Proptech, the convergence of property and technology, is now widely recognised as a pivotal force behind innovation and efficiency in real estate. It is reshaping how properties are developed, managed, and experienced. This transformation is particularly relevant in Africa, where the adoption of proptech is still in its early stages, with opportunity aplenty and a competitive advantage for early adopters.

As the API Summit 2024 approaches, industry leaders and innovators are gearing up for the Africa Proptech Forum (APF), the continent’s only pan-African Proptech Summit, set to take place on 20 September at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town.

Peter Clark, Managing Partner at REdimension Capital, says the integration of technology is a game-changer for the industry at large. “Real estate management teams are increasingly seeing how technology and innovation can deliver enhanced results within their portfolios by improving operational performance, driving asset values, and creating more sustainable outcomes. APF is a finger on the pulse of the proptech industry, ensuring that stakeholders stay informed and connected as the future of the built environment continues to be reshaped by technology.”

Waldo Marcus, Industry Principal at MRI Software SA and lead sponsor of APF, says the ever-growing number of property-related businesses introducing technology platforms and solutions to enhance their tenant, client, and employee experience is a clear testament to the advancements made in the Proptech industry. The dynamic regulatory and economic landscape guides property industry leaders to focus more on flexible and scalable technology adoption, which will future proof their businesses, protect them, and generate real value. The Africa Proptech Forum plays a crucial role for us in the growth and innovation of the Proptech industry by ensuring that stakeholders stay informed and connected in this rapidly evolving sector. This is why MRI continues its lead sponsorship and participation in the event. 

Kfir Rusin, Co-CEO of admyt, an industry sponsor for the event, says real estate is undergoing a significant transformation with a shift from traditional leasing models to a more holistic focus on client experience and operational efficiency. “Proptech is central in driving change by enabling more seamless customer interactions, advanced data utilisation, and the development of sustainable, resilient, and more cost-effective operations. APF is a vital platform that connects real estate tech businesses, property service providers, and landlords, playing a significant role in pushing the industry forward and building momentum for more innovation.”

Coinciding with the 15th Annual API Summit, this premier event is dedicated to exploring the transformative impact of Proptech on Africa’s real estate sector and bringing together decision-makers from the technology and formal real estate sectors. It provides an essential platform for stakeholders to connect, share insights, and explore the latest advancements in real estate technology. With the theme of this year’s API Summit, ‘IMPACT’, the forum will delve into how effective strategy and execution can drive success in Africa’s property sector.

A highlight of this year’s Africa Proptech Forum is the APF Start-Up Competition, presented in partnership with Burstone. This competition is designed to identify, showcase, connect, reward, and support innovative, early-stage African Proptech companies. It offers a unique opportunity for start-ups to pitch their business ideas to industry leaders, venture capitalists, and potential customers.

Graham Hutchinson, Managing Director, South Africa, Burstone Group, a sponsor of the competition, explains, “APF features the latest innovations and proptech trends critical to the future and sustainability of South Africa’s real estate sector. For us, innovation is about more than the latest technology; it’s a mindset that encompasses the way you engage with clients, structure deals, and manage costs.”

By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders from the technology and real estate sectors, the 2024 APF aims to create a space where ideas can be exchanged, partnerships can be formed, and the future of African real estate can be shaped.

The Africa Proptech Forum is a must-attend event for anyone interested in the future of real estate in Africa. For more information and to register for the Africa Proptech Forum, visit API Summit (https://apo-opa.co/3XiCbGk).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of API Events.

Distributed for API Events by Dmix:
API Events
Murray Anderson-Ogle
Email:Murray@apievents.com
Contact: +27 71 890 77 39

For any media enquiries or interviews, kindly contact Anne Lovell via anne@dmix.com or 083 651 7777

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The President and Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has paid tribute to the preeminent role played by the institution’s staff in Africa’s development. He was speaking Monday, during the official launch of festivities to mark the Bank’s 60th anniversary in Abidjan. 

“As President of the African Development Bank, you matter to me. Regardless of your title or grade, you matter very much to the African Development Bank and you matter to Africa!” This was Dr. Adesina’s poignant and empathetic message to colleagues meeting at the Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, and in the Bank’s 40 country offices across Africa as well as in Tokyo, Japan, to celebrate six decades of commitment by the continent’s premier development finance institution. 

