Africa is no longer merely an emerging market on the global business map — it has become a strategic destination that companies seeking sustainable growth are racing to enter. From the heart of Johannesburg, the trade mission organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce carried a clear message: that the emirate's companies are better prepared than ever for international expansion, drawing on a sophisticated business ecosystem that has made Dubai a global platform for export, investment, and a launchpad into promising markets.
Across technology, food industries, manufacturing, and smart solutions, participating companies agreed that the African continent represents one of the most prominent growth drivers in the years ahead, as Dubai continues to cement its position as a key gateway connecting capital and expertise to the expanding opportunities of global markets.
The trade mission, organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under its "New Horizons for International Expansion" initiative, reflects the diversity and strength of the emirate's private sector. A total of 24 companies from 11 economic sectors participated, including technology and artificial intelligence, food industries, packaging, investments, construction, environmental solutions, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail — a move aimed at exploring new growth opportunities and strengthening the UAE's presence in African markets.
During meetings conducted by Al Bayan with a number of participating companies in Johannesburg, a shared conviction emerged that the African continent represents one of the most important future growth markets, while Dubai continues to entrench its standing as a global platform from which companies venture into international markets, benefiting from the UAE's advanced infrastructure and competitive business environment.
Salim Al Hashim, Strategy Director at Hattan Holding, confirmed that the investment group — affiliated with the Al Ghurair family — is focused during the visit on exploring partnership opportunities in the food and beverage manufacturing sector.
He explained that the group invests across multiple sectors including food, education, healthcare, real estate, and technology, and is seeking to leverage South African raw materials to launch new manufacturing projects within the UAE.
He added that the UAE is one of the most attractive investment environments in the region, particularly given growing government incentives to support industry, food security, and the enhancement of domestic production.
Tito Alex, General Manager of Export Sales at Hot Pack Packaging Industries, said Africa represents one of the most important growth drivers for the company in the coming period, noting that Dubai has played a pivotal role in the company's expansion journey over more than 30 years.
He explained that the company, which operates across 29 locations worldwide, achieves sales exceeding 1 billion dirhams and offers more than 4,500 products in the field of food packaging and sustainable solutions.
He affirmed that the UAE's economic environment has helped consolidate its position as one of the region's leading packaging companies, adding that South Africa represents a promising market and a gateway to the markets of southern Africa, amid growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions.
In the food industries sector, Madhav Kanchan, Business Development Manager at Natty Nuts Food Industries, explained that the company is targeting South Africa as a gateway to reach multiple African markets, leveraging Dubai's strategic location and its role as a global centre for trade and re-export.
He noted that the company, founded in 1991 with more than 35 years of experience in manufacturing nuts, spices, and dried fruits, achieved sales of approximately 12 million dirhams during 2025 and is targeting growth of between 25 and 30% during the current year.
He added that Dubai's supportive business environment and advanced logistics infrastructure have helped enhance the company's capacity for international expansion and access to new markets.
In the technology sector, Dharmendra Mehta, Executive Director for the Middle East and Africa at Yafi Technologies, said the company — which launched just one year ago from Dubai — managed to achieve growth exceeding 3,500% within 12 months.
He explained that the company provides unified commerce solutions, e-commerce, supply chain management, and artificial intelligence, and currently serves approximately 30 clients in Gulf markets.
He added that Dubai's digital trade ecosystem and technical infrastructure were a key factor in this rapid growth, affirming that the company sees South Africa as a promising market that can benefit from the digital solutions that have proven their worth in the region.
In the field of security solutions and smart cities, Anas Arif, Engineering Manager at UXE Smart Security Solutions, said the company is seeking to export technologies it has developed within Dubai to African markets, affirming that Dubai serves as a platform for exporting security solutions to global markets.
He explained that the company specialises in AI-powered intelligent security and surveillance systems based on computer vision, which help institutions enhance their security levels and operational efficiency.
He noted that Dubai has provided a supportive environment for innovation and technical development thanks to its investments in digital transformation and smart cities, adding that a number of meetings held by the company during the trade mission showed clear interest in these solutions, with some discussions already advancing to stages involving potential collaboration opportunities and future projects.
In the fit-out sector, Anand Kumar, Managing Director of Abra Fit-out and Luxury Stores, said the company is seeking to expand its presence in South Africa through cooperation with major retail companies and global brands operating in the market.
He explained that the company operates manufacturing facilities spanning 200,000 square feet and has executed more than 6,500 projects in over 60 countries, encompassing luxury stores, commercial projects, airports, and global shopping centres.
He added that demand for high-quality specialised fit-out continues to grow across many international markets, affirming that the industrial expertise the company has developed in Dubai gives it a strong competitive advantage in external markets, enabling it to overcome all challenges related to rising raw material costs and global economic volatility.
Supporting the business environment
From the exhibitions and commercial fit-out sector, Sharish Jain, owner of Matrix Finishing and Display Systems, affirmed that the company views South Africa as a promising market capable of absorbing the specialised solutions it develops in Dubai for the exhibitions, retail, and infrastructure sectors.
He noted that the company, which specialises in designing and developing display systems, advertising, exhibition fit-out, and store equipment, achieved an average annual growth rate of 22% in recent years.
It serves approximately 2,000 companies within the UAE, with this growth driven by the business environment Dubai has provided and its advanced infrastructure, flexible economy, and innovation-stimulating ecosystem.
He added that the company is working to expand its presence in African markets by building a network of local distributors and partners, noting that Dubai has demonstrated over decades its ability to support company growth and enable regional and global expansion, transforming economic challenges into new growth opportunities.
The UAE is one of the most attractive investment environments in the region
Dubai is a platform for exporting security solutions to global markets
South Africa is a promising market amid growing demand
Dubai's advanced logistics infrastructure has enhanced the company's capacity for international expansion
Dubai's advanced digital infrastructure is driving accelerated growth for technology companies
We seek to expand our presence through cooperation with major retail companies
Dubai has proven over decades its ability to support company growth