In 2018, Business Insider Sub-Saharan Africa produced amazing stories across the African markets and some are reproduced at the international level via BI platforms across the globe.
Here are the top African stories of 2018 our readers enjoyed the most.
Finance
1. Five Nigerian banks make it to the list of top 1,000 global banks
In June, we torchlight on 5 Nigerian banks that made to the list of 1000 global financial institutions using The Banker’s report.
Using The Banker report, Africa’s economic fortunes improved over the 2017 review period following a difficult couple of years in which lower commodity prices hit the performance of the continent’s largest markets.
Africa’s highest movers table was dominated by lenders from South Africa. Among the top 10 African banks by Tier 1 capital, only Nigeria’s Zenith Bank made the list, South Africa’s Standard Bank scooped the top spot with $10 billion capital. This, the report stated, was a significant jump from the $8.6 billion in Tier 1 capital the bank recorded in the 2017 ranking. Accordingly, its position in the global table has climbed from 149th to 145th.
2. Aliko Dangote is Africa’s richest man for the seventh straight year, as Econet founder joins the three-comma club
In January, Aliko Dangote was named as the richest person in Africa for the seventh year in a row by Forbes magazine.
According to Forbes, Dangote remains at the top of the list with total assets worth $12.2billion. This is over $100 million increase in his wealth compared to 2017. The increase is inched on the rise of his companies’ share price on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
In 2018, there are 23 billionaires in Africa as against 21 from 2017. Within the year, Africa has produced new billionaires – Micheil Le Roux, Strive Masiyiwa and Desmond Sacco.
With a net worth of $12.2 billion, Aliko Dangote is Africa’s richest man
3. Here is a list of the 10 biggest economies in Africa
In May, we looked at the richest African economies using data from the World Economic Forum provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The full annual list, which was published in April 2018, analyses the “identifiable wealth” of all the countries in the world through the current prices of Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Here is the list of 10 biggest economies in Africa
4. Zambia is reportedly in talks with China over acquiring its main power company after defaulting on loan repayment
In July, Zambia was reportedly talking with China over a possible takeover of the country’s electricity company, ZEWASCO, after defaulting on loan repayment.
A Africa Confidential report claimed that Zambia risks losing its sovereignty to China which is bound to seize its national assets once the government defaults on loans. Zambia later denied the report.
A group photograph with Chinese President Xi Jinping and African leaders attending the Forum on China-African Cooperation in Beijing, China, Monday September 3, 2018.
Lifestyle
5. These are the 15 beautiful wives that King Mswati III has married
Late 2017, Business Insider SSA did a feature story into the beautiful queens of the 49-year-old King Mswati III unveiled virgin brides after a week-long Umhlanga Reed Dance
King Mswati is well-known for hosting the annual traditional reed ceremony held in September or October where he gets to pick a new wife every year.
Thousands of unmarried and childless girls and women travel from the various chiefdoms to Ludzidzini to participate in the eight-day event, and would-be brides are publicly checked to ascertain their virginity.
READ the story here
6. Africa’s richest man, Dangote shows off the billion-dollar dance at daughter’s wedding
In March 2018, Business Insider SSA captured the billionaire, Aliko Dangote’s dollar dance at his daughter’s wedding in Lagos, Nigeria.
picture-of-Dangote-and-Bill-Gate
The African richest man whose net worth was $12 billion was spotted dancing to Afro-pop star, Davido’s Fia as guests sang along in a video.
The lavish wedding reception for his beautiful daughter, Fatimah and her husband, Jamil Abubakar was attended by Bill Gate, another world billionaire.
7. Meet the 21st-century filthy rich kings of Africa
In August, we looked at kingdoms and dynasties on the African continent carry a high level of influence.
Check out the top four wealthiest kings in Africa. Enjoy!
8. How Victor Wanyama makes and spends his millions
In March, Business Insider took a look at how football star, Victor Wanyama makes and spends his fortune.
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Wanyama is arguably the best paid Kenyan athlete earning millions per month at Tottenham while having various endorsement deals.
Read the the amazing insight into the lifestyle of this football star
Politics
9. These are the 21 most corrupt countries in Africa
In February, we looked at the Transparency International’s report on the Corruption Perceptions Index, a global ranking of fairness across the world and compiled a list of 21 countries perceived as most corrupt in Africa.
See the 21 countries perceived as corrupt in Africa
10. These are the 10 worst countries for business in Africa in 2018
In October, BISSA analysed the first the American business magazine, Forbes’ index on best country to do business on the continental.
The magazine based the ranking on innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, trade and monetary), red tape and investor protection.
Do have a read here
Sports
11. Here are the 10 most valuable football brands in the world right now
In August, we analysed top 10 most valuable football brands in the world using Brand Finance Football 50 study.
From the list, Manchester United, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are the top leading football clubs in the world with the most valuable brands. See others HERE
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Strategy
12. Nigeria now has the largest foreign reserve in Africa
In August, we looked at the foreign reserves of major African economies and as at that time, Nigeria was leading in foreign reserves.
Barely few months after emerging from its record worst recession, Nigeria recovered as largest in Africa by beating South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya in external reserves with total net reserves of $47,804,549,761.
Here is a look at major external reserves of major African countries
President Muhammadu Buhari and Godwin Emefiele at the 4th Meeting of the Presidential Task Force on ECOWAS single currency in Niamey Niger Republic
13. Here are all the countries Ghanaian can visit without a visa in 2018
From Swaziland, Seychelles, Madagascar, Kenya, all these and 23 more countries you can visit without a visa. Read here
14. 7 Nigerian billionaires who don’t like show off
In June, we profiled some of the Nigerian billionaires whose businesses are known and widely accepted but owners’ personalities and lifestyles are shredded from the public.
Some Nigerian billionaires find discomfort in showing off their wealth and their activities are far away from the social media space.
7 Nigerian billionaires who don’t like show off
Tech
15. BISSA visited the 6 Google Stations in Lagos to test the Wi-Fi an what we found out will excite you
In August, a week after tech giant, Google launched its free Wi-Fi in Nigeria, starting with Lagos, Business Insider senior reporter, visited the 6 locations tested the speed, upload and downloading time of the service.
I visited the 6 Google Stations in Lagos and here’s what I found out about the free Wi-Fi
He also talked to people using the public Wi-Fi and filed an interesting report from the fieldwork.