“Today, as in the past, you are part of Africa’s transformation. The Bank’s entire ecosystem plays a part in each project. Over the last 60 years, different types of staff have brought genuine change to the continent. Our work over the last eight years has transformed the lives of 400 million people. I would like to thank you for your extraordinary efforts,” declared Adesina. 

Praising the courage of members of staff deployed in Somalia and Sudan – both countries facing fragile contexts – Adesina paid tribute to those who risk their own and their families’ lives on a daily basis to advance Africa’s cause.  

Amid applause from hundreds of present and former staff and guests, the Bank Group chief said: “If anyone were to ask me what I will miss the most at the end of my term of office as the head of this institution, I will always say: it’s the people. Every time I say it, I am full of emotion.” 

The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier multilateral development institution and now has over 2,000 employees. It has funded 6,575 projects on the continent since it was established on 10 September 1964. The first of these were implemented in Kenya and Sierra Leone. In 60 years, the Bank’s capital has grown from $250 million to $318 billion,” recalled Adesina.    

“I thank our staff for creating this story for Africa. There is still plenty to do, and it is thanks to their support that we will do it. And I will do everything I can to attract and retain the most talented people to respond to future challenges for both our institution and our continent. I wish you a happy 60th anniversary!” concluded the Bank Group’s president.  

Like some members of staff who spoke of the Bank’s decisive commitment and said ‘happy anniversary’ in their native languages, Adesina wished his colleagues a happy anniversary in his own native language, Yoruba. 

During the launch of the festivities, Adama Coulibaly, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Finance and the Budget, representing Nialé Kaba, Minister of Planning, the Economy and Development and the Bank’s governor for Côte d’Ivoire, expressed his government’s profound gratitude to Adesina for his leadership and significant achievements as the head of the institution.  

“At a personal level, I would like to say that you are the heart and soul of this institution. Looking at the results achieved, the African Development Bank has come a long way in six decades. Your efforts have helped lift millions of Africans out of poverty. This 60th anniversary is an opportunity for us to celebrate how far we have come and together, face the challenges of building the Africa we want,” declared Coulibaly. 

He reaffirmed the commitment of Côte d’Ivoire, which is home to the Bank’s headquarters, to supporting the institution in achieving its five operational priorities. “Our partnership with the Bank Group is special. May the coming decades be full of new achievements and progress for staff, for the Bank and for the whole of our continent,” he commented. 

Prior to the speeches by these key figures, the chair of the Bank’s Staff Council, Foster Ofosu paid a warm tribute to all employees, working both at its headquarters in Abidjan and in the various country offices.  

“The Bank exists because you exist. Your dedication to building our Africa is flawless. Be proud of the work you have done,” said Ofusu to the hundreds of members of staff attending the celebration. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

For photos, click here https://apo-opa.co/3MEmu7t

Media contact: 
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org  

About the African Development Bank Group: 
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

A herald of Françafrique, Robert Bourgi discusses, for the very first time in a book, his life, his relationship with his mentor Jacques Foccart and the sensitive missions he carried out over forty years on behalf of French-speaking African presidents and French politicians, including right-wing leaders: from Jacques Chirac to Nicolas Sarkozy, via Dominique de Villepin, Claude Guéant and François Fillon, as well as Omar Bongo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Abdoulaye Wade, Laurent Gbagbo, Mobutu Sese Seko and Blaise Compaoré. 

With a wealth of detail, he reveals a wealth of previously unpublished information. The modus operandi for transporting millions in cash to the RPR and UMP from 1981 to 2007. The visit of Malian marabouts to Jacques Chirac on the eve of the 2005 presidential election. The “cleaning” of Jacques Foccart’s apartment and his famous “Charlotte” villa in Luzarches a few days after his death in March 1997. The financing of Laurent Gbagbo for candidate Chirac in 2002. The purchase by Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaoré of objets d’art for Dominique de Villepin, and the appointment of French ambassadors to Africa and a director of the French Development Agency are just a few examples.  

With its many photos and appendices, this documentary book is a unique and rare testimony to Franco-African relations.  

