The Capital Markets Union [Africa]

Investor communications are often passive publications of of content: comprising only website content, and opportunities for direct engagement remain limited for listed companies. The Investor Mailing List (Ghana) by The Capital Markets Union [Africa] adds some dynamism to this status quo and ensures direct distribution of critical financial updates to a growing list of over 2,600 subscribers. The IML (Ghana) is a game-changer for visibility of IR content for companies listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange because it provides a direct and immediate access to a pre-qualified investment community: 🦒 The Investor Mailing List (Ghana) distributes market data and PDFs to +2,600 ainvestors seamlessly, ensuring timely and impactful communication. 🦒 Subscribers effortlessly compare Ghanaian market data with information from 500+ African listed companies via AfricanFinancials' portal. 🦒 The service offers free access to investors, removing barriers like registration and paywalls, fostering inclusivity and accessibility. The Investor Mailing List (Ghana) can also assist in crisis communications and build trust during IPOs, corporate actions, and distribution of analyst briefings content. The IML (Ghana) also provides links to hard-to-find market data, including liquidity metrics, issued shares, and sortable price sheets, supporting informed investment decisions. This year, the Investor Mailing List (Ghana) will distribute over 213,000 emails. With a total of 2.7 million emails scheduled across all 26 mailing lists in 2024, this overall initiative (see the link below) empowers investors and listed companies across Africa's capital markets. If you are a stakeholder or an investor interested in Ghana's market evolution, or supporting African capital markets let’s connect or follow us for more updates. #investorrelations #sustainability #capitalmarkets

🌍 Wishing You a Joyful Christmas! 🌍 As we celebrate this festive season, we give thanks for the opportunities and connections that have brought us together. The spirit of collaboration, transparency, and growth, enables us to look forward to continuing to empower Africa’s capital markets, companies, and investment communities to thrive. 🎄 Here’s to a Merry Christmas and a 2025 full of innovation, resilience, and success! 🎄

Misconceptions about African markets are among the greatest barriers to unlocking the continent’s economic potential. False narratives about instability, underperformance, and risk dominate the global conversation, stifling investment and overshadowing the immense opportunities Africa has to offer. These misperceptions spread unchecked, amplified by a lack of authentic stories from African companies themselves. And we see this as a challenge worth tackling head-on. Because the narrative about Africa will only change when its companies consistently share their successes, innovations, and impact with the world. 📈 Global investors are drawn to stories of growth, resilience, and opportunity, not silence. 📈 Transparent communication builds trust with both local and international stakeholders. 📈 Positive storytelling attracts capital, fosters partnerships, and drives market confidence. 📈 A consistent flow of success stories can reshape Africa’s reputation on the global stage. African companies must embrace storytelling as a core component of their investor relations strategy, turning misperceptions into opportunities for engagement. 📈 Highlighting how African businesses contribute to sustainable development and job creation. The Value Added Statement is where to start. 📈 Sharing data-driven success stories of growth, innovation, and profitability. 📈 Using digital platforms like AfricanFinancials.com to amplify their achievements (and on a basic level, offer a daily share price email alert to keep corporate brand and investment case - "top of mind" 📈 Engaging directly with stakeholders to provide clarity and counter misinformation. Companies leveraging storytelling and GRI compliant investor relations disclosures are creating compelling narratives that align their growth with Africa’s broader potential, showcasing their role in building resilient economies. One such company is Copperbelt Energy plc, listed on the Lusaka Securities Exchange. They deploy robust digital investor relations platforms, invest in content creation, and actively engage with their stakeholders through proactive communication campaigns (just review their LinkedIN page for the past 3 months). Africa’s story is one of transformation and opportunity. By owning their narratives, African companies like Copperbelt Energy shift global perceptions, attract meaningful investments, and position themselves—and the continent—as indispensable players on the world stage. This is not just a strategy; it’s a movement led by initiatives like the Capital Markets Union [Africa]. https://lnkd.in/eiGfH-TZ

True financial inclusion empowers individuals to be vested in and invested in equities, fostering ownership and wealth creation. Ownership diversifies risk, and enables people to directly create and participate in economic growth. Financial inclusion should not be about giving people access to debt.

