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3 reasons WeChat, Chinas biggest app, hasn’t taken over globally

Fast Company reports: There are a lot of market-specific reasons if you do a deep dive. But broadly…there are three big mistakes Tencent made with WeChat in its overseas expansion, and—not coincidentally—they’re mistakes that Chinese companies make a lot when they launch internationally. Late to expand internationally #China-first approach Poor localization Read more on Fast…
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Brazil’s luxury consumers are weary

The #Business of Fashion reports: …while Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2017 runway extravaganza last weekend seemed to suggest otherwise, make no mistake: the current state of affairs in Brazil is having a serious effect on the country’s appetite for luxury goods. “Nobody knows what’s going to happen here politically — that’s the truth. It’s a very strange…
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Chinese megacity, PRD, already has a population bigger than Canada, Australia, and Argentina

   #Business Insider writes: China’s Pearl River Delta is swallowing up nearby cities. As the largest urban area in the world, the region features a population of roughly 42 million housed inside a 2,700-square-mile perimeter. The Pearl River Delta is made up of nine cities, each boasting populations above 1 million. And China is combining them all…
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Is Africa “impoverished” or “rising”? The competing media perspectives

Journalism Professor Suzanne Franks writes: In more recent years it looks as if the single story has shifted gear. Instead of the relentless negative image of suffering and impoverished victims there is a new narrative, ‘Africa Rising’. Suddenly the continent is brimming with mobile phones and energetic businesses. In May 2000 there was a famous…
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3 ways tech can help the UN achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Travel in New York City is a mess this week. At least for regular folks anyway. But it’s for a good reason. The United Nations head of states, delegates, and Pope Francis will be in town for the UN General Assembly and security is pretty high. Along with the regular United Nations-related activity, there is…
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Nigeria & Kenya consumers fueling African music sector

Billboard magazine writes: PricewaterhouseCoopers has forecast consumer spending on recorded music revenues to hit $43 million and $19 million for Nigeria and Kenya respectively this year. Both markets are undergoing shifts also seen elsewhere in the world, meaning digital gains will roughly offset physical losses. PwC expects Nigeria’s physical market to decline $3 million to…
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Connecting Africa through satellite technology

IDG Connect reports: These companies seem to be walking away from the traditional provision of information, where a live internet connection is needed. This is an area that Facebook’s Internet.org and Google’s Google Loon are still currently pursuing. Facebook has reportedly been talking to Avanti, a satellite company which owns two broadband satellites across Africa.…
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Nigerian internet usage skyrockets. Government begins smart cities initiative

Ventures Africa reports Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications Technology has initiated a Smart States initiative aimed at reducing Right of Way (RoW) fees and standardizing state levies and taxes on information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. By eliminating arbitrary charges and eradicating multiple taxations across the country, the initiative is expected to spur infrastructural development across…
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Nigeria, Egypt top list for intenet penetration in Africa

Top 10 African countries with highest intenet penetration (2012) Nigeria Egypt South Africa Morocco Kenya Sudan Tanzania Algeria Uganda Tunisia Source: African Development Bank  

Africa is 2nd largest mobile phone market in world

Africa is now the fastest growing and second largest mobile phone market in the world. More than 8 in 10 Africans have a mobile phone. Average penetration rate has also risen from 37% in 2010 to 80% in 2013 and is still growing at 4.2% annually There are now 760 million mobile subscribers in Africa.…
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