Many opportunities for Africa keep on increasing every day by day but you need to have a bird’s eye to see them. Investors and business capitalists are migrating to Africa open companies that will bring jobs to the unemployed ones. African students without the right skillset are enrolling in different internships to have superb knowledge in their field. For this article, we will see these opportunities in Africa in three categories:
- Business opportunities
- Internship program opportunities
- Scholarship opportunities
Business Opportunities for Africans:
Construction and Building Supplies:
Many construction activities are going on in Africa and this had create wealth for entrepreneurs. For instance, one of Africa’s richest men ‘Aliko Dangote’ is investing in the cement business, and we have others involved in the production of scaffolding. Building materials is another gold mine in Africa because people are building different structures such as roads, social amenities, bridges, workhouses, etc.
Construction companies are another way of making huge profits from your investment. In times past, Africans spent billions of dollars importing cement from other countries in the world. Presently, the continent can boast of large cement producers like Lafarge, Dangote, etc. Besides cement, steel is another multi-billion dollar business for anyone wanting to dive into the steel business. Also, we have others like glass, plumbing, roofing materials, etc.
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Financial Services:
Finance is one of the opportunities for Africans like it is in other countries of the world. The banking system in Africa is among the least developed in the globe. It is a good opportunity for Africans to get profit from their investments. In Africa, we have countries suffering from their banking system and a large number of business transportations still involve cash.
In Africa, you have the privilege to make lots of money in this financial market if you could be strategic about your plans. Fintech entrepreneurs offering convenient solutions to the masses will earn big in their business such as Binance, Payoneer, Paystack, and many others. You can think of anything regarding finance and offer solutions to the population.
Investment:
As a result of the slow economic growth in the Western continents, investors are finding their way to Africa. More investors are aware that they can have geometrical growth from their capital. Whether you are considering funneling funds into the stock market in Africa, there is a high potential for you to have a high reward on your money.
In Nigeria, a billionaire investor, and founder of the United Bank of Africa, Tony Elumelu invested $100 million in Africa for startup entrepreneurs over the next 10 years. The program has created several opportunities for entrepreneurs with ideas but no adequate fund to bring their dreams to reality. In Africa, we have a high number of venture capital firms and funding platforms dedicated to the African investment market. The
Information Technology:
African internet market is growing because of tech hubs joining the tech space. For instance, countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana are producing tech innovators that have ever emerged in Africa. In Ghana, two young tech entrepreneurs developed the mobile messaging phone app ‘Saya’ is replacing convectional SMS texting. This same app is getting recognition in West Africa and even in India.
The app is one of the successful tech development in the African industry. The invention of new technology is making life easier for entrepreneurs to solve their challenges in different aspects such as payment systems, motorbike delivery services, dropshipping, music streaming, and many others. A Nigerian entrepreneur, Chinedu Echeruo created HotStop.com, and Apple Inc bought it for $1 billion to improve their web and mobile mapping infrastructure.
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Internship Program in Africa
Africa has many internship programs:
Conservation:
If you have an interest in environmental internships, then Africa can be the perfect place for it. Conversation internships are the best adventure for anyone wanting to gain expertise in the field of wildlife and environmental conversation. Interns enrolled in conversation programs have the privilege to work with other wildlife researchers to have more field experience in carrying out nature and biodiversity research.
Africa has a big landmass and rainforest that make conversation internships easier for students to have valuable field knowledge in this sector. In Africa, we have different Wildlife conversation internships for students, you can be part of the students enrolling in this field. Internet is a great key you can use to find these internships.
Wildlife Photography:
You can use Wildlife photography to build your portfolio by getting involved in it. Some of this wildlife photography may be one-on-one training involving a professional wildlife photographer. As a result of this training, you can improve your skills and capture an awesome collection of images that will stand the test of time.
For instance, regular game drives via the Greater Kruger Area will offer you an unforgettable experience that you will value for a longer time. It is the ideal opportunity for photographers that want to have an impact-driven adventure. The exposure you will obtain will support your education and fundraising campaigns to ensure maxim impact on your photography treasure.
Healthcare:
The healthcare sector offers internships for individuals concerned about supporting community development in their countries. In Africa, they are facing different issues such as insufficient healthcare experts, poor infrastructure, and underfunded hospitals. As a result, many African citizens are finding it hard to enjoy high-quality health care.
Being a healthcare intern, you will get accessibility to work with experienced doctors and nurses to have the proper knowledge to reach out to individuals living in rural African communities. The healthcare internship offers opportunities for participants to take part in disciplines from HIV/AIDS counseling to gynecology.
Non-governmental organizations:
We have different Non-governmental organizations for Africans to groom their talents. During your internship placement, you can work with the African Impact Foundation, and learn how to offer charity to volunteer projects. As a Non-governmental intern, you will involve in numerous high-demanding tasks involving marketing campaigns for community outreach.
The essence of the internship is to assist the Foundation’s goals. You can enroll in this scholarship in African countries like Zambia, Zanzibar, South Africa, etc. It is good to have multiple knowledge of African expeditions.
Read also: List of Free Online Internships for High School Students
Scholarship Opportunities for Africans
AAUW International Fellowships:
The American Association of University Women is an international fellowship that awards African students up to $30,000 yearly. Also, it is open for Latin American and Asian women with U.S. bachelor’s degrees as non-citizens or permanent residents. If you fall into this category and are eager in pursuing full-time graduate degrees in America. It is compulsory to return to your country of residence after your education to become an academic activist, and business leader to empower other women.
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarships:
Every year the Aga Khan Foundation offers a scholarship award to a few numbers of international scholarships for those who are performing well in their academy. You will need to be under age 30 to be eligible for the scholarship. The scholarship will help you finance your postgraduate studies to obtain either a master’s or doctoral degree in the United States. The scholarship is strictly for students from countries like Syria, Pakistan, Mozambique, India, Afghanistan, Egypt, etc.
AWS International Scholarship:
The American Welding Society Scholarship gives African students up to $3,000 to students offering full-time degrees in Africa, South America, and Europe. If you are an undergraduate or graduate student enrolling in an accredited science program, you can be eligible for the scholarship award. If you want to be qualified for the scholarship, you must have a good score to match the university grading system. Also, you must be passionate about getting at least a bachelor’s degree, and one year of experience in welding.
Coca-Cola Africa Foundation Scholarships:
The founder of the scholarship is in collaboration with the Zawadi Africa Education Fund. The Coca Cola Africa Foundation Scholarship offers $20,000 each to talented girls from pore backgrounds, especially from countries like South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, etc. If you want to pursue higher education then you can apply for the scholarship. Applicants must possess a U.S high school diploma, and a good CGPA score.
Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists Fellowships:
It is a scholarship award that comes up every year for students from developing countries like Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. You will have to fall between 25 and 35 years if you want to spend three months in New York City. Also, it is necessary to enroll as a full-time student studying journalism in a media organization with high-level proficiency in the English language.
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- Samples of Scholarship Interview Questions and Answers
Conclusion
The opportunities for Africans are numerous and you can be part of these opportunities by sticking to any sector you feel you have an interest in. It is never too late to explore these opportunities because you can start today!