Seizing the Opportunity

In recent issues many of our construction industry success stories have gone against the grain of the market, like an underdog victory to apply a sporting context. The troubles faced by many countries’ building industries are serious, forcing companies to adapt, innovate and in many cases cut back to survive – however, this edition’s lead interview takes places against a far more upbeat backdrop. Tanzania’s construction sector is on the up. According to the country’s National Bureau of Statistics, it is the biggest driver of gross domestic product, registering a growth rate of 13.2 percent in the first quarter of 2019. This is good news for suppliers such as Twiga Cement, a subsidiary of global giant Heidelberg. Speaking to us in an exclusive interview, Commercial Director Yves Mataigne describes the scene: “Growth is aggressive and is mainly down to the amount of construction projects going on – the government has rolled out a clear strategy whereby the further industrialisation of Tanzania is to be accelerated, and one of the key facilitators of this is the implementation of infrastructure.” Another industry producing optimistic signals is mining in Senegal. Here, Teranga Gold is helping to deliver tremendous socioeconomic benefit from the nation’s sizable gold reserves in Sabodala, a small rural township situated in the southeast of the country. We spoke to CEO Richard Young about the company’s work here and in Burkina Faso. These are just two of many success stories in this packed issue, with other industry insights covering manufacturing, healthcare, supply chain, retail and finance. Technology also forms a strong focus to this magazine, with exclusive interviews from Schneider Electric and Uganda’s Roke Telkom. Before this you will find a doubled-up topical focus section homing in on education and how technology should and is being used to deal with issues such as the digital skills gap. Microsoft and BT are our contributing voices to these articles. Rounding off our tech-centric front section is an interview with Siemens Senior Vice President Digital Industries for Southern and Eastern Africa, Ralf Leinen. Be sure to also visit a busy travel guide supplement, featuring in-depth insights to the tourism offerings in Uganda, Botswana and the Gauteng region of South Africa, each destination with their own story to tell.

Enjoy the issue!

Tom Wadlow

Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing