Hello Investors!

There is a tremendous amount of talent and human potential on the African Continent. From my small vantage point in the USA, I have only a glimpse of who is in Africa and the amazing things they are creating, and what I have seen are some incredibly talented, motivated people. 

I am not the only one who has seen this. While foreign investment declined across the world, in 2018, foreign direct investment in Africa was up 11%.  Foreign direct investment is led by France, followed by the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.

Individual investors may have a tougher time accessing African markets. While US based investors can open up local brokerage accounts, the process is not for the casual investor; think opening a bank account at a new institution. 

I will aim to document my investment journey as I stay up to date on financial news all across Africa, and find ways to invest in a market expected by the World Economic Forum to grow to $2.5 trillion by 2030.

My Tools

My investing philosophy is that of a value investor. While I make some investment decisions based on potential for future growth, my decisions on whether or not to invest in a security are primarily based on how much of a value a given opportunity presents. I believe valuations should reflect what a company or companies are worth, rather than what they might be worth at some point in the future. If you would like to read more about value investing, I highly recommend The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham.

This book is considered the definitive guide on value investing, and the revised edition comes with helpful footnotes that keep it up to date for today.

The investing tool I will be using, at least to start, is Robinhood. Robinhood is a no-fee stock trading platform (that includes ETFs), with no account minimums, and no commitment. I have been using Robinhood for two years now and value it for the flexibility it offers. You can find Robinhood at https://robinhood.com/ . An important note: Robinhood is not going to provide all options needed as I delve deeper into investing in African securities. Eventually, I plan on signing up for a paid service in addition to Robinhood.

A Final Note and a Word of Caution

I am not a financial professional. I am an individual with some research skills and a desire to learn more about a market and a continent that I feel is often overlooked. I will be investing with money I have left over after paying my bills and saving for my future. If you are trying to save for retirement, or want to invest money you are not prepared to lose, I recommend consulting a fiduciary financial adviser or other professional who can help you build a healthy portfolio to meet your financial goals, as I have. Past results and returns are not indicative of future performance. Lastly, I have no financial stake or interest in Robinhood; it’s just a service I like to use.

Investing is risky, and investing in emerging markets is even more so. I will be investing to learn, and I am so excited to share with you what I find out.