Africon

What Africon does

Africon GmbH is a Bremen, Germany-based management consulting firm founded in 2010 that specializes exclusively in supporting European B2B companies with market entry and expansion strategies across African markets. The firm is remote-first, with local team presence in 11 countries spanning Germany, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Morocco. Its core offerings include market analysis, market entry strategy development, partner identification and introductions, business development support, primary on-the-ground research, and project implementation. Africon reports a network of 5,000+ top-level contacts across African markets and a track record of 200+ completed customer projects, with stated customer outcomes indicating 83.7% of clients increased their revenue in Africa following engagement.

The company's business model is professional services-based, generating revenue through project-specific consulting engagements priced on a quote basis. Africon targets a primarily enterprise B2B client base concentrated in mechanical engineering, industrial manufacturing, automotive, consumer goods, and healthcare/pharmaceuticals verticals, with named clients including BRITA, Bosch, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, NETZSCH, BMZ, Liqui Moly, Husky Technologies, AB Enzymes, REINER, IFC, Messe Düsseldorf, and Bakhresa Food Products. The firm monetizes its geographic footprint and on-the-ground capabilities through direct consulting engagements, and supplements revenue via channel partnerships — notably as the official East Africa representative for Messe Düsseldorf and as the official representative for Basque Trade & Investment in Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana. In 2026, Africon joined the VDMA Beratungsnetzwerk (German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association's consulting network) and formed a strategic data-driven consulting partnership with ABiQ, signaling ongoing commercial buildout.

Africon is privately held (legal entity Africon GmbH), with no disclosed funding rounds, institutional investors, or parent company. The leadership team comprises founder and CEO Marc Zander, Director for East and West Africa Cédrick Lukusa, and Principal/Operations Lead Aneth Herman. The firm's technology stack is light by SaaS standards — its core "technology" is human capital, local presence, and primary research capabilities rather than proprietary software, though the ABiQ partnership suggests a data analytics layer is being built into service delivery. The website is multilingual (German, English, French), supporting its European-to-Africa cross-border commercial focus.

Name

Africon

Legal name

Africon GmbH

Website

https://africon.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Africon GmbH is a Bremen-based consulting firm that helps European B2B enterprises develop and execute market entry and expansion strategies across African markets, leveraging local teams in 11 countries and a network of 5,000+ regional contacts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting Services

NAICS

Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Strategy Advisory (BPAHADAA)

Keywords

• Africa market entry consulting
• Market expansion advisory
• Business development consulting
• African market research
• International market entry

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Management Consulting Services: Africon provides consulting services including market strategy development, partner introductions, market entry support, and project implementation for companies expanding into African markets. Revenue is generated through professional service engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Africon is a management consulting firm that advises European companies on developing and executing Africa market strategies. The firm delivers market analysis, market entry recommendations, partner introductions, business development support, and on-the-ground project implementation across African markets. Services are delivered through direct consulting engagements supported by a network of local offices in 11 African countries.

Product overview

Africon is a management consulting firm focused exclusively on Africa, not a software product company. The company offers a unified consulting service helping businesses develop individual Africa strategies. The core offering encompasses market analysis, market entry recommendations, partner introductions, business development support, and investment advisory across African markets. The company operates with local teams in 11 countries and has delivered 200+ customer projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Africon Consulting Services End-to-end management consulting services covering market strategy development, market entry support, partner identification and introductions, business development, and on-the-ground project implementation for European companies seeking to enter or expand in African markets.
• Foreign Representation Services for Messe Düsseldorf Official representation services for Messe Düsseldorf in East Africa, facilitating European companies' participation in trade fairs and exhibitions and supporting Messe Düsseldorf's interests in the region.
• Basque Trade & Investment Representation Official representation services for Basque Trade & Investment in Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana, supporting Basque companies seeking to enter or expand in East and West African markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83.7% of customers increased their revenue in Africa

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and core.

• VDMA BeratungsnetzwerkstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Africon joined the VDMA Beratungsnetzwerk (VDMA Consulting Network), the consulting network of the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau). This membership provides a vetted route for machinery and equipment manufacturers to access africon's Africa consulting services.
• Messe DüsseldorfcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfricon GmbH serves as the official foreign representative of Messe Düsseldorf in East Africa. This partnership enables africon to facilitate European companies' participation in trade fairs and exhibitions organized by Messe Düsseldorf, while also supporting the trade fair organization's interests in the East African region.
• ABiQstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfricon and ABiQ formed a strategic partnership to revolutionize data-based consulting in Africa. The partnership combines africon's on-the-ground consulting expertise with ABiQ's data analytics capabilities to provide enhanced market intelligence to clients.
• Basque Trade & InvestmentstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfricon serves as the official representative for Basque trade and investment in Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana. This official mandate involves supporting Basque companies seeking to enter or expand in these East and West African markets.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PwC Africa: Big 4 firm with substantial Africa advisory operations spanning strategy, tax, and deals. Comparable to Africon in cross-border Africa advisory work, though with a much broader portfolio and global delivery model.
• McKinsey & Company (Africa Practice): Global strategy consulting firm with a longstanding Africa practice serving corporate and public-sector clients. Comparable in advising enterprises on African growth strategy, though positioned at the premium end of the market versus Africon's boutique model.
• Roland Berger: German-origin global strategy consultancy with an active Africa practice serving industrial and automotive clients. Comparable as a strategy advisor to European industrials expanding into Africa, but with vastly broader scale and service portfolio than Africon.
• Boston Consulting Group (Africa): Global strategy consultancy with an Africa practice serving industrial, consumer, and public-sector clients. Comparable as a high-end strategy advisor for companies entering African markets, though much larger and more diversified than Africon.
• Deloitte Africa: Big 4 firm with a large Africa consulting practice covering strategy, M&A, and market entry. Comparable to Africon in advising multinationals on African market entry, but with significantly broader capabilities and brand recognition.
• KPMG Africa: Big 4 advisory firm with a pan-African footprint providing strategy, deal advisory, and market-entry services. Comparable to Africon as an advisor for cross-border Africa expansion, but at larger scale and with broader service lines.

Direct peers

• Africa Practice: London-headquartered strategic communications and advisory firm focused exclusively on African markets. Comparable to Africon as a boutique consultancy helping corporates navigate Africa strategy, market entry, and stakeholder engagement.
• Africa Matters: Netherlands-based boutique consultancy focused on African market entry and business development for European companies. Closely comparable to Africon in size, focus, and European-to-Africa advisory positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/africongmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/africon-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/africon_gmbh
• Xx.com/africonltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Africon