it is not just because of our potential. That is also why we are judged with higher standards. And things that we(Nigerians) have been used to thinking are trivial will become big news for the world. P.S. I'm not saying this to big up Nigeria, just trying to state my unbiased opinion. @Ziga How many countries in Africa have you been?Me I have been to 18 countries, to start with :- 1.SUDAN(stretching from north to south), Guys here survive by the mercy of God.Their currency is very strong , they export alot of oil but dont understand the meaning here coz the poverty index is well above 80% if am not wrong.

2.EGYPT is like they are not part of Africa continent.Foolish poverty does not exist and they have very good policies in place.Cairo is like its in another planet.They are self sufficient in agriculture though the whole country is a desert.Transport sector is fanatstic(high speed diesel trains, electric trains plying allover Cairo and Alexandria like busses,Roads are super class,one of the biggest airports in Africa and middle east),Best education.Peace prevails all over and security is the best in the continet 24/7. 3.DRC , the country with the highest mineral resources in Africa is completely down coz of political instability.There are some goons with lots of money coz of minerals but the rest of the population struggles with poverty. 4.CAMEROON is damaged by corruption but the manufacturing and agriculture economies are good.Roads have been neglected,, wealth is with few pple, but not so bad though it supplies processed goods to Chad, Gabon and Congo Brazzaville. 5.ZAMBIA is not doing so well despite having alot of copper 6.ZIMBAMBWE is dead.

7.SOUTH AFRICA is no boubt the giant of Africa(allaround economy) tho unemployment still bites a little with lots of muggers and pick pockets in Johannesburg.Best education institutions are there. They are hosting world cup this year. They have build next generation stadia which will be a benefit after the world cup.They willl reap alot from the world and their status is changed for good.They are one of the G20 members.They are top 20 industriaqlized countries in the world.Biggest airline in africa. 8.RWANDA is trying to recover from 1994 genocide but poverty and poor wealth distribution still persist.They rely heavily on agriculture and they are yet to have local proffesionals, they depend on Chinese, Kenyans and Ugandans brains. 9.BURUNDI is almost on its knees even you can see from peoples faces at Bunjubura the capital city,but of late they signed cease fire with rebels and things will improve. 10.UGANDA is trying, Agriculture is doing well,Education sector one of the best,they recently struck oil and if they dont get the oil curse they will do fine.A country to watch!! .

11.TANZANIA is doing well in agriculture,tourism,diamond mining,.Wealth is distributed well accross the country but percapita is low.

12.KENYA is the power house of East and cental Africa dominating agriculture.,education,manufacturing(you will always see "made in Kenya" on almost 85% of anything you consume with industrial zone covering 1/3 of nairobi the capital city),banking,Transport ,infrastructure,tourism and ICT technology markets(THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO SEND MONEY VIA MOBILE PHONE BACK IN 2004),,the country equally developed but corruption in the government still sucks but the corrruption effect doesnt afeect the economic growth on the downward terend, they are shooting high no matter what.Multinational companies prefer to have their Head Quaters for Africa in Nairobi due to its position to penetrate the continent(thanks to kenya Airways and friendly policies) and that is giving Kenya advantege.USA also uses Kenya as Terrorist fighting base and that comes with a package and risks of being alqaeda targets also.These have made good progress in creating employments copuled with well eductaed population and good business policies. 13.SOMALI is a failed state.

14.GABON is ok coz of oil revenues ,but corruption is too much and is like they never manufacture anything locally, they import even beer. 15.ETHIOPIA is another stable country but they dont embrace technolgy.they are rigid to change. but they are well at least in several sectors.like infrastructure,electricity,transport. 16.DJIBOUTI no comments. 17.SAO TOME , A population of 150,000 people, is like everybody knows each other, they depend on international aid , but they hope to strike oil at the coast line, 18.Angola, A force to reckon, Lots of money coming in , infrastructure coming up day and night, wait and see.