Robert Bourgi, born in Dakar in 1945, is a Franco-Lebanese lawyer, lobbyist and political advisor. With a doctorate in public law, this former teacher was in charge of relations with Africa at Club 89, an influential RPR think tank, before becoming the main cog in the transfer of funds from several African palaces and Lebanese communities in Africa to the political formations of the Gaullist right.  

Frédéric Lejeal, a political scientist by training, has been a journalist specializing in Africa for twenty-five years. For ten years, he directed La Lettre du Continent, a confidential publication on politics and business networks in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. His latest book, Le déclin franco-africain, was published in 2022 by L’Harmattan.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Max Milo Éditions.

Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) (www.Rolls-Royce.com) through its Power Systems division, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Karimjee Group, a leading conglomerate in East Africa with almost 200 years of history, to deliver advanced mtu power solutions across Tanzania. This collaboration marks a significant step in advancing the country’s energy infrastructure, supporting sustainable development, and boosting industrial growth.

Under this partnership, Rolls-Royce will leverage Karimjee Group’s extensive market presence, local expertise, and distribution network to offer the full mtu product portfolio – especially power generation systems, a strategic focus of the Power Systems division of Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce, through the mtu brand from Power Systems, is globally renowned for its high-performance propulsion solutions and power generation systems. The portfolio includes diesel and gas systems and battery containers for mission-critical, standby and continuous power, combined generation of heat and power, and microgrids perfectly suited to meet the demanding critical and industrial needs in Tanzania.

mtu engines are known for their low emissions, high efficiency and capability to operate on a variety of alternative liquid and gaseous fuels, including hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), biodiesel, synthetic diesel, natural gas and biogas.

Sustainable Development: With a focus on reducing carbon emissions, Rolls-Royce’s energy-efficient solutions align with Tanzania’s sustainability goals while contributing to the country’s economic development.

Karimjee Group’s deep understanding of the Tanzanian market ensures that customers will receive unparalleled support, including after-sales service, maintenance and technical expertise.

Rishad Karimjee, Director of Karimjee, said:

“We are excited to partner with Rolls-Royce to bring world-class power solutions to Tanzania. This partnership underscores our commitment to driving industrial growth and sustainable development in the region by providing our customers with the most advanced and reliable technologies available.”

Cobus van Schalkwyk, Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Solutions Africa, commented:

“Our collaboration with Karimjee is a significant milestone in our efforts to expand our presence in Africa. Together, we will provide Tanzanian industries with the energy solutions they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive global market.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rolls-Royce.

Press photos for download can be found at Media Centre (mtu-Solutions.com) (https://apo-opa.co/3zeLzmq).

For further information, contact:
Media
Rolls-Royce Plc
Lydia-Claire Halliday
Tel: +254708000510
Email: lydia@lchconsultancy.com

Karimjee Group
Nadah Dhiyebi
Email: nadah.dhiyebi@karimjee.com

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc:

Rolls-Royce develops and delivers complex power and propulsion solutions for safety-critical applications in the air, at sea and on land. Our products and service packages enable our customers to connect people, societies, cultures and economies together; they meet the growing need for power generation across multiple industries; and enable governments to equip their armed forces with the power to protect.
Rolls-Royce has a presence in 48 countries and customers in more than 150, comprising over 250 commercial large aero engine customers, 160 armed forces and navies and approximately 40,000 active Power Systems customers. We are committed to becoming a net zero company by 2050 and we support our customers to do the same.
Annual underlying revenue was was £15.4bn (55.12trillion TZS) in 2023, underlying operating profit was £1.6bn (5.73trillion TZS) and free cash flow £1.3bn (4.65trillion TZS).
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is publicly traded company (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69).
Rolls-Royce Power Systems is headquartered in Friedrichshafen in southern Germany and employs more than 10,500 people. The product portfolio includes mtu-brand high-speed engines and propulsion systems for ships, heavy land, rail and defence vehicles and for the oil and gas industry. The portfolio also includes diesel and gas systems and battery solutions for mission critical, standby and continuous power, combined generation of heat and power, and microgrids. With its climate friendly technologies, Rolls-Royce Power Systems is helping to drive the energy transition.

www.Rolls-Royce.com