Russia in Africa's digital space

Abstract

The article is to explore the prospects of Russian digital companies to occupy a significant niche in African markets. The study draws on theoretical research by Russian and international scholars, as well as empirical data on Africa's digitalization. The novelty lies in working out an algorithm for successful entry of Russian companies into the African market using Yango as an example, and identifying potential challenges to Russia's entry into the African market using the example of Ghana, a less-than-friendly African country with a lower income status. The research is set to identify the requirements in the digital sphere of the country to facilitate the market entry into the African digital market. The main conclusions drawn from this research were that current approaches to occupying a niche in the market should follow a comprehensive strategy, rather than a fragmented one. It also concerns marketing strategy and the need to account specific approaches to information in the region for African people prefer short and clearly presented information. Besides, Russian entities should take into account the situation with low Internet penetration in African countries, where people prefer mobile communications.