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Capital & Financial Markets
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Economic Research on Africa
Analysing economic trends, businesses, and industries shaping the Africa’s future
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Written by
Regal Capital
Connect
Business & Industries
Aug 7, 2026
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9 min read
Nightclubs look like cash machines on alcohol margins, but they’re really high-risk, capital‐intensive real estate businesses selling status, where loss of popularity and relevance can turn a “groove spot” into expensive empty space.
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Aug 4, 2026
13 min read
You can't understand Africa's development without understanding mining & resource extraction. It has shaped our relationship with the world and the structure of our economies today. Most reports repeat the same song about colonialism, exploitation, corruption, etc. but no one ever gets into the numbers of the actual business, which is what we will do today.
Aug 2, 2026
7 min read
If you want to understand the entrepreneurial mindset in Southern Africa, look at what people talk about when they talk about "starting a business." Usually one of the ideas that comes to the table is some form of food business. A cool kota spot, a local shisanyama spot with a twist, or a trendy café. The passion is real, but the reality on the ground is brutal. The food industry is one of the hardest places to make money.
Jul 31, 2026
For many Batswana, owning a cattle post is a cultural milestone, a symbol of wealth, and a perceived route to financial security. However, when we objectively look at the numbers, Batswana's traditional approach to farming fails almost every basic test of a viable investment vehicle or business model.
Jul 30, 2026
6 min read
With the diamond era coming to an end, the most dangerous response is to pretend we still have time and not get clear on what industries will fill in the gaps left by diamonds.
Jun 16, 2026
Most of people look at SpaceX as a space exploration company with huge potential to innovate and deliver services from space however they have covertly pitched and IPO’d themselves as an AI company while they have no leadership in AI and rely on the hope of gaining an edge by deploying AI services from space. While in reality they are simply a telecoms company with great marketing.
May 1, 2026
3 min read
The Bank of Botswana (BoB) just released their April 2026 MPC statement, they've increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MoPR) by 200 basis points from 3.5 percent to 5.5 percent. This policy decision is intended to strengthen policy transmission and they've directed commercial banks not to increase their Prime Lending Rates (PLRs) Their policy approach directly reflects an economic dilemma and tightrope every central bank has to walk on.
Mar 12, 2026
Business media, funding rounds and pitching competitions will have you thinking the only way to make money today is by building a complex tech platform, a flashy FinTech app, or a slick SaaS product. But the reality of doing business in Africa the most successful businesses are the boring ones.
Nov 12, 2025
17 min read
Urban African households with low-mid incomes allocate large, out-sized shares of their budgets to luxury goods, nightlife, and status-signaling consumption, while savings rates remain stubbornly low and real capital/wealth accumulation lags far behind consumption growth. This is not irrational behavior it is strategic adaptation to environments where formal institutions are weak, inequality persists, and therefore traditional markers of wealth and paths to capital accumulation remain inaccessible. This leaves visibility and social status as the only substitute for those who feel real wealth and capital remains out of reach.
