Market entry
Where to enter, how to set up and who to partner with.
The right market, set up the right way, with partners you can rely on.
Most market entry plans fail on detail rather than strategy: a licence applied for in the wrong order, an incentive missed, a partner who looked good on paper. We help companies and investors make their first move into an African market, or their next one, with the country knowledge that comes from having done it many times. We compare locations on the factors that matter to the business, handle registration, licences and incentives, and find local partners we would be comfortable working with ourselves.
- SectorsManufacturing, agribusiness, financial services and technology
- ClientsMultinationals, investors and family-owned groups
- MarketsGhana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Rwanda and their neighbours
Where to enter, how to set up, who to partner with
Where to enter
Which market fits the plan?
We compare countries and cities on demand, costs, incentives, talent, currency and regulatory risk, weighted to the client’s own priorities. The client leaves with a clear recommendation, the evidence behind it and the trade-offs stated openly.
How to set up
What structure, licences and approvals are needed?
We advise on structure, register the entity, secure the investment certificate, licences and incentives, and find the site or office. The client leaves with a company that can hire, bank and trade, usually in months rather than quarters.
Who to partner with
Which local partners can be relied on?
We find, vet and introduce distributors, suppliers and joint venture partners, with background and reputation checks we would rely on ourselves. The client leaves with agreements in place and people on the ground they trust.
Choosing the city was the easy part. Getting set up in four months was the part we could not have done alone.
Regional director, European engineering group
What we help with
- Market and location studiesCountry and city comparisons built around the client’s own criteria, not a generic index.
- Company set-upRegistration, tax, permits and banking handled from application to certificate.
- Investment incentivesFree zone status, investment code benefits and tax incentive applications, negotiated where there is room.
- Partner search and due diligenceShortlists of distributors and partners, with background, reputation and integrity checks.
- Site and office selectionIndustrial land, ready-built factories and offices, found and negotiated.
- Government relationsIntroductions to the agencies and ministries that matter to the plan, and a steady relationship afterwards.
Illustrative example. A real mandate will replace it before launch.
Choosing Accra as a West African base
A European engineering group needed one regional hub for West Africa, and a board with firm views on four cities. We compared them on the evidence, then registered the company and found its office in time for its first contract.
Entity registered and site selected
Read the case study: Choosing Accra as a West African baseWho leads this practice
Our other practices
Have a mandate in mind?
Tell us what you’re weighing. A partner will take it from there.