Missing the 2011 AGM Season

May and June are the season for corporate annual general meetings (AGM) , but I’m yet to attend any except from one for a savings & credit society (SACCO).

SACCO’s: are getting more recognition in acknowledgement of their significant deposit holdings and loan portfolios and now have a new regulatory agency to oversee the sector.

In an variation from corporate AGM’s, at a SACCO one members have to first approve the chairperson’s report, supervisory report, accounts and budget before discussions can be held. Also at SACCO AGM’s, the rules allow members on the floor to contribute to a much higher degree, but this also means time has to be spent clarifying (from the by-laws) on exactly what proposals from the floor can be entertained e.g. how much they can vary the the amount that will be paid to the management committee (honoraria).

This year, there was much debate over the last starting time of the AGM and if those members who were late in arriving at the meeting were entitled to payment of an attendance lunch allowance of $25.

Other country perspectives:

Rwanda: In Kigali, Bralirwa held their first AGM - after the company had converted to a public company and had an IPO last year. No writing has come from that meeting, but it is likely to have been quite similar to a Kenyan AGM, seeing as how much Kenyans have contributed to the structure and regulation of the capital markets system in Rwanda.

Also
- Shareholders were expected to approve an increase in capital a few months after the IPO.
- The standard auditor's statement page has an extra clause noting that we (KPMG) have no relationship, interest or debt with the Bralirwa, and …… we comply with ethical requirements (of the) International Federation of Accountants’ Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, which includes comprehensive independence and other requirements..

India: The Economist wrote about the Reliance AGM - at Reliance company run by India’s richest man. It is remarkably similar to a couple of Kenyan ones - (and was) a ceremony for retail shareholders, with hero worship of an international icon and family that transformed the company to an international conglomerate. It was interesting to note that shareholders apply to speak ahead of time and get approval.

USA: Noted investor and blogger Eric Jackson wrote on the Yahoo AGM . He noted (on AGM’s) that big shareholders stay home and it is mainly those who live nearby, that attend for the free food & coffee. Also that the Q&A is tame with short answers to questions, no big news expected, and the only exciting thing was going to be the board election.

He has been very critical of the board and the current CEO and wrote elsewhere in Forbes on his preferred nominees to be the next Yahoo CEO .

Others twitter comments;
- What a downer! $YHOO “@TechCrunch: Angry Yahoo Shareholder Confronts Bartz And Asks For Her Head (Audio Clip) tcrn.ch/l9hHYJ”
- Terry Semel was let go by the Yahoo board ONE week after it backed him at 2007 shareholder mtg. They now back Bartz.
- $YHOO consensus estimate is it will do $4.55b in 2011. By my estimates, Alibaba Group (incl Alibaba.com, Taobao & Alipay) will beat that
- Here is my first 21CBH article on Jack Ma: http://is.gd/PsTaz4 $YHOO

Urban Inflation Index: June 2011

Comparing changes to three months ago, last year and June 2009 in an interesting quarter with price swings in food, currencies and fuel.

Less Expensive:

Nothing really that's being measured

About the Same:

Communications: Cell phone rates are still low, and while Safaricom appear to have survived the Airtel-initiated price war, recording a marginal full year profit drop of 12% down to ~$220 million on increased revenue of 12% to ~$1.1 billion, the government is getting anxious about the price wars and impact on mobile companies and tax revenue.

Last week, Kenya’s President seemed to direct for an end to the mobile price wars in Kenya . Also Essar’s Yu Mobile has denied they are considering an exit from the Kenyan market while Safaricom and France Telkom (Orange) are about to sign a tower sharing agreement.

More Reading - The Economist has an interesting article on the India mobile phone market which may explain the vision the direction that Bharti Airtel is taking in Africa.

Other food item: Sugar (2 kg. Mumias pack) is at Kshs 190; a year ago it was 200, and the year before was 175. It will likely stay the same until the COMESA sugar import ceiling ends in 2012.