FINALLY NAIJA-HOME., Has the highest number of cars(close to the total of the continent),biggest oil exporter,Lots of educated population,the biggest local trade with lots of it population being business men , every european country need to market in NAIJA, electricity is in a mess,Has the gighest urbanisation, guys have money to spend around, we are the highest in corruption in the continent(but this is because every eye is on us, there are other countries which are equally corrupt e.g Cameroon).Nigeria syas alot as far as africa is concerned.Toughest business men emege from here.best brains are here even if is frauds or hacking systems talk of Nigeria, We are the only country in the world where an indivindual cannot send money out of the country by western union coz of the fraud threat and that says alot on innovation. Movie industry is also doing so well , Nigerian movies are viewed allover the continet.Some countries think Naija is an extraordinary place.They fancy Nollywood actors and actress even to an extent of naming their kids after them.

Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by yoruba : 8:20am On Jan 21, 2010 Finally NAIJA, Has the highest number of cars(close to the total of the continent),biggest oil exporter,Lots of educated populatio,the biggest local trade with lots of it population being business men , every european country need to market in NAIJA, electricity is in a mess,Has the gighest urbanisation, guys have money to spend around, we are the highest in corruption in the continent(but this is because every eye is on us, there are other countries which are equally corrupt e.g Cameroon), South Africa has biggest car production in all of Africa and the biggest production of right hand steering cars in the Southern Hemisphere. 70% of European investment coming in to Africa is invested in South Africa. South Africa is the biggest investor to Africa(Including Naija) Politically; All of Southern Africa region bows down to South Africa. 1. The rand was the best performing currency against the US Dollar between 2002 and 2005 (Bloomberg Currency Scoreboard) 2.

South Africa has 55,000 high net-wealth individuals holding at least US$1million in financial assets (World Wealth Report 2008) 3. South Africa has the 27th biggest economy in the world, with a Gross Domestic Product of US$254 billion (World Bank) 4. South Africa accounts for almost 25% of the GDP of the entire African continent. (World Bank) 5. Gauteng is South Africa’s smallest province but produces 34% of South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (Stats SA) 6. The JSE Securities Exchange is the 14th largest equities exchange in the world, with a total market capitalisation of some R2.3 trillion (JSE) 7. More than 12,000 'Black Diamond' families (South Africa’s new black middle class) - or 50,000 people - are moving from the townships into the suburbs of South Africa's metro areas every month (UCT Unilever Institute) 8.

The black middle class grew by 30% in 2005, adding another 421,000 black adults to SA's middle-income layer and ramping up the black population's share of SA's total middle class to almost a third. Between 2001 and 2004, there were 300,000 new black entrants to the middle class (Financial Mail) 9. South Africa has the world’s largest deposits of gold, chromium, platinum and manganese. Has been the number 1 producer of gold since 1905 and has mined more than 60% of the earth's gold. 1 Like 1 Share Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by Mpele (m): 8:33am On Jan 21, 2010 Without a doubt, South Africa is the most developed country in Africa, our economy is the biggest in the continent, we're a member of the G20! our infrastructure is even better than some in Europe and Ameria.

Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by yoruba : 8:46am On Jan 21, 2010 Johannesburg: Has the record for the biggest deposits of gold in the world, known as eGoli which means city of gold. It is the 18th largest city by land area and was known to be one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It has the biggest infrastructure in Africa, so big that it could host the African Nations Cup alone: Soccer city Stadium: 90 000 capacity; Ellis Park: 69 000 capacity; Orlando Stadium: 40 000 capacity; Rand Stadium: 35 000 capacity. It has the biggest urban forest in the world, Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto is the biggest hospital in the Southern Hemisphere.

The tallest building in Africa is in Johannesburg (Carlton centre) Re: What Are The 5 Most Developed Countries On The African Continent by bkbaybe99 : 11:41am On Jan 21, 2010 Mpele: Without a doubt, South Africa is the most developed country in Africa, our economy is the biggest in the continent, we're a member of the G20! our i[b]nfrastructure is even better than some in Europe and Ameria[/b]. If u say yall got better infrastructure than places in europe, i'll assume u mean places like kosovo and Albania, so i'ma let u slide. But if u ever, ever, ever, compare ya'll infrastructure to anywhere in America I'll hope to God u mean South America and not the blessed continent of North America. Matter fact, if u mean North America, for your own good I hope I hope your mind aint crossing the Mexican border. If u as much as even dare compare your country to the mighty United States or its lil Binch ho, Canada, I will come ova to whereva u at and slap the hell out your Lucky Dube murdering azsss!!!!