Listed company executives who don’t understand the difference between pull technologies—where audiences actively seek out information—and push technologies, which deliver content directly, are not just behind the curve; they’re jeopardizing their investor engagement and reputation management. If companies don’t take the lead in embracing modern digital tools, our continent risks being sidelined even more in the global investment landscape. Everything starts and ends with listed companies, not regulators. #FinancingAfrica #Sustainability #Investorrelations

Investors are bombarded with information from all directions, and it’s not always easy to tell what’s trustworthy. That’s why finding clear, reliable resources is so important. With the right guidance, they can cut through the noise, make smarter decisions, and feel confident about their next move in the investing world. #investorrelations

Capital markets thrive on the free flow of information, which fosters fair valuation, innovation and capital raising. #FinancingAfrica #Sustainability #CMUAfrica

This report analyses gender equality in corporate leadership across 11 Eastern European and Central Asian stock exchanges, highlighting disparities in board representation, CEO roles, and CFO positions. No similar information exists for African markets. While progress is evident in some markets, with notable achievements such as 75% of CFO roles held by women in Kazakhstan, significant challenges persist, including a high prevalence of all-male boards. The study offers a benchmark for tracking advancements in gender diversity, emphasizing the importance of inclusive leadership. Women hold, on average, 20% of board seats, 13% of board chair positions, 7% of CEO roles, and 38% of CFO positions in Eastern European and Central Asian markets analyzed. The Bratislava Stock Exchange leads with 33% of board seats held by women and 43% of corporate boards chaired by women. Kazakhstan Stock Exchange stands out with 75% of CFO positions held by women, the highest among the markets analyzed. All-male boards remain significant, with over 25% of companies in each market lacking any female board members, and three markets exceeding 50%. The mandatory minimum rule for women on boards is present only in Poland, requiring at least 30% female representation. This analysis spans 719 companies across 11 exchanges and serves as a benchmark to assess gender equality progress in corporate leadership roles. No similar information exists for African markets. From the limited research we have done however, we believe that over 30% of boards comprise female directors. #investorrelations #sustainability

We analyze the wealth creation and distribution of Zambia Sugar plc, listed on the Lusaka Securities Exchange. 🦒 Wealth Created: K7,530 million 🦒 Paid to Cane Growers: K2,176 million 🦒 Reinvested for the Future: K2,197 million 🦒 Paid to Other Suppliers: K2,078 million 🦒 Paid to Government: K1,443 million 🦒 Paid to Employees: K702 million 🦒 Paid to Lenders: K39 million Boards of listed companies must delicately balance the interests of various stakeholders if they are to ensure their business is sustainable. They have to manage short-, medium-, and long-term priorities and this often involves difficult trade-offs which may not be easy to understand as an outsider. In Zambia Sugar's case, based on the figures above, the Government of Zambia has twice the vested interest in the company compared to its employees. This is not unusual. The significant share of wealth that governments hold in listed companies is often overlooked, and if governments recognised that listed companies are unmatched in their ability to invest, employ and create and share wealth, capital markets across the continent would be in a completely different realm. Here's the thing:- Shareholders are the last to receive their share of the wealth, after ensuring the business they helped finance has everything it needs to survive and thrive. The Value Added Statement is an excellent tool for transparently showing wealth creation and distribution in listed companies across Africa because it details how value is generated and allocated among stakeholders, including employees, governments, and capital providers. Congratulations to Zambia Sugar plc for publishing this report (our tracking shows that less than 50% of listed companies prepare a Value Added Statement). Value Added Statements help stakeholders understand the true value of a listed company, and being a stakeholder and shareholder in a listed company. If you want to talk sustainability in African capital markets, talk about companies' value added statements. #financingAfrica #investorrelations

The reason public equity capital markets are so vital in Africa is that for too long, excessive borrowing has burdened our economies. Equity financing offers a sustainable alternative, empowering businesses to grow without the weight of crippling debt, while fostering transparency, inclusion, and long-term economic stability.