More Expensive:

Fuel: A Litre of petrol fuel is now Kshs 114.93, which is 26% higher than a year ago and 58% higher than two years ago. The fuel sector is characterized by accusations and allegations every other week about favouritism, manipulation of prices & shipments, corruption, capacity etc. - all while the price continues to rise.

Staple Food: A 2 kg. Unga pack (maize flour), which is used to make Ugali that is eaten by a majority of Kenyans daily today costs Kshs. 130 at Uchumi. This is 83% higher than the 71 of a year ago - and two years ago it was 92, the year before it was 73. The price fluctuations may have some artificial influence by maize farmers holding on to their crop in the hope of a better price from the Government and millers. Shrugging this off, the the Government today waived tax on maize that will be imported between June and December 2011 to avert a food disaster in the country.

Foreign Exchange: 1 US$ equals Kshs. 89.37 compared to 80.6 last year and 77.9, two years ago. It is reported to have not seen such lows since 1994 when Goldenberg scandal exploded and shook the Kenyan economy. However while focus is on the US dollar (which this month exchanges for less than a Canadian dollar) other currencies are also at levels not seen in years - like the Sterling Pound at 146, Euro at 129, and South Africa Rand at 13.

Utilities: Electricity: Many customers of KPLC have been converted to pre paid electricity and the only to get a breakdown of costs is by buying a token at a Kenya Power office. It's much more convenient to re-load or top up electricity by mobile phone payments (M-pesa or Airtel money) and a payment of Kshs. 500 obtains 29 units of electricity - compared to 51 units for the same amount two months ago, - implying that electricity costs 43% more!
Meanwhile the city’s other major utility provider, the Nairobi Water Company also plans to convert some of its customers to a pre-paid billing system to stem illegal connections and improve revenue collection.

Entertainment: A bottle of Tusker beer (at local pub) costs Kshs. 140 ($1.55). However the recommended retail price of a Tusker bottle went up to Kshs. 95 in April (after last being hiked by 38% to Kshs. 90 after the June 2010 budget speech) and beers currently sell for between Kshs. 150 – 220 in most Nairobi pubs.

Old and New Tusker bottle

Tusker was re-launched in new bottle in April, but that rebrand has received mixed reviews with some patrons calling the bottle a Probox after a Toyota station wagon that has a similar boxy shape.

EABL is also in the process of severing ties with SAB Miller a rival South African brewer, after many years of a cease fire & cross ownership - and and they are expected to soon renew their beer battles in both Kenya and Tanzania.

Cheque Truncation Part II

The deadline of new cheque modernization passed this week, on June 1. Yet many bank customers had not yet received new chequebooks, and many more were not fully versed with the process, which entailed a change of chequebooks.

The Kenya Bankers’ Association (KBA) left the public relations of the process to its’ member banks resulting in low awareness and did not communicate till May 31 with adverts in the newspapers re-assuring customers and the public that the old cheques will be used for an indefinite period. This paled in comparison to the introduction of mobile number portability (MNP), in which the regulator (CCK), service providers, and mainly mobile companies carried numerous advertisements about the transition to the new service. (Mobile companies ran extensive promotions to retain their customers or win over their competitors’ subscribers).

There are still many unresolved questions, even with the extenstion:

- Old chequebooks were issued though the month of May, but customers then had to get the new chequebooks at month end. Who bears the cost of printing books that were about to be phased out?
- Do the new cheques clear faster? e.g. 1-day for Nairobi cheques? Speed is important for payments in the age of M-Pesa. The last statistics from the Central Bank (CBK) showed that in 2008, about 50,000 cheques were being cleared daily. Many suppliers now insist on getting paid by M-Pesa (which takes less than a minute) or by real time gross settlement (RTGS a.k.a corporate m-pesa done by banks - but this also carries a high risk of fraud risk of fraud - at 69% of bank crimes)
- What happens to post-dated cheques? These are used for debt repayments and for motor insurance loans (some banks use these for collateral over up to 10 months)
- There is no apparent difference in the design of the old and new cheques. So what has changed to warrant the exercise?
- Are cheque printers (mainly De la Rue) able to print enough chequebooks for a smooth roll out next time?
- Some banks said that old cheques will still be honoured in-house i.e. if drawn to people who also use the same bank, while others told their customers they would not be honored. KBA should communicate a clear deadline when all banks & customers must switch.