List of Countries In Africa List of Countries In Africa List of Countries In Africa List of Countries In Africa The second largest continent in the world, after Asia, Africa covers approximately 6 percent of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4 percent of the total land area. It is also the second most-populous continent, again after Asia, and is made up of 53 countries, including Madagascar and various island groups. Africa is the only continent on earth that stretches from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones. It is also the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earth's exposed surface. In the following lines, we have listed the alphabetical list of African countries.

List of Countries In Africa: Algeria (People's Democratic Republic of Algeria) Angola (Republic of Angola) Cape Verde (Republic of Cape Verde) Central African Republic (Central African Republic) Chad (Republic of Chad) Comoros (Union of the Comoros) Cï¿½te d'Ivoire (Republic of Cï¿½te d'Ivoire) Djibouti (Republic of Djibouti) Egypt (Arab Republic of Egypt) Equatorial Guinea (Republic of Equatorial Guinea) Eritrea (State of Eritrea) Ethiopia (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia) Gabon (Gabonese Republic) Gambia (Republic of The Gambia) Ghana (Republic of Ghana) Libya (Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) Madagascar (Republic of Madagascar) Mauritania (Islamic Republic of Mauritania) Mauritius (Republic of Mauritius) Nigeria (Federal Republic of Nigeria) Republic of the Congo (Republic of the Congo) Rwanda (Republic of Rwanda) Sierra Leone (Republic of Sierra Leone) Somalia (Somali Republic) South Africa (Republic of South Africa) Sudan (Republic of Sudan) Tanzania (United Republic of Tanzania) Togo (Togolese Republic) Western Sahara (Sahraw

i Arab Democratic Republic) Zambia (Republic of Zambia) Connecting Continents – Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Africa - Africa.com Connecting Continents – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Africa ­ Previous Next Connecting Continents – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Africa The link between African Americans and Africans is a long, deep, complex, biological and social connection. Black people on each side of the Atlantic look to the other for inspiration as part of the global African diaspora, brought closer now than at any other time over our communal 400+ year history because of advances in technology and transportation. Martin Luther King Jr. was drawn to Africa as most, if not all, African Americans are. For him, in the late 50s, was because he believed that because of colonialism, those on the continent could most closely relate to the struggles of racism in the United States. His fight for freedom and equal rights for African Americans made him popular among African leaders. In 1957, he received a personal invitation from Ghana’s new Prime Minister Kwame Nkuramah to attend that country’s Independence celebrations.

And so, in March that year, he and his wife Coretta Scott King, made their first trip abroad to Ghana’s capital, Accra to witness the British Union Jack flag coming down for the last time, and the new Ghana flag going up. Martin Luther King Jnr. and Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana Dr. King later recounted how he felt when he learnt he would be coming to the West African in a radio interview: “…the minute I knew I was coming to Ghana I had a very deep emotional feeling, I’m sure. Thinking of the fact that a new nation was being born symbolized something of the fact that a new order is coming into being and an old order is passing away. So that I was deeply concerned about it. And I wanted to be involved in it, and be a part of it, and notice the birth of this new nation with my own eyes. So that that is why I’m here.” He believed that the events there stood as a symbol of hope for other nations. This same thought was repeated a month later when he delivered a sermon to the congregation at a Baptist Church in Montgomery. Titled “Birth of a New Nation”, Dr.

King did much to educate others about the Africa he knew most saw merely as the “Dark Continent”. In his part sermon – part history lesson, he highlighted various countries across the continent, including Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia, Kenya, and of course Ghana. Dr. King spoke about exploitation, the “scramble for power”, and about the pain and suffering of its people. He uses Ghana’s story and the journey of Prime Minister (later President) Kwame Nkuramah to help inspire those in the congregation, saying: “Ghana reminds us that freedom never comes on a silver platter. It’s never easy…Ghana reminds us of that. You better get ready to go to prison. When I looked out and saw the prime minister there with his prison cap on that night, that reminded me of that fact, that freedom never comes easy. It comes through hard labor and it comes through toil. It comes through hours of despair and disappointment.” Dr. King continued with his labor, always maintaining close relations with many African leaders, again traveling to West Africa in November 1960 to attend the Inauguration of Nigeria’s Nnamdi Azikiwe in Lagos.

