Africa - Where It All Began

One of the challenges of promoting Africa to the Singapore business community is that most Singaporeans have a wrong understanding of Africa.   One area where I could help is to provide some useful information about Africa so that people will have a more positive view of Africa. In this regard, I thought of doing a few short write-ups. I am happy to share the first part of the write-up.  Hope you find it informative

Africa - Where It All Began

Here's something that might surprise you: while we often think of Africa as "emerging," it's actually where everything started. Not just human civilization (we all have African ancestors!), but some of the world's most sophisticated ancient economies and trading networks. 

Long before Europeans had figured out how to navigate beyond their own coastlines, African kingdoms were running international businesses. The ancient city of Timbuktu wasn't just a remote desert outpost—it was the “Silicon Valley” of its time, buzzing with scholars, traders, and entrepreneurs. Egyptian pharaohs were building monuments that still baffle engineers today, while Ethiopian kingdoms were minting their own coins and trading with China. The Swahili coast was essentially Africa's “Wall Street,” with city-states like Kilwa managing complex financial networks across the Indian Ocean.

Then came the colonial period, about 80 years, when outsiders decided they knew better how to run things. But here's the thing about that "interruption": it was relatively brief in Africa's long story. Think of it as a detour, not the main road. Today's Africa is reconnecting with its deep roots of innovation, trade, and entrepreneurship. The continent that taught the world how to do business is getting back to what it does best.

So the next time someone mentions Africa to you, remember, you're talking about the continent where it all began. Where business, innovation, and global trade have deep roots stretching back thousands of years.