For now, the old and new chequebooks are in circulation, but more information has to be provided to resolve the cheque truncation process.

Guide to Lusaka

A guest post by @digitalafrican

Getting There: The cost to travel to Zambia is extremely high, and each ticket is around $700-800. Kenya Airways pretty much has a monopoly on travel to Zambia, and the route takes you through Lilongwe, Malawi. Once there, you can get a visa right at the airport with no hassle e.g. $50 for American visitors.

Everything at the airport is pretty straightforward. There aren't any unexpected taxes once you arrive although when you leave there can be a $25 tax that is levied. (though I didn't experience this).

Getting Around: You can use matatu's, private cars and of course walking. Lusaka is pretty small and easy to get around. The cost for a typical taxi is around 100,000 Zambian Kwacha (equivalent to around $20).

Zambia is an incredibly peaceful country. Many people enjoy long walks and jogs around the city. There are some very well built pedestrian walkways and Zambians usually follow the rules of the road so it's is relatively safe.

Communications: Coming from Kenya, Safaricom doesn't seem to work here. However the two most popular services are Airtel and MTN, and it is pretty easy to get a SIM card and the rates are affordable. There are very few Wi-Fi hotspots, while decent cybercafés are rare.

Language: English is the primary language, and most locals speak it fluently.

Business & Infrastructure: - It may be hard to get accustomed to the currency, as you are dealing with thousands of Kwacha. One (US) dollar is around 5,000 Kwacha, so you can imagine trying to buy a soda.

- Hotels : Cost from $100+. Excluding, this you might spend about $40.00 per day out & about.

- Electricity: There is plenty of electricity, and no power cuts in Zambia due to plenty of water flowing through the Kariba Dam and Victoria Falls. The streets are also well lit.

- Opportunities: Zambia is also known for its natural resources such as copper and hydroelectricity so there are huge opportunities there as well. Also, I would say anything within tech and the digital space would be a great investment in the country.

Food & Bars: - One thing to get accustomed to, is the drinking culture, which is a prevalent part of the social culture, and may take some adjusting to depending on where you are from.

- Arcardes and Manda Hill are two popular spots in Zambia. The food is incredible but the service is incredibly slow. Make sure you pack a lot of patience when you come to Zambia.

- Some Local foods to try are Shima (a version of Ugali), fish and green vegetables, while the local Beer is Mosi.

- Football and politics are popular topics of conversation. I would say the biggest legend in Zambia would have to be Kenneth Kaunda (KK), the first president of Zambia. After serving as president for 27 years, KK has left an impression on the country.

Shopping & Sight-Seeing: - In Zambia, the two most popular sightseeing destinations are the Kariba Dam, one of the largest dams in the world and Victoria Falls, which is a beautiful spectacle of natural life. A trip to either is one that you can't miss. Zambia has incredible nature and wildlife areas that are unbelievable; it is not rare to see wildlife while driving through the main highways. We were able to spot many elephants and deer during my time there.

- Wooden crafts and Fabric are very popular gift items. Compared to all the countries I have traveled to in Africa, wooden crafts are Zambia's strong point.

Biggest surprise about the country: I would say that the country seems empty and spacious. There is not a large population and they have preserved a lot of their natural resources

Guide to Lagos

Guest post by MVQ

Intro: Lagos is not the most tourist-friendly city in the world but it does provide a good taste of West African culture and is a "must see" destination for anyone looking to do pan-African business. As locals will tell you, there aren't many sites to see, there are only a few beaches that are tourist-friendly, and the congestion can be quite overwhelming. But if you can get over that, you are in for a cultural treat, an enviable nightlife, and a peek into one of the most dynamic African markets.