Little was know about that visit, up until last year. One summers day in August, in what was likely a dusty corner in a dark attic, a tape was discovered in a house in Tennessee. Described as “extremely rare discovery”, it was simply labelled: Dr. King interview, Dec. 21, 1960. The tape contained at least 10 minutes of never before heard audio of Dr. King. He had much to say about Africa, including thoughts on his trip to Nigeria: “I just returned from Africa a little more than a month ago and I had the opportunity to talk to most of the major leaders of the new independent countries of Africa and also leaders of countries that are moving toward independence. They are familiar with it and they are saying in no uncertain terms that racism and colonialism must go for they see the two are as based on the same principle, a sort of contempt for life, and a contempt for human personality.” Four years later, Dr. King lent his voice to speak out against racism in South Africa. En route to Oslo in December 1964 to receive a Nobel Peace Prize as the youngest recipient at that time, King stopped off in London where he spoke at the City Temple Hall.

There he stood in front of a crowd, calling for continued sanctions against South Africa’s apartheid government, and further urging those part of the civil rights movement to continue their fight, both for their own rights and in solidarity to those in South Africa. “It is in this situation, with the great mass of South Africans denied their humanity, their dignity, denied opportunity, denied all human rights; it is in this situation, with many of the bravest and best South Africans serving long years in prison, with some already executed; in this situation we in America and Britain have a unique responsibility. For it is we, through our investments, through our Governments` failure to act decisively, who are guilty of bolstering up the South African tyranny.” Dr. King continued spreading this message and other messages, fighting for the ideals he so famously captured in his 1963 “I have a dream speech”. Less than five years later he was assassinated. The coincidence that the US presidential inauguration takes place on MLK Day every four years is especially poignant when the president being inaugurated hails from Africa.

On MLK Day 2013, Africans and African Americans celebrate our collective accomplishment in that the leader of the free world for the next four years is a member of our tribe. Africa: Continent Can Accelerate Growth Despite Commodities Slowdown - allAfrica.com allAfrica.com guest column By Donald Kaberuka The apparent end to the commodity super-cycle has sent shock waves across the global economy. It has sparked turbulence in world stock markets, put pressure on currencies, and fuelled major concerns about prospects for growth and the stability of public finances. Africa has not escaped this pessimism. Questions have been asked about the continent's economic future, with widespread fears that the remarkable gains of the last two decades could be reversed. The mood reminds me of the IMF/World Bank meetings I attended at the height of the Asian Financial Crisis nearly twenty years ago, when analysts were predicting the Asian miracle was at an end. They underestimated the potential of Asia then, and I believe the potential of Africa is being underestimated now. As someone who led the African Development Bank for a decade until 2015 and witnessed first-hand the continent's economic transformation, I believe Africa is much more resilient than this current knee-jerk pessimism suggests.

Instead, I believe that if the right policies are put in place and well-targeted private investment continues, the continent's progress will actually accelerate. I am not suggesting that the rise in demand and prices for commodities has not been important for Africa's economic progress. But the continent's turnaround began well before the commodity bull-run. The focus on commodities has downplayed the importance of other sectors such as IT and services. Recent statistical reviews of the economies of countries such as Nigeria and Ghana, for example, have shown the size and growth of these sectors have been consistently under-estimated. Nigeria, of course, as a major oil producer, is among the African economies more heavily dependent on natural resource revenues. For these countries, tough decisions will be needed to find alternative sources of revenues. There may be short-term pain, but many countries have seen the benefits of such reforms in the past The reality, however, is that only a very few out of Africa's 54 countries are heavily dependent on mineral wealth. It is investment and growth in regional trade and consumer demand, which have been the main drivers of their growth. These economies - which include Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda - stand to gain from lower oil prices.

