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Nigeria Missing as Namibia Tops All African Countries Featured in Global Entrepreneurship Index

The Ashish J Thakkar Global Entrepreneurship Index of 85 countries ranks Singapore as the best environment for entrepreneurs.
Of the African nations, Namibia scores highest and comes 42nd overall – ahead of other prominent African markets, such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
The research, conducted by Mara Foundation and Opinium Research, examines the state of entrepreneurship around the world Inaugural index features special ‘Focus on Africa’ section, with a deeper look at ‘women in the workplace’ and ‘youth unemployment’
Singapore has topped an in-depth study of the world’s nations as offering the best environment for entrepreneurs, according to an Index developed by Mara Foundation and Opinium Research.
The inaugural Ashish J Thakkar Global Entrepreneurship Index measures entrepreneurial environments around the world and assesses each of its 85 countries against a set of criteria that spans policy, infrastructure, education, entrepreneurial environment and finance.
Of the African nations, Namibia ranks 42nd overall, Rwanda ranks 43rd, Botswana ranks 44th and South Africa ranks 46th – all of which perform well on the ‘Policy’ pillar but have some way to go to improve on their infrastructure and education in particular.
Of the top three African countries in the Index, Namibia and Botswana are stronger on the education pillar because of comparatively higher levels of literacy and quality in education.
Both countries have made education central to their development.
Rwanda scores highly on the Policy and Finance Pillars driven by government initiatives to increase the ease of doing business. Credit is easily available and business transparency is high.
Zambia scores particularly well on the Finance Pillar (72). Primarily because of the availability of credit and a low total tax rate.
Zambia, South Africa and Rwanda, the top 3 countries in Africa on the Finance pillar, stand head and shoulders above their peers, with scores of 72, 66 and 65 respectively. This places Zambia in the top 10 of all countries globally on the Finance Pillar, just behind the USA (78).
Significant challenges exist in terms of Africa’s political stability, underdeveloped infrastructure, poor education and under-diversified economies.
Comparatively lower scores for infrastructure are primarily driven by a lack of electrical access and the technology that comes with reliable access to energy, such as telecommunications and internet access.
Lower scores for education are due to the overall quality of education and lower literacy rates. Boosting opportunities for a quality education is imperative for increasing the region’s quality of entrepreneurs and start-ups and providing a suitable workforce.
While much of Western Europe does well overall in the Index, Greece and Spain rank relatively low (34th and 50threspectively).
Both nations are continuing to reel from the after-effects of the financial crisis, which have been exacerbated by poor levels of entrepreneurial opportunities.
Rona Kotecha, executive director, Mara Foundation said: The Ashish J. Thakkar Global Entrepreneurship Index offers a powerful insight into various elements that impact entrepreneurship globally. Whilst Mara Mentor enables and empowers entrepreneurs, the Index and its 20 policy recommendations are designed to provide a starting point for changes that can be implemented to create more effective entrepreneurial environments. This, in turn, will lead to job creation and a positive impact on economies around the world.”
The Ashish J Thakkar Global Entrepreneurship Index 2016 is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur, Ashish J Thakkar, who started his first business at the age of 15.
The Index is a Mara Foundation initiative that has been developed with support from independent research consultancy, Opinium, to create a wide-ranging and thorough analysis of the state of entrepreneurship globally.
Ashish J Thakkar, Founder, Mara Group & Mara Foundation said: “Through the work of Mara Group over the past 20 years, I have come to recognise the immense contribution that entrepreneurs make to economies and societies around the world – particularly in relation to job creation.
“In recent years, however, it has become more and more apparent that governments and the private sector are simply not doing enough to support entrepreneurs in their endeavours. With the creation of this Index, we hope to provide some solid policy recommendations that will help guide discussions and improve entrepreneurial environments globally.”
President Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank said: “I commend Ashish J. Thakkar and the Mara Foundation for creating this timely index. It provides useful insights on how Africa can unlock the potential of its youth and boost entrepreneurship. As populations are aging rapidly in much of the rest of the world, Africa can reap the economic dividends of its growing labor force. Africa is poised to become the next center for entrepreneurship, but we must provide Africa’s youth with the required skills and create an environment that will enable them to become the business leaders of tomorrow.”
Mo Ibrahim, founding chairman of Satya Capital Limited, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation said: “Entrepreneurs are a great engine for development. In Africa, you need to encourage and create the right environment for their success. I really wish to congratulate The Mara Foundation for developing its important index which is a useful tool for all of us.”
Richard Branson, Virgin Group Founder said: “The Mara Foundation has done some great work supporting entrepreneurs all over the world. I’m delighted to see their new entrepreneurship index that will help identify opportunities for business, not-for-profits and Government to work together to create the right environment for entrepreneurs to thrive and to create jobs.”
News
WHO Says Ebola Outbreak Worse than Reported

World Health Organisation (WHO) at the weekend declared the Ebola outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo virus strain a global public health emergency.

