![]() |
According to the author, this five-part study broadly "provides experiential and comprehensive insight on doing business successfully in Africa." While national governments have done much in recent years to stimulate business expansion and integration throughout the fifty-five nations in Africa, much has been accomplished independently by companies themselves and by individual citizens. Iweriebor first examines the historical manifestations of pan-African integration, then moves into a discussion of contemporary efforts to harmonize business law and commercial practice by establishing liberating free trade acts and other organized means.
The text briefly—but thoroughly and with clearly noted references—examines historical and modern examples of many business arenas in which platforms for intra-African commerce and cultural exchange are being developed, including the banking and financial services industry, mining and metallurgy, oil and energy, agriculture, transportation, IT and communication, sports, churches and religious organizations, and the expansion of African-centered film and music industries. Specifically examined in more depth are examples such as the tea industry of Cameroon, Ethiopian Airlines, the Moroccan film industry, Nigeria's Nollywood ("a dominant pan-African socio-cultural integrative mechanism"), and the role of sports in uniting African nations. Media and social media as related to pan-African integration is another topic aptly presented.
The multidimensional challenges of political and economic integration caused by the lingering effects of colonialism and politics, as well as the linguistic, cultural, and social barriers, are effectively addressed in addition to the successes. The author's personal insights from his work in Nigerian banking and his journeys around the continent are a valuable addition to the data presented. This informative text is an important resource for both students of economics and social studies, as well as lay readers interested in the development of African nations.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review