Africa Trade Insights
29 practical guides on doing business across the Africa global trade corridor, written by the team that does this work every day.
Africa Market Entry
How much does it cost to enter the African market?
A breakdown of the real cost of entering an African market, from registration and licensing to compliance, staffing and working capital.
Do I need a local partner to do business in Africa?
When African markets legally require local shareholding, when a local partner is merely commercially useful, and how to tell the difference.
Which African countries are easiest for foreign companies to enter?
Which African markets have the lowest setup friction for foreign businesses, and why ease of registration is the wrong thing to optimise for.
How long does it take to register a business in Kenya?
Realistic timelines for registering a company in Kenya, and why becoming operational takes considerably longer than incorporation.
How long does a business permit take in Kenya?
County permit timing, Nairobi’s Unified Business Permit, documents, inspections and the steps after incorporation.
Export Africa
What documents do I need to export goods from Kenya?
The core export documentation set for Kenya, plus the product-specific certificates that cause most delays at the border.
Which African products have the highest export demand?
The African export categories with the strongest international demand, and why processing capacity matters more than commodity selection.
How does AGOA duty-free access work for African exporters?
How AGOA duty-free access to the United States works, the three qualifying tests, and why it should be treated as an advantage rather than a guarantee.
How do I find verified international buyers for my products?
The channels that actually produce serious international buyers for African exporters, and how to verify them before you ship.
Verify Business
How long does business verification in Africa take?
Realistic timelines for standard verification and full due diligence on African counterparties, and what causes them to extend.
How can I avoid trade fraud when sourcing from Africa?
The common trade fraud patterns affecting international buyers sourcing from Africa, and the controls that prevent them.
How do I verify if an African company is legitimate?
A practical verification sequence for checking whether an African company is real, solvent and capable of delivering what it has promised.
What is included in a business due diligence report?
What a complete due diligence report on an African counterparty should contain, and how to tell a real assessment from a document dump.
Trade Consultation
How do I choose the right market entry strategy for Africa?
Comparing distribution, agency, joint venture and subsidiary entry modes for African markets, and why staged entry usually wins.
What tariffs apply when importing into East Africa?
How the East African Community Common External Tariff works, plus the taxes and levies that stack on top to form landed cost.
How does AfCFTA affect cross-border trade in Africa?
What the African Continental Free Trade Area changes for businesses trading across African borders, and where implementation still lags.
What does a trade consultant actually do?
What a trade consultant delivers in practice, from landed cost modelling and regulatory mapping to partner vetting and contract structuring.
Invest Africa
Which sectors offer the best investment returns in Africa?
The African investment sectors with the strongest structural fundamentals, and how returns trade off against regulatory and currency exposure.
Can foreign investors own land or property in Kenya?
How foreign land ownership works in Kenya, the leasehold rule, agricultural restrictions and the title checks that protect a purchase.
How do I repatriate profits from an African investment?
How profit and capital repatriation works from African markets, the documentation that enables it, and where delays actually occur.
What are the main risks of investing in African markets?
The principal risks facing investors in African markets and the structuring decisions that mitigate each one.
Business Visits & Delegations
When is the best time to visit Africa for business?
How to time a business trip to Africa around weather, the commercial calendar, trade expos and harvest seasons.
Do I need a visa for a business trip to Kenya?
Entry requirements for business travel to Kenya, the difference between a business visit and paid work, and what to confirm before you fly.
How do I arrange meetings with African suppliers or buyers?
How to secure and qualify meetings with African suppliers and buyers before you travel, and why warm introductions outperform cold outreach.
What happens on a Duara business delegation trip?
How a Duara business delegation to Africa is planned and run, from pre-trip counterparty qualification to the written follow-up pack.
Duara Logistics
What is the difference between FOB and CIF shipping terms?
FOB and CIF compared for African trade, including where risk actually transfers and which term serves buyers and sellers better.
How much does freight shipping to Africa cost?
How sea and air freight to Africa are priced, and the charges beyond the freight rate that make up true landed cost.
How do I ship perishable goods from Africa?
Cold chain, packaging, documentation and routing for shipping perishable goods from Africa, and why pre-clearance matters most here.
How long does customs clearance take at Mombasa port?
Realistic customs clearance timelines at Mombasa, the causes of delay, and how pre-arrival lodgement controls both time and cost.