Have you ever wondered where most of Africa’s goods originate?

Unfortunately, the continent lacks sufficient manufacturers to produce a wide range of products, from food and textiles, to health products. Whatever is produced on the continent, hardly meets the local demand.

As a result, most of these items are imported, primarily from Asia; particularly China!

During my recent visit to Guangzhou in southern China, I met a gentleman from Kinshasa. He stood out among many people of African descent, noticeably encumbered by an extraordinary amount of extra luggage, which prompted me to take a picture.

By the way, I refer to Guangzhou as the warehouse of the world. It’s incredible; you can literally buy anything there. There are malls dedicated to specific types of products.

When we boarded the plane, we ended up sitting next to each other, and I couldn’t resist asking him about his luggage, along with many other questions. It was clear to me that he was one of the numerous koffer traders from Africa sourcing goods in China.

What set him apart was that we met in business class, where tickets are around $4,000 these days. 

Guys, I can already hear you pointing fingers—yes, I was the one who upgraded with miles, not him. 

This is typically his spot, as he travels to China twice a month to source goods.

Meaning he spends around US$8,000 a month on flight tickets; business must be good, right!

Business is good!

On our 11hr flight from Guangzhou to Nairobi we spent almost 4 hours talking. 

Here is what I learned and I believe you can benefit from it as well.

Lesson 1 – Focus on your strength and maximise on it!

This guy has it all figured out. He has excellent access to small business owners in Kinshasa who sell his goods. His winning formula? Building relationships. During COVID, he stayed in business by not asking for upfront payment, understanding his clients’ struggles. This approach earned him immense loyalty, which now forms the foundation of his success.

Lesson 2 – Let others handle the big picture – focus on yourself!

I kept asking him why he travels so often. He sends a container every two months and stocks up bi-weekly. To me, it seemed simpler to send two containers at once. But he taught me otherwise. He has no desire to become a large-scale supplier; he values his client base and responds quickly to new trends and their individual requests. He prefers not to establish a big entity, saying others can do that. He’s very much content with what he’s built for himself and his family.

Lesson 3 – Stay humbled!

I couldn’t resist pushing him to reveal his earnings, even though I know it’s a taboo question. I jokingly asked, “Come on, just give me the first six digits!” From what he shared, I estimated he’s making around $50k a month in profits. He never confirmed it, but the math adds up.

That’s a hell of a lot of money!         

Here we are…

I couldn’t be more inspired by someone like him. Yet, I question whether his model truly benefits Africa’s broader development.

But as I remind myself with Lesson 2: let others handle the big picture—focus on yourself!

You might wonder why I’m not using his name or adding another picture of Mr. T. He simply said, “Tell your story to inspire others to do more for Africa. I want to focus on business, not fame.”

Guys, there is money to be made out there. That extra income is possible.