Getting There: I took the KQ flight from Nairobi to Lagos and it was actually quite nice and relaxing. Lagos' airport is a blast from the past, it appeared as if it hadn't been updated in decades and upon entry the only sign of modernity is a large monitor with adverts near customs.

The customs process though was surprisingly efficient. Mine was the only flight to have arrived at the time and there were 5 customs counters, with 3 for non-citizens that moved fairly swiftly. You need to get a Nigerian visa in advance to get through customs (give yourself 2 weeks to get the visa, as you must hand over your passport, pay ~$100 for US/UK, $50 for other countries, and prove that you have a destination in Nigeria.) You will also need a yellow fever card

To my surprise I was able to get through customs in about ten minutes - and based on the reaction of my friends though, this is a rare occurrence. Apparently customs is a major pain and you must pay for expedited service (there is some rumor that the expediters and the customs agents may be in cahoots.)

Despite not wrapping my luggage, it came out in one piece. Later I was warned by frequent travellers that Lagos airport is one of the more risky destinations for "open" luggage, so my advice is to try to get your luggage shrink-wrapped before flying into Lagos.

Getting Around: When I got out of the airport, the cab drivers were quite aggressive, and I ended up riding in to the city with a friend. My advice is to try to get your contact in town to send a car for you to avoid the aggressive cabbies. If you can't get a car, then you should expect to pay 5,000 Naira for the 30 minute to an hour long ride into the city.

When in the city the best way to get around is via a car service or taxi. Try to link with a reliable driver, and for newcomers, Red Cab is generally a pretty safe option. Each cab ride should cost you between 2-3,000 Naira ($13-20) if traveling in the Lekki, VI, Ikoyi, or Yaba areas, and you should clarify the price up front.

Do not walk around by yourself at night and take caution during the day, and look out for the Okadas, ("kamikaze moto taxis") which are the fastest, but most dangerous means of transport around Lagos.

Communications: The best way to communicate is via mobile phone, and you can buy a SIM card for prepaid minutes upon arrival. Most people here have two phones from different carriers as the services are known to go out every now and again. I signed up with MTN and was reasonably happy with it; I plugged it into my Ideos Android phone and used the prepaid airtime for voice, data, and to create a wifi hotspot for my laptop. Other major players are Airtel (Zain), and Etisalat.

Hotels: The hotels in Lagos are very expensive as the mid to high end hotel market is sparse. The Sheraton Four Points, Radisson Blu, Southern Sun, Eko, and Federal Palace are probably the most tourist friendly and range in price from $300 to $600 per night.

Getting Around: The people in Lagos are fairly aggressive, but they all mean very well and are generally quite kind. I found that I received amazing hospitality from friends and colleagues in Lagos. The Nigeria pride is real!

English is the primary language in Lagos, though you do hear Pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba, Ebo, and other languages. The best paper to get while here is "The Punch" – and , though there are about 4 mainstream papers, expect about half the pages to be filled with full page ads and "congratulatory" statements about public officials.

Food & Bars: You must try the local food when in Lagos, and specialities like Fufu, Melon Seed, Okrah Soup, Suya, and Pepper Soup are staples. If you like spicy food then you will love the food in Lagos.

Star beer dominates, and you can get a large bottle for 800 Naira ($5.) I strongly recommend Star over Gulder (the other local favorite), as it has a good taste and is fairly ubiquitous.

Electricity: Be warned - power transmission is very unpredictable in Lagos. Even in the most affluent neighborhoods one power outage a day is not uncommon and some areas will go for weeks without power. After the first two outages you will get used to it - just make sure that your phone, laptop, etc. are always charged up!

Summary: Overall, Lagos is a great experience. The frenzy, the opulence, the fashion, the food, the traffic, the beaches, the hospitality, and the excitement are all palpable. Enjoy your trip!