The MUNJANI Group is a business alliance entity set to institutionalise the engagement of Africans, their companies and their governments in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) economic integration activities, positioning itself as a business hub and “integrator”, working through several relationships with all governments, economic and social sectors in Africa and the diaspora.
The MUNJANI Group supports the operationalization of the initiative of the Africa Union (AU) and AfCFTA to create a momentum for economic development and trade in Africa, drawing commitments from member states, development partners, and other stakeholders to the high-level objectives and encouraging leadership at the national and sub-regional levels to champion the development agenda. The MUNJANI Group will operate on the philosophy and principles as set below:
Operating Philosophy and Principles
Comprehensive
Taking an African view and ecosystem approach that looks at trade and investment elements and foundations for a robust economy to create the Africa we want.
Transformative
Aiming at a very high magnitude of impact in implementing AfCFTA and AU integration in trade, business models and social cohesion beyond incremental ‘islands’ of success to create the Africa We Want!
Diversity and Inclusivity
Leaving no one behind by creating and giving equal access to opportunities and dealing with risks of exclusion, especially women, youth, and disadvantaged groups.
Home grown and Heritage Based
Promoting home grown local content and solutions while embracing what is good and relevant from outside the continent.
Collaborative
Ensuring collaboration and coordination among African countries, among sectors, and among public and private players through the MUNJANI platform.
To this end, MUNJANI will ride on and harness the benefits under the agreement establishing the AfCFTA entered into force in May 30, 2019 for the 24 countries that had deposited their instruments of ratification. This date marked 30 days after 22 countries had deposited their ratification instruments with the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson – the designated depositary for this purpose, as stipulated in Article 23 of the Agreement.
MUNJANI, as the holding entity, will be controlled by founding members who shall kick-start operations through persons by themselves or through their privately and/or individually, or collectively owned existing companies some of which will be start-ups. Individual private companies can forge own side partnerships and relationships which, from time to time may alter their share and ownership structure, potentially affecting their status of independence and autonomy in favour of one party or the other.
Founding members, ideally, are leaders/experts/notable persons in the identified industries in which they participate, coming from disparate cultural and linguistic shades of the continent – Anglo, Franco, Luso, Arabic, Spanish etc. Cross equity holding through share swaps or direct capital injection between companies may occur.
As a private sector corporation, MUNJANI will seek to partner and support the African Union (AU) objectives in identifying practical solutions towards implementing programmes that will ensure that Africa’s youth and especially women have opportunities to achieve their aspirations through education, entrepreneurship, employment, and engagement.
In the same vein MUNJANI, through the MUNJANI FOUNDATION, will seek to eradicate hunger and poverty among the disadvantaged, foster links and champion causes that will better serve African citizens in working together and ensuring that the voices of the deprived are also heard and that women and the youth are included in the African development discourse.
In support of AfCFTA and AU’s objectives, to create an Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values, and ethics through enterprise collaborations and consequently an Africa whose development is people driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for its children.
MUNJANI Anchor Companies and their Associate Group of companies shall:
- Ensure a formal MUNJANI launch, continental presence and footprint, and engagement process to all the stakeholders including our governments, the AU and AfCFTA.
- Interface in terms of business and social facilitation with public service entities, governments and the AU & AfCFTA.
- Engage in intra African trade based on the tenets of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
- Contribute to the Africa We Want Vision 2063 of the AU through MoUs and agreements on a mutually and economically beneficial basis.
- Be recognized as the respected and reliable source of advice and guidance on intra and global African trade through think-tanking, thought leadership and research and development.
- Be at the forefront of African trade capacity building efforts to improve the visibility/presence, and stature of AFRICA and attain support of national and international organizations in trade fairs, exhibitions, and other expositions while promoting the interests of MUNJANI.
- Continuously improve the work and quality of the MUNJANI outputs and outcomes for greater impact and benefit to MUNJANI membership by engaging governments, public service entities, the AU and AfCFTA.
MUNJANI INVESTMENT DIVISIONS:
The MUNJANI GROUP will kick-start the initiative by embarking on sectors that the collective has identified so far. Other sectors will be added as MUNJANI expands and
attracts more members and further participation by African entrepreneurs both on the continent and in the diaspora.
