African Business Magazine in its May 2020 issue ranked the top 250 African companies. The listing captured various sectors in a ranking that is often dominated by companies in Media, Banking, Metals & Mining. As expected, companies from Africa’s leading economies of South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco took a lead in these rankings with Kenya’s Safaricom leading the Kenyan enterprises at position 10. The time is ripe for more and more African enterprises to tap into the opportunities within Africa and contribute to the continents growth and sharing with the rest of the world Africa’s resilience in spite of the challenges that have challenged our economies, threatened our peace and put to question our political choices.

Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group said, “To build a successful business, you must start small and dream big. In the journey of entrepreneurship, tenacity of purpose is supreme”. This statement rings true for many of these African enterprises of excellence and gives credence to those that are in the journey of rising amidst the challenges of starting a company in Africa.
Siginon Group is an African enterprise whose cargo handling potential spans across the African continent. Siginon is celebrating 35 Years since its inception in 1985. The transport and logistics company started off as a small clearing & forwarding company in the Port City of Mombasa which soon expanded to acquire 3 trucks and engaged 4 employees. The rest as they say is history, today, Siginon Group has grown to offer a wide spectrum of logistics services with over 200 trucks and engages 500 staff in its operations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania handling cargo across the globe. This indigenous Kenyan company prides itself in Powering Trade for their customers’ enterprise to succeed through offering world-class logistics services.

Siginon’ s corporate vision, “To Be A World-Class Logistics Company’ points to a company that is ambitious and endeavours to position itself not only as Africa’s leading logistics player but stretches further to cover the global scene. As African countries continue to be rich in supply of the world’s raw material, logistics companies that are well established, efficient, reliable and well networked within Africa and across the globe are better positioned to meet the growing supply chain demands.

Siginon Group’s humble beginnings tell of a company that started small yet bolstered by big dreams. In 1985, Siginon Group dared to venture into cargo logistics, a sector that was then defined as a multinational playing field. That notwithstanding, Siginon Group positioned itself to successfully compete for the customers hearts, mind and share of wallet with the global logistics ‘big boys.’ In spite of the entrepreneurial challenges faced while setting up, this African company focused on accessing and serving the cargo needs of regional and global markets at a time that many would have thrown in the towel and opted for other ‘safer’ sectors. Siginon’ s focus and determination to succeed has paid off and with it left an indelible mark in the logistics sector by satisfying customer needs as well as keeping tabs on global trends to benchmark and deliver world-class services consistently.

Today, Siginon prides itself in its expertise as a global logistics solutions partner for cargo that needs to be shipped by air, sea, road or rail and providing all the intermediary cargo services such as; warehousing, container freight station, ground handling, customs clearance and distribution. Supported by Kenya’s strategic location in the East Africa region, Siginon has played a major role in regional trade by handling cargo to and from Kenya’s key entry points at the Port of Mombasa and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi.
Siginon Group has supported the trade and development of African economies by offering logistics services to support national and regional programs such as; roads and infrastructure projects, delivering humanitarian relief to much needed communities in the region, supporting establishment of key manufacturing plants, aviation, hospitality and supporting government delivery in national projects such as distribution of vaccines, examinations and ballot papers, oil and gas as well as horticultural and tea exports.
Africa’s latent potential is seen in unlocking barriers hindering Intra Africa trade. The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) that brings together 55 member states of the African Union covering a market of more than 1.2 billion people, including a growing middle class, and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than US$3.4 trillion. AfCFTA has the potential of boosting intra-African trade by 52.3 percent by eliminating import duties, and doubling trade by reduction of non-tariff barriers. No one knows Africa better than a stable, sound well entrenched African company like Siginon.
All indications are that now is the time for African enterprises to play a role in making the African continent to shine even brighter. The opportunities for trade within Africa are limitless, with enablers of trade such as logistics companies playing a major role in ensuring there is efficient cargo movement from the source to consumer markets in Africa. The sky is the limit.
Let’s encourage and celebrate all African enterprises that weather the storms, stand the test of time to unlock opportunities within Africa’s treasure trove for it is through them that Africa rises.

Players in the essential services sector play a critical role in keeping economies going as the world is engrossed in the COVID-19 battle. Essential services are derived from a broad spectrum of sectors notably, healthcare, transport and logistics, banking, food suppliers, governments, among others. It is therefore safe to say these are the warriors on front-line in the war against the pandemic. These sectors ensure populations have sufficient access to; medical supplies, PPEs, pharmaceuticals, food among others. The logistics sector plays the critical role of ensuring these key supplies are imported and distributed to the destinations in a timely manner and in the requisite state. As such, logistics providers in cargo transportation, warehousing, port, and customs clearance pass the baton to other front-line sectors with much needed supplies through the supply chain.

Unfortunately, the valuable front liners bear a huge brunt of COVID-19 infections arising from the exposure they face in the course of business. In June 2020, Kenya announced that 72 health care workers have tested positive to the COVID-19 virus and it is expected that these numbers will continue to rise. Government officials manning border posts have not been spared and several infections have been registered at key ports of entry in Kenya. Truck drivers are today required to take COVID-19 test every 14 days failure to which, they will not be allowed to move cargo via the Port of Mombasa or key borders posts without a certificate declaring the driver COVID-19 negative. This decision is informed by an appreciation that the truck drivers are amongst the vulnerable groups who risk infection to the virus as they move the cargo along the Northern Corridor to various destinations within the Kenyan borders and beyond.

Save the Children’s report dated 1st June states that “misinformation around how COVID-19 spreads is a concerning barrier to reducing infection rates of the disease. Prejudice against those affected by the virus, including frontline health workers and diaspora communities and their families, is contributing to stigmatisation across sub-Saharan Africa and discouraging people from seeking healthcare if they develop symptoms.” This statement aptly captures the stigmatization that front liners face from the communities due to failure to understand the pandemic prevalence and infection. Truck drivers have shared instances where they have been chased away by communities as they park the trucks for the night. This is due to the community misconception that their very existence in that locality will lead to the spread of the Corona virus in that area. The horrors that drivers face at neighboring borders such as Uganda, Rwanda Sudan paint a bleak picture with drivers being called Corona and shunned from using services in eateries, shops and lodgings. One driver details, “Once you enter the Ugandan border you encounter a really hostile situation. In fact, they rarely talk to us,”

Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA) whose member states include; Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan address the challenges brought about the COVID-19 pandemic stating, “We understand the difficult situation our Corridor finds itself in and we fully support the national, regional and international measures being taken to flatten the curve for COVID-19 spread. Our top priority in this unsettling time is to ensure continuous supply of essential goods including medicines, fuel, and food is fully facilitated along the Northern Corridor and at the same time limit the spread of COVID-19.”

True to fact, communities continue to enjoy a regular and steady supply of much needed goods for both commercial and domestic use due to the front-line heroes in the logistics industry. Their diligence and hard work despite the COVID-19 threat has allowed most populations to enjoy a fairly normal life in terms of accessing day to day supplies, of course with a few a lifestyle adjustments as prescribed by the respective governments and health bodies to stem the spread of infections.

Let us not lose focus! The common enemy here is the COVID-19 pandemic, not the front liner who is going out on a limb to ensure key products and services are available to us. The front liner bears great risks and surmounts great challenges, sometimes at the cost of their own health and life, to ensure that you and I live a life as normal as it can get in these circumstances. Next time you see a trucker, a health care worker, or any other essential service provider, share a word of encouragement and salute them for the great work and sacrifices they are taking to keep us going.

Do not forget to wear a face mask, sanitize, wash hands with soap and water, observe social distance, avoid unnecessary travel and crowded places.