Smart. Skilled. Scalable. Exploring new business opportunities and creating synergies: African companies in Berlin

What do Global Business Services entail?

Global Business Services (GBS) combine Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) - the outsourcing of standardized business tasks like customer service or accounting to external providers - and IT-Outsourcing (ITO) - transferring IT services or infrastructure to specialized vendors.

By end of 2025, the global GBS market will reach almost USD 1.2 trillion with 43 million workers globally. So far, only 2.8% of this workforce are based in Africa. In Europe, business services account for up to 20.4% of GDP, but countries like Germany, are hitting a wall. With over 140.000 unfilled vacancies for IT-professionals, there is a talent gap that the country cannot fill – and it is estimated to grow by more than four times until 2040.

Ghana and Kenya set to become major players in the GBS market

With its young population, skilled workforce, affordable wages and a favourable time zone, the African continent is positioning itself as a competitive GBS-location for international investors and clients. Two of the Digital Dialogues’ partner countries are at the forefront of this development: Ghana and Kenya.

As part of these Digital Dialogues and in collaboration with Invest for Jobs and Partners in Transformation, delegations from Ghana, Kenya exhibited their offering at GITEX Europe in Berlin alongside Rwanda, Egypt, Morocco and Ethiopia. The three-day event allowed companies to get into direct contact with potential clients from Germany and around the world and to present their offers on stage. It was also an opportunity to meet with Parliamentary State Secretary, Thomas Jarzombek, who opened the event and visited their booth.  

Two-day programme for delegations and roundtable with government officials strengthen international relationships

Prior to one of the world’s largest tech fairs, delegations undertook a two-day programme, meeting with global GBS-players, learning from international best practice, networking with likeminded entrepreneurs and showcasing their offerings along the way.

In addition, associations and government officials from all six countries met with the German Federal Ministry for Digitalization and Government Modernization and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. During this roundtable, participants listened to presentations of industry experts, showcasing the major opportunity that GBS poses to alleviate the skilled labour shortage and improve competitiveness of German companies. All participants agreed: success stories of sourcing reputable talent from African countries exist, but these locations remain a hidden gem. As part of the Digital Dialogues, and beyond, they agreed that it is time to spread the word and increase awareness for these markets, allowing German companies to tap into this potential.