MUNJANI Investment Divisions identified so far are as follows:
- Infrastructure Development, Construction, Property;
- Digital Transformation;
- Media
- Entertainment and Events
- Branding And Marketing;
- Travel and Tourism
- Minerals And Energy;
- Beneficiation Industries;
- Agro-Processing, Agriculture and Ocean Economy;
- Financial, Legal and Accounting Services;
- Digital Transformation and E-commerce;
- Transport , Logistics, Distribution and Courier Services;
- Automotive Industries;
- Textiles , Clothing, Art, and Crafts;
- Facilities Management, Security and Cleaning Services;
- Health Equipment and Services;
- Manufacturing and Allied Industries.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY DIVISION
OPERATIONAL HUB: Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Abidjan is chosen the hub because Ivory Coast hosts the African Development Bank (AfDB) and is in French speaking West Africa which has advanced infrastructural development projects in progress.
SUPPORTING HUBS: Ethiopia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Ethiopia has been chosen as the supporting hub because of the AU HQ and grand infrastructure projects taking place in that country. Zimbabwe is the head office of Zimbabwe African Infastructure Development Group (ZAIDG), one of MUNJANI’s Anchor companies in this sector and also that Zimbabwe is currently home to two grand power projects at Hwange Power Station and at Kariba. South Africa is the other hub due to its advanced infrastructure; MUNJANI also has a presence in the Egypt engineering and construction sector. This division includes construction, real estate, social infrastructure (roads, airports, recreation, stadia, housing, power stations etc.).
The Infrastructure Development Division focus:
- Infrastructure Development,
- Construction,
- Real Estate and property development,
- Civil Engineering Services,
- Architectural Professional Services,
- Urban Designing and Planning Services,
- Project Management Services,
- Quantity Surveying Services,
- Structural Engineering Services,
- Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services,
One of MUNJANI’s Anchor companies, the Zimbabwe Africa Infrastructure Development Group is a consortium made up of dynamic, innovative and very experienced professional Architects, Urban Designers and Planners, Project Managers, Quantity surveyors, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers and Land Surveyors who have worked on a wide range of developments in Zimbabwe and in a number of countries of the SADC region and in Africa. The
consortium has within its period of establishment managed to avail itself with the state of the art equipment and computer software for the execution of its professional services and the delivery of accomplished construction projects. The Development Group also has to its advantage broad latitude of individual professionals with multicultural experience and knowledge of foreign languages ranging from Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Russian and Slovak which makes it possible to communicate to people from any country effectively.
LEGAL AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES DIVISION
OPERATIONAL HUB: Accra, Ghana – Effiba Amihere & Associates.
SUPPORTING HUBS: Nigeria – Lewis Partners Consulting (LPC) an affiliate of Samuel J. O. & Associates (Attorneys, Governance Professionals, Arbitrators & Notary Public).
This division supports all of MUNJANI structures, inside and outside of MUNJANI, in particular all economic activities as in goods trading and cross border movements. Trade in services will need to navigate the legal pathways of all cross border trade and services. This division is the custodian of the MUNJANI constitution and all its secretariat services, management and financial consultants, public administration, audits and human resources.
MUNJANI’s broad legal competences are diverse but primarily include:
- Construction Law – services clients ranging from Government agencies, public companies, engineers, architects, surveyors and contracts with legal inputs from project management to construction disputes.
- Preparation of bids for supply of products and services for projects
- Advice for clients on compliance with environmental regulations for different projects
- Arbitration services primarily in construction
- Pre-incorporation advice for the incorporation of companies
- Obtaining permits and licenses from statutory bodies, including the provision of notarial services
- Recoveries of debts on behalf of banks and other financial institutions including advisory services on appropriate documents to present before the issuance of such loans
- Institution of legal actions for the claims of unpaid loans.
- Company secretary services
- Administrative and local government laws advising on legal issues pertaining to landed property rights and developmental issues, labour and employment rights and public/private partnership.
- Advice on all aspects of employment, labour and collective bargaining
- Management consulting – research, evaluation, needs assessment, project design, implementation, assessment, monitoring and evaluation for sustainable development.