They are already seeing less pressure on their balance of payments. Even among the relatively few countries where mineral wealth is a major driver of growth, there are other factors which give reasons for optimism. In particular, Africa stands to gain hugely from its demographic dynamics. Record numbers of young people will be entering the labour market in the next decade. This technologically engaged young workforce can become drivers not just of African but also of global growth. The challenge is how we ensure we don't waste this huge opportunity. Private capital has a crucial role to play. In 2005, under my leadership, the AfDB took the decision to encourage private investment in the continent. As investors began to realise that risks - largely related to the cost of doing business - were outweighed by returns, we saw private sector lending grow rapidly from $500 million to $3 billion a year. Intelligent use of private capital, such as private equity asset classes, can drive Africa's next leap forward. Thoughtful long-term investment is needed to meet the continent's energy and infrastructure needs. But it can also enable African companies to grow to seize the opportunities a fast-growing population will create, in sectors from education and healthcare to household utilities.

I have seen for myself time and time again the ability of Africans to innovate. Private equity can help play a transformative role on the continent by providing the capital to scale up and globalise African companies so they become household names across the world. Africa's future progress is, of course, by no means guaranteed. It faces plenty of challenges. But the answers are known, which include better regulations, predictable policies, modern infrastructure and deeper economic integration. But provided these solutions are put in place and well-targeted private investment continues to flow, I believe Africa can look forward to a new and bright chapter. Far from the softening of commodity prices reversing Africa's economic gains, I see a prosperous future built on real, sustainable growth rather than simply nature's inheritance. Donald Kaberuka is a Senior Advisor to TPG/Satya. From 2005 to 2015, he served as President of the African Development Bank Group. A version of this article has appeared on CNBC Africa. Copyright © 2016 allAfrica.com. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media ( allAfrica.com ). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 700 reports a day from more than 140 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . Kenya Map / Geography of Kenya / Map of Kenya - Worldatlas.com Kenya is named after Mount Kenya, a major landmark and the second highest mountain peak in Africa , and its first inhabitants were hunter-gatherers related to modern Khoisan speakers. Bantu-speaking farmers began to populate the region by the first millennium AD followed quickly by Arab traders. A Persian Prince of Shiraz, Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi, founded the medieval Kilwa Sultanate during 10th century, which at its peak spanned the entire length of the Swahili Coast, including Kenya. Arab migrants soon began settling the coast, and established autonomous city-states.

Eventually, elaborate mosques were built and Islam was introduced to the region. In 1888, the Imperial British East Africa Company arrived, and built the Kenya-Uganda railway. The British moved to and settled the interior central highlands, becoming wealthy from the farming of coffee and tea. As more Europeans arrived, their political power over the region grew - a result of their contribution to the economy. However, the Kikuyu people habituated the land prior, and in order to protect their interests the Europeans banned farming and introduced a hut tax against the tribe. Subsequently, many natives began to move to cities as their ability to provide a living from the land diminished. After decades of colonial rule the country gained its independence from Great Britain in December, 1963 and on December 12 1964, the Republic of Kenya was proclaimed. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta became its first president and remained in office until his death in 1978. Daniel arap Moi became president following Kenyatta's death and retained that office until 1988. (He ran unopposed in elections held in 1979, 1983 and 1988).

The 1988 election was done by the mlolongo (queuing) system – voters lined up behind their favorite candidate instead of using a secret ballot. This led to a constitutional reform. Daniel arap Moi was reelected in multiparty elections in 1992 and 1997. He was constitutionally barred from running in 2002 and Mwai Kibaki won and was then re-elected in 2007. Violence erupted following the 2007 election with the Kikuyu people being targeted, and Kibaki's opponent, Raila Odinga, accusing the government of fraud. His supporters carried out attacks for months, until UN Secretary General Kofi Annan brought both sides together and negotiations were ultimately reached. President Kibaki has focused his efforts on generating economic growth, combating corruption, improving education, and rewriting its constitution. As a result, Kenya has remained stable, despite changes in its political system and crises in neighboring countries. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is the fourth and current President of Kenya, in office since 9 April 2013.

Kenya's population is relatively young – over 70% are under the age of 30. The population has also increased rapidly – in just over 80 years, it has grown from less than 3 million to 44 million. See Also

Question: The countries Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya are all in which continent?
Answer: Africa