Eastern African Conglomerates Series — From Rwanda to The World Part 1
I start this series of Eastern African Conglomerates from one of the fastest growing economies in the region. My interest was sparked by a chance encounter with Wines & More (picture above), a part of Akagera Trading (more on this shortly). Before I zero in on my first Conglomerate, a background of the country may well be in order.
Rwanda — Land of a Thousand Hills
With an estimated population of 12.95 million (2020, World Bank) spread across about an area of 26,338 km² Rwanda (officially the Republic of Rwanda), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley, where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge. Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
You can request different Government services online through Irembo, the one-stop service portal.
Akagera Business Group (ABG)
How it all started
It all started back in 1977, when two entrepreneurial minded Gorajia brothers were seeking a business opportunity in Bujumbura, Burundi. The two brothers came upon a car dealership. With a hard working, determined, passionate and business minded personality, the two Gorajia brothers were able to create the dealership into an automotive power house, which till today stands as one of Burundi’s landmarks.
Building on the success of the dealership, manufacturing brands nominated Akagera Motors S.A.R.L as the exclusive distributor for those respective brands for the territory of Rwanda in 1997. As more business ventures were added to the business portfolio, Akagera Motors S.A.R.L was transformed to Akagera Business Group Ltd., in 2008.
The Business History and Profile
Akagera Business Group (ABG) was established in Kigali, Rwanda and diversified into nine different divisions dealing in automobiles, tires, batteries, lubricants, media, consumer goods, consumer electronics, car rentals, hardware, paints, design, construction, security and safety systems. Currently ABG has a presence in Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan & Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo .
Mission: As a trusted business partner, our mission is to provide quality lifestyle products and services to contribute to the growth of the economy.
Vision: Through continuous improvement and growth (Kaizen), ABG will adapt and implement the latest technologies to bring quality lifestyle products and services to the market.
Timelines of ABG Divisions
Akagera has nine divisions cutting across Motors (since 1997); Hardware & Paints (2006); Auto Zone, Trading, and Media (all established in 2008); Car Rentals, and Electronics (both established in 2010); Design & Construction (2012); and Security & Safety Systems which was established in 2014.
Division of Interest and Focus
Established in 2008, Akagera Media offers advertising infrastructure in the form of digital space, billboards, wall frames, wall branding, and bus shelters all across Rwanda and Burundi in major cities and the interior countryside. Akagera Media also produces giveaway materials, events, vehicle branding, roadshows and corporate gifts.
Closing Thoughts
ABG started out as an Auto dealership in 1997 — two decades after the family business was conceived, adding an Auto Zone in 2008 and Car rental two years later in 2010. In between these, the group had also diversified its portfolio from General Trading to Media.
Besides the African Conglomerates such as MTN, Multichoice and the Dangote Group to mention just a few, there are equally other family business turned Conglomerates on the continent. This piece has been an attempt to showcase, via personal observations, the unreported world of such Conglomerates. It also feeds the appetite for exploring the media Conglomerates with a view to establishing regional integration in this sector. More of this in the New Year.