- Public Administration, Corporate Board Evaluation, Company Audit, Evaluation, Social Work, Community Development, Education and Sustainable Development.
- Management & Financial Consultants, Governance, Compliance & Administrators and Human Resource professionals.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, EDUCATION AND LEADESHIP TRAINING DIVISION:
OPERATIONAL HUB: Kigali, Rwanda.
SUPPORTING HUBS: Johannesburg, South Africa, Nairobi, Kenya –
Young Engineers and Egypt.
Africa is pushing for a digital transformation agenda to digitalise the continent. The agenda includes ICT infrastructure, ICT content development, ICT software etc and e-commerce. We chose Rwanda as the Head Office (note that Kigali is the overall MUNJANI headquarters and a
distinction need be drawn between head office and headquarters).
While SA is ahead in ICT and digital transformation, Rwanda is ideal as head office because the whole world is now looking at Rwanda due to its development pace which includes the proposed Silicon Valley and the fact that a lot of Rwanda government officials sit on continental ICT development bodies etc.
Kenya is chosen as a supporting hub because Kenya is advanced in terms of content development. Microsoft and Google are headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital etc. South Africa is ideal for policy and IT infrastructure as a supporting hub where 5G is big. The next supporting hub would be Cairo, Egypt as the country is also advanced in ICT.
The Digital Transformation Division will focus on:
- Leading digital change; bridging the digital gap,
- Digital advocacy,
- Talent activation for digital transformation,
- Initiate, undertake and oversee ICT and digital projects,
- Undertake IT and digital solutions – infrastructure, software and hardware development,
- Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence (AI),
- Coding,
- Business communication and e-learning tools,
- Cyber Security,
- Equip politicians, academics, business leaders and school-going groups with skills needed to lead in the 4 th Industrial Revolution economy.
Basket of Products and Service.
- Bespoke software development,
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbots,
- Custom Development of Learning Management systems with E-learning content services,
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA),
- 21 st Leadership Training and Development,
- Robotics & Coding for schools.
- Provide simple learning solutions to young engineers for complex educational subjects in science, technology, mechanical engineering, software engineering and mathematics.
MEDIA
OPERATIONAL HUB: Johannesburg, South Africa – PiE Digital.
SUPPORTING HUBS: Ethipia, Nigeria and Ghana
South African based and registered PiE Digital is MUNJANI’s founding media and entertainment Anchor Company. PiE Digital leads all of MUNJANI media interests and
initiatives.
The MUNJANI media and entertainment division primary objective is to link the continent’s media and entertainment operations under the co-ordination and facilitation of a single body in terms of collaborations in major media and entertainment projects. Secondly, MUNJANI seeks to stimulate continental media and entertainment activities for both small and big operators.
This we do in the spirit and in support of AfCTA’s service linkages objectives and optimising network utilisation through a united front under the media and entertainment banner. MUNJANI’s networks extend to faraway lands beyond the African continent through MUNJANI structures in the African diaspora.
The Media and Entertainment Division focuses on the following collaborations:
- Digital services platforms (Ecommerce, fintech etc)
- Online media
- Broadcasting – TV, online/digital and Radio
- Filming and documentaries
- Marketing and sales hubs (local and global markets)
- Mobile Virtual Network Operations
- Events, production, promotion and management
- Content generators and owners
- Syndication services (local and global markets)
MUNJANI opted for South Africa as the media and entertainment head office on account that high quality broadcasting and streaming infrastructure and related networks are located in South Africa. It is from this centre of content that collaborations will be forged with other regions or countries in continental music, recording and promotion franchises as part of the media division terms of reference. Music, MUNJANI has noted, is one of the uniting factors in the continent.
Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria will be supporting hubs – in terms of Ghana this is because it is geographically located in a region that straddles both Anglo and Franco Africa and this is considered ideal for communication purposes to reach a big number of the African population concentrated in West Africa. Nigeria concludes these media tripartite locations of the MUNJANI media and entertainment division as Nigeria is considered a big content generator in music and the film industry. Content will reside in South Africa, music and films in Nigeria and Ghana will be MUNJANI’s hub for promotions and production.
ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC AND EVENTS
OPERATIONAL HUB: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Washington DC, United States of America.
SUPPORTING HUBS: South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana
The Entertainment, Music and Events sectors are closely intertwined with that of the media division, and in MUNJANI’s case both divisions will be working in close collaboration and cooperation for a seamless execution. The division will compile a database of all artists and musicians in the African continent and the diaspora, recruit musicians to record under the MUNJANI MAI-Music label, as well as coordinate MUNJANI events, exhibitions and festivals while spearheading MUNJANI SMME development programme in the arts and entertainment sector.
AFRICOLOGY MEDIA is based both in Washington DC (US) and Addis Ababa and is one of MUNJANI Anchor Companies (visit africologymedia.com). AFRICOLOGY represents authentic music, lifestyles and culture of Africa and the diaspora, a multi-media venture which seeks to fuse the gap between continents and cultures through entertainment, large-scale event organisation, social awareness and philanthropy.
AFRICOLOGY seeks to connect international artists, media developers, active forces and high-net worth consumers by creating platforms for African entertainers, products and ideas through various media platforms – including AFRICOLOGY TV highlighting the strength and uniqueness of the Ethiopian people along with the content from other African nations and the diaspora communities. This includes AFRICOLOGY SHOP which sells culturally-impacting online clothing representing Africa, Caribbean and Latin America streetwise brands.
MUNJANI MANUFACTURING AND TRADE IN SERVICES
OPERATIONAL HUB: Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria – Afriq Products
SUPPORTING HUBS: All countries and all MUNJANI entities
Afrique products is a Nigerian registered entity operating in the finance and manufacturing sector and as a MUNJANI Anchor company is well positioned to establish, liaise and coordinate with both MUNJANI’s affiliate and non-affiliate companies throughout the continent and in the diaspora to cover and facilitate the manufacturing sector needs – especially in trade.
The manufacturing sector is very broad in meaning and application – and this is probably the core and key sector in terms of AfCTA deliverables on the ground. It can also include the essential trade in services component which refers to a wide range of economic activities, including mostly the movement of goods.
MUNJANI has recognised the significance of trade facilitation among Africans as espoused by AfCTA and we place ourselves right at the centre of the economic activities both in manufactured goods and trade in services. Nigeria, supported by all African countries where MUNJANI has a presence and influence, will be the centre of the manufacturing sector centres.
All other MUNJANI divisions impacts on these activities and are key facilitation supporters as services – as exports and as inputs to other exported products – can have a broad impact across local or African economy as a whole.
The MUNJANI Manufacturing division core areas will broadly cover:
- Drive implementation of new market expansion to propel businesses forward and adapt to market changes.
- Oversee strategic planning, market analysis, product development and regulatory compliance
- Negotiate terms of business acquisitions in debt/equity swap, increase business base, solidify market presence and diversify offerings
- Establish start-up investment etc.
All hands will be on deck within MUNJANI to facilitate this wide range of economic activity other than manufactured goods – including transport, tourism, financial services, maintenance, use of intellectual property, telecommunications, accounting and legal services, all of them core competences within MUNJANI.
Indeed rapid advances in information technology and the related growth of inter-continental and global value chains have expanded both the level and the range of services and goods tradable across national borders as we know them. AfCTA seeks to break down those trading borders and MUNJANI has positioned itself to get Africa to really trade with itself with our on-the-ground strategy
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND INVESTMENTS
OPERATIONAL HUB: Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
SUPPORTING HUBS: Egypt and South Africa.
MUNJANI other investment areas to include:
1. HERITAGE, LEGACY AND CULTURE (Coming Soon)
2. BRANDING AND MARKETING (Coming Soon)
3. MINERALS & ENERGY(Coming Soon)
4. BENEFICIATION INDUSTRIES (Coming Soon)
5. AGRO-PROCESSING, AGRICULTURE & BLUE ECONOMY (Coming Soon)
6. TRANSPORT, LOGISTICS, DISTRIBUTION & COURIER SERVICES (Coming Soon)
7. AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES (Coming Soon)
8. TEXTILES, CLOTHING, ARTS AND CRAFTS (Coming Soon)