Qawafel Gathering: Unlocking African Market Dynamics
In response to the imperative of growth, Qawafel orchestrated a new session" of its "Qawafel Gathering," focusing on African market dynamics. Salah Boulila, Managing Director of Mazam, presented an infographic on internationalization modes (export, establishment, franchise, e-export), analyzing advantages, prerequisites, and risks.
A panel of recognized experts was invited by Qawafel to enlighten the debates: Iheb Beji, Co-founder and CEO of Medianet, Riadh Aziez, President of the National Syndicate Chamber of Internationalization Consultants (UTICA), Rim Ayari, Founder of WeFranchiz, and Baligh Hamdi, CEO and Founder of B2M Group. The reflections from this panel were enriched by a testimony from Radhia Kamoun, Founder of Gourmandise, collected during a dedicated interview.
Africa: Between Myths and Realities The debate confronted received ideas. Establishing a subsidiary in Africa, although more costly initially, often proves more profitable in the long term. For IT, "it's not necessarily more expensive," nuanced Baligh Hamdi. The joint venture is not a universal solution for entry security; "the safest is to be alone," he estimated, while recognizing the help of local partners for governance. Riadh Aziez emphasized the importance of "to understand the country's organization."
Exportation, although "the most natural path," is not without risks. The major difficulty, according to Aziez, is "to organize and understand the country." Rim Ayari confirmed that even for franchising, it's necessary to "start by exporting to test the market."
Pillars of an Effective African Strategy The diversity of the continent is crucial, recalled Iheb Beji: "Africa is split into 3-4 'continents' in terms of specificities." He highlighted the importance of "starting with local partners to work in the medium or long term." The "3 Ps" - Passion, Patience, and Pertinence – were erected as a compass by Beji: a "passion for the market" is indispensable for a cycle of "1 to 3 years" before results. The pertinence of the offer must be validated. The necessity of internationalizing, faced with the narrowness of the Tunisian market, was hammered home by Baligh Hamdi.
From Initiation to Perennation Entering Africa requires perseverance. The experience of Medianet within the framework of the professional group it co-founded, Get'IT, illustrates this: after failures, market studies opened doors. "The beginnings are tough," conceded Beji, highlighting the need to "develop friendship with the client." Institutional support is useful, but "the will to do business in sub-Saharan Africa" comes first, according to Hamdi. The challenges (political stability, health, competition) are real, but surmountable with local partners.
Franchising: Expansion Driver Rim Ayari wanted to "break stereotypes": franchising is not reserved for big groups and can be initiated with a "really powerful product" and a solid organization. The prerequisites, according to Iheb Beji, include "processes and clarification." Ayari insisted on the protection of intellectual property, security, and validation of local demand. The protection is central.
Radhia Kamoun: How Gourmandise Successfully Internationalized Radhia Kamoun's intervention, founder of Gourmandise, offered precious insight. "You have to go in search of opportunities," she affirmed, and "have a concept that has proven itself, duplicable." The establishment in Libya since 2022 illustrates this vision, simple export not being "profitable." Being a franchisor is "the transfer of know-how to a partner with whom values are shared. The choice of partner is the most important element." The supervision by a dedicated team is vital (choice of locations, training, continuous audits). "If you do things well, you learn continuously. You can't export a concept if you don't master it." The challenges include exhaustive documentation ("Everything must be written") and adaptation to the country, "a normal adaptation."
Key Sectors and Winning Mindset Riadh Aziez identified key sectors: "agro-industry, study offices, BTP, health, digital, training." He advocated for humility when approaching sub-Saharan Africa: "You shouldn't say you want to export to sub-Saharan Africa if you don't support the opposite." The demand is strong, and the lack of "confidence in international trade" would be the main brake.
This Qawafel meeting demonstrated that Africa offers immense opportunities to Tunisian companies prepared with rigor. Understanding markets, trust relationships, and long-term vision are the pillars of success.
