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Good Morning Addis Ababa! The capital of Ethiopia is also the hub of one of the larger airlines in Africa, the Star Alliance member Ethiopian airlines. On this particular trip I was flying to and from Milano Malpensa MXP, and the nonstop flight was on a very new Boeing 787 with lie flat beds and exceptional service. A highlight for me in the airport? The departure area lounge offers excellent Ethiopian coffee, which is made on order at this delightful little area in the centre of the seating rooms. Note: this post is part of a series I am running each Sunday on a different airport and city I have visited. Please let me know your feedback and any questions you have. Africa is so exciting and dynamic, and I believe offers incredible promise for the future. How well does your Strategy address emerging opportunities in Africa?? Photo Credit: Shot on my iphone by a kind lounge employee, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ABB,) Ethiopian airlines departure lounge. Did you know that Ethiopia exported more than 298,500 tons of coffee during the 2024 fiscal year, with a value estimated above USD $1.43 Billion? Strategy is Mastery.
❌ Ignoring local experiences ✅ Emphasizing unique regional offerings Highlighting local culture, like the Ethiopian coffee experience, can enrich travel narratives. What unique experiences have you had that transformed your understanding of a destination?
Nice one Scott Newton I would not bet against Ethiopian coffee. It’s just too good and the setting quite something…but you do raise an important point about the nature of emerging opportunities in Africa - They are changing, no longer just the adoption of innovations from elsewhere, emerging in an African context. Rather, I find, increasingly emerging opportunities point to new connections, where technologies are adapted to different social and demographic set-ups on the continent. With 54 countries, how many could boast a connected market of 100m plus consumers? Fulfilment, analytics, AI algorithms would need to work differently, to fully tap into these opportunities. In a recent interview with Charlotte Kemp - Futures Alchemist, I pointed to three (3) African markets, all small in size and population, that could become breakthrough nations in Africa. The study goes back to Africa’s past and what we can learn from the entrepreneurs who are building Africa’s future. https://www.linkedin.com/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:7237429608088784896/ (link updated) Keep traveling!
Africa is a mystery to me. Never been there (or even near there). At one point in the Air Force, I was considering a special duty assignment in Sierra Leone or Liberia, but never did it.
There are already coffees made without coffee beans. Talk about a game changer.
Scott Newton you need to visit Uganda for Uganda coffee ☕ experience too
Ethiopia has an electrification rate of around 50%, with government plans to increase this in the next few years. Electrification is probably the No.1 need across the African continent (together with supportive government policies) - think of what reliable electricity access + that entrepreneurial spirit could mean. Scott, thanks so much for posting!
The average earnings for an agricultural worker (e.g. coffee) in Ethiopia is around $20 USD per month. According to Google.
Scott Newton Does coffee taste any different in its ancestral home?
A city near and dear to my heart. Met my wife there in 2002. Lived there from 2012-2014. Adopted an Ethiopian child.
Sustainability & ESG Advisor | Non-Executive Director |
1wScott Newton thank you for this. Love the two questions! It always amazes me how many companies have the continent as an "after thought". There's a belief that it is almost impossible to do business on the continent. I am not denying the challenges but having worked on projects in other parts of the world, there are challenges everywhere It is all about whether business leaders are willing to invest the time in learning the "how to" rather than presuming what should work. Thank you Marc Lawn for bringing this to my attention. Will be following Scott's airport posts.... Great way of learning about others parts of our world