AfricanAntitrust.com Information

AAT is the leading online resource on African competition-law & antitrust developments throughout the entire continent. It has been the preëminent source of information in this field since its inception in January 2012. Background. Africa has become the de facto “BRICS continent” — widely forecast to show exponential economic growth over the coming decades. This includes not just South Africa (the “S” in “BRICS”), but also recently-maturing markets in northern Africa, emerging markets in the western and southern parts of the continent, and many so-called fledgling economies in between. All of them are slated to show a future combined growth rate that has the potential to be greater than that of the European Union, the United States, and even Asia: The size of the African continent’s total economy more than tripled over the past 13 years. Africa’s GDP growth is estimated to 5.3% in 2014 according to World Bank statistics. Foreign direct investment has increased up to 20% annually, thanks in part to the continent’s richness in natural resources, growing population, underutilized agricultural opportunities, and booming telecom, construction, and health-care sectors, to name only a few. According to Mergermarket, 2013 has seen close to 150 African M&A deals – dozens of $billions worth – a massive jump from 2012. The commensurate creation (and strengthening) of competition law regimes governing these expanding economies presents both opportunities and risks for both corporate players and nation states in Africa. COMESA’s CCC is but one example.