WHO said there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain of Ebola.
At home, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said there is “no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria” but had tightened surveillance against the deadly virus.
The outbreak, linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has already caused dozens of deaths in Congo and spread into Uganda, raising fears of wider transmission across the region.
In response, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said that the country remains on alert because of growing movement across African borders.
Jide Idris, director-general said the agency was “closely monitoring the situation” and working with the Port Health Services and other health agencies to strengthen preparedness nationwide.
He added that surveillance has been increased at entry points and within Nigeria’s health system.
According to the WHO, the outbreak has recorded more than 240 suspected cases and about 80 suspected deaths in Congo’s Ituri province, while imported cases have also been confirmed in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.
The WHO said the outbreak is “extraordinary” because of uncertainty around the true number of infections and the lack of approved medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain.
Health authorities advised Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene, avoid contact with infected persons and report symptoms such as fever, weakness, vomiting and bleeding to the nearest health facility immediately.
Nigeria was declared Ebola-free in 2014 after successfully containing an outbreak brought into the country by an infected traveler from Liberia.
News
Digital PayExpo 2026 to Convene Africa’s Most Influential Payments Leaders in Lagos

Africa’s digital payments ecosystem will take center stage as Digital PayExpo 2026 returns to Lagos on June 17–18, 2026, at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, under the theme: “Seamless Digital: Fostering Pan-African Market Expansion in the AI Era.”

At a time when artificial intelligence, cross-border commerce, and financial inclusion are redefining Africa’s economic future, the event is set to convene over 3,000 senior executives, policymakers, fintech innovators, and global technology providers.
The speaker lineup reflects a powerful blend of regulatory leadership, private sector innovation, and pan-African expertise.
Among the headline speakers:
- Dr. Rakiya Yusuf, Director, Payment Systems Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria — a key architect in Nigeria’s payment system reforms.
- Dr. Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager & Area Business Head (West Africa), Mastercard — a leading voice in digital payments expansion across Africa.
- Clara B. Arthur, Managing Director, GhIPSS (Ghana) — driving Ghana’s interoperable payment ecosystem.
- Wacera Maina, Chief Operations Officer, Kenwitch Kenya — an expert in East Africa’s payment infrastructure evolution.
- Akeem Lawal, CEO, Interswitch Group — a pioneer in Africa’s fintech growth story.
- Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, Executive Director, NIBSS — shaping Nigeria’s core payment infrastructure.
The conference will explore:
- AI-powered financial services
- Cross-border payment systems and interoperability
- Cybersecurity and trust frameworks
- SME financing and financial inclusion
- Infrastructure for a unified African digital economy
With participation from banks, fintechs, telcos, regulators, and global payment networks, Digital PayExpo 2026 is positioned as a critical marketplace for ideas, partnerships, and investment flows. Register: https://digitalpayexpo.com/register
Sponsorship Enquiries: [email protected]
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Only 1 in 3 Families Fully Secure their Devices, Kaspersky Study Reveals

On International Day of Families observed on May 15th, a global Kaspersky study* reveals that while 47% of respondents talk about online safety, only 33% secure all their family devices – highlighting the need for proactivity from Family Digital Managers.

As online threats develop and every generation joins the online space, cybersecurity habits have become an essential part of life for every family. Typically, in every family, one or two people become so-called Family Digital Managers, responsible for managing subscriptions, setting up new devices, or thinking about cyber protection. Kaspersky has conducted a survey to find out what measures modern families take to stay safe online.
According to Kaspersky’s data, a significant portion of respondents adopt an educational approach to cybersecurity within their families:
47% regularly coach elderly relatives and children on safe online practices
45% advise family members to adopt password manager solutions
42% encourage the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA)
An equal 42% actively review and adjust privacy settings on both family devices and critical online accounts
Although a growing awareness of the importance of proactive, family-focused digital protection can be observed, when it comes to the implementation of security solutions, the trend is slightly different. 10% of respondents take no measures at all to protect their loved ones online, rising to 21% among those aged 55+.
As for the parental control apps, 67% of families with children under 18 years use this tool to monitor and secure their kids’ online activity. Parental control, such as the Kaspersky Safe Kids solution, can help restrict children’s access to inappropriate content and also gently manage their online habits by limiting access to certain websites and apps, controlling their screen time, and even enhancing their physical security by tracking their geolocation.
The most worrying number is that only 33% of respondents – just 1 in 3 – install security solutions on all family members’ devices. Kaspersky experts highlight that the current threat landscape shows that mobile devices and tablets as well as PCs all require comprehensive cyber protection, as they are often targeted by cybercriminals.
According to the survey, only 30% of respondents set up new devices for their families. Setting up a new device is not often regarded as a step that contributes to cyber safety; however, some actions performed before the device is put into use can significantly enhance its security.
For instance, experts recommend installing a security solution first, to scan the device for hidden threats and make web browsing safe from the first queries. What’s more, reviewing privacy settings on a new device allows you not to share data that you would like to keep private with some applications and services.
The research also shows that the older generation (55+) is generally less included in family security habits. Around 1 in 5 (21%) of this age group globally do not take any measures to protect their family online and only a quarter (24%) install security solutions for family members. The most popular security measure among them turns out to be a password manager, as 40% of this age group recommend their family members to use it.
“We are now using a lot of gadgets and digital services, and with every new device and every additional hour spent online, the potential entry points for cybercriminals continue to grow, exposing us to a wider range of cyber threats. At the same time, not every generation adapts to these rapid changes with the same ease.
“That’s why having someone in the family take on the role of a ‘Family Digital Manager’ can be so valuable, especially when it comes to protecting kids and elder people from digital cyberthreats, give advice and help with the use of trusted security solutions,” comments Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky.
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