“If you want to go far, go together!” - Interview with Samad Osman

Africa is a key growth market for Hapag-Lloyd, how has the market developed?

Despite a current dip in the market, Africa is developing well for Hapag-Lloyd. We are seeing continuous double-digit growth in Africa, and we are growing two to three times faster than the market.

Africa is mainly an import market for Hapag-Lloyd. What are the key growth industries for exports?

We still have a significant imbalance between imports and exports in Africa. The biggest export verticals are agricultural products and mining. Important commodities are cocoa, cashews, timber and cotton, but also fruits. Other key export commodities are minerals, scrap metals or even more exotic cargo, such as soda ash, which is transported to Asia to produce glass and mirrors.

In which countries are we seeing the biggest growth?

From a country perspective, the countries that are doing really well are Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Ethiopia. Nigeria is a powerhouse in Africa and still growing. But in the near future, it will probably take a small hit because it is a big oil country and the prices are low at the moment. From Hapag-Lloyd’s perspective, all these countries are important – but South Africa will remain the major market for some more years.

Ethiopia has just signed a peace agreement with Eritrea. Is Ethiopia still developing as a key market for textiles?

Generally speaking, yes. There are estimates that Ethiopia’s textile sector will be worth USD 30 billion by 2030. One reason for this is availability of cheaper labour; the other is that there have been major economic incentives given to the textile sector. The peace agreement is certainly helping, as well. We will have to see the impact on COVID-19 on the development of the textile industry, as it may cause an interruption of new projects. I do think it will resurge in three to six months because most of the investments are long-term.

In your opinion, what does Africa need to have a great future?

I think we need visionary leadership, strategy and foresight. Unfortunately, leaders in Africa often times create a lot of hope that they cannot fulfil. African countries need to move forward together. What I respect about Europe is that there are countries of different levels of economic power. The idea is that the stronger countries can help drive the development of the less developed countries. The point is that they do it together. Africa needs a similar approach, but it’s not easy to get 50+ countries to agree. There is an African proverb that says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” A united Africa can have a great future. Concerted industrialisation is key for the next steps.

What can people learn from Africa?

I can summarize this in one word: resilience. In Nigeria, I know of people who wake up at 4.00 o’clock in the morning to be at the office at 7.00am. A lot of people still don’t have running water at home. But they never complain. For me personally, working in Africa means respect. It’s about learning about the culture, but also about what people are going through on a day-to-day basis. Things are a bit different here. I was once amazed that people would come to the office to work on Saturday and then put a movie on the projector in the afternoon and watch it together. It was because they don’t necessarily have electricity at home. If you look at how hard people work and what they endure, it is really remarkable.

What does Africa mean to you personally?

It is interesting, because some people may say that I am not African because I come from Mauritius. But I can tell you this: I am proudly African. I carry Africa in my heart. I remember when I moved to Uganda in 2004, my parents were against it. But I have never regretted it. Over the last 15 years, I have visited 44 sub-Saharan countries on the continent. The way I approach my experiences in Africa is by staying humble and learning about culture. There are a lot of cultural and tribal differences that you need to respect. It is very easy to offend someone here by saying the wrong thing. You need to understand the background before making any sort of statement. I think people often get carried away with social media and post something without considering the other side.

What is your favourite spot in Africa?

That is maybe the most difficult question as I have lived in many great places in Africa. But if I had to decide on a single place, it would probably be Kenya. A close second would be Durban. But I love Kenya. Kenyans are wonderful people, and I have built many great friendships there. The climate is fantastic, the air is clean, and the quality of the food is amazing. In most Kenyan cities, if you take a 30-minute drive out of the city, you can see lions. And I’m not talking about in zoos.

About Samad Osman

Born and raised in Mauritius, Samad Osman has over 20 years of supply chain management experience and has been living in various African countries for the past 15 years. After working in management positions at Maersk and Damco, he has been with Hapag-Lloyd since 2015. As an islander, he enjoys swimming and spending time near the ocean. Currently, he is spending a lot of time at home with his two children and cooking as a way to unwind.