What is Ndarama Works, and when was it founded?
Ndarama Works (Pty) Ltd is a Pan-African economic advisory, research, and project management firm founded in 2012, with headquarters in South Africa and offices in Zambia, Nigeria, Liberia.
What services does Ndarama Works offer?
- Economic Development Consulting: Providing advisory and management services for inclusive economic growth.
- Trade and Investment Facilitation: Supporting African exporters, facilitating trade deals, and enhancing market access, particularly between Africa and the U.S.
- Manufacturing Sector Analysis: Delivering tailored supply chain solutions for sectors such as food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, leather, solar refrigeration, and green energy.
- Innovation Ecosystem Development: Supporting tech-based enterprises in agtech, fintech, health tech, edtech, and climate tech, and building innovation ecosystems.
- Agribusiness and Rural Development: Facilitating commercial agriculture, irrigation, and value chain development, especially benefiting women, youth, and rural communities.
- Market Systems Development: Applying market-based solutions to address systemic failures and foster inclusive, competitive markets, including in refugee and informal market contexts.
- Financial Services and Investment Advisory: Mobilizing investment, supporting fund managers (with a focus on women and first-time managers), and providing finance access for SMEs.
- Environmental Sustainability Support: Piloting and commercializing affordable passive cooling technologies to support micro-entrepreneurs and informal traders.
- Data Analysis and Insights Generation: Conducting market systems analyses, monitoring, evaluation, and learning for evidence-based impact.
What sectors does Ndarama Works specialize in?
- Trade and Export
- Manufacturing
- Technology and Innovation
- Agriculture and Agribusiness
- Financial Services and Investment
- Environmental Sustainability
- Market Systems Development
- Capacity Building and Training
These specialties enable Ndarama Works to deliver impactful, inclusive, and sustainable development across Africa.
What is the scale of Ndarama Works’ impact?
The company has mobilized over USD 850 million in investments through blended finance and strategic partnerships.
Economic Development Consulting
Ndarama Works has delivered and continues to deliver economic development consulting through the G.O.L.D. Standard—Generating insights, Outlining solutions, Launching implementation, and Demonstrating impact—to translate research into measurable outcomes across Africa. We blend market diagnostics, enterprise surveys, value‑chain mapping, policy engagement and implementation support, underpinned by rigorous MEL and data practices. This is seen through no fewer than 5 continental development projects: Africa Trade and Investment Project, USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub, Market‑Driven Irrigated Horticulture TA, Mobilizing Investment, the Zambia Youth in Agribusiness Program and USAID TradeBoost.
Trade and Investment Facilitation
Ndarama Works has supported the mobilization of capital and closure of export deals by designing demand‑driven trade facilitation models, transaction advisory services, and organizing buyer–supplier aggregation under regional platforms. Through the USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub, our partnership with companies like DAI, supported close to $1.7B in exports and close to $600M in investment facilitated across 9 countries, over a 5-year timeframe. Through the USAID Mobilizing Investment project, Ndarama Works embedded advisors and experts in the project that supported investor networking and de‑risking support.
Manufacturing Sector Analysis
Ndarama Works conducted sector diagnostics and sustainable sourcing/value‑chain assessments to inform Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and local sourcing strategies, including for the Manufacturing Africa program, implemented by BDO (UK). Through the Manufacturing Africa project, more than 600 enterprise/market assessments (in countries like Ethiopia and Nigeria) were conducted. The company further supported sourcing and ESG investment pathways. Through its AIF Ethiopia Sourcing Study in 2023, Ndarama Works analysed wheat, maize, soybean, and chickpea inputs and presented supplier roadmaps to support the development of these value chains.
Innovation Ecosystem Development
Ndarama Works supported the design and operation of business acceleration programs that connect startups and Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs) to capital, mentorship, and markets. Through the Africa Tech Startup Forum funded by the African Development Bank, Ndarama Works in partnership with key innovation ecosystem players, supported the training of 160 startups and 15 ESOs in investor pitches, facilitated more than 300 investor matchmaking sessions, and selected 20 unique ventures from 8 African countries, to participate in a South Korean study tour to court investors and showcase African entrepreneurial excellence.
Agribusiness and Rural Development
Ndarama Works applies Market Systems Development (MSD) and value‑chain approaches to raise smallholder productivity, crowd‑in private investment, and expand market access with integrated gender and diversity inclusion lenses. Through its ILO/UNHCR/ITCILO studies in Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, Ndarama Works conducted inclusive value‑chain analysis with recommendations on how to upgrade and promote green jobs. Through the Market‑Driven Irrigated Horticulture project in Lesotho, funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Ndarama Works provided transaction advisory and smallholder commercialization design.
Market Systems Development
Ndarama Works co‑develops advanced MSD trainings, implements MSAs, and designs adaptive interventions with robust results chains. The company presents Advanced MSD Training for ILO/SECO and has supported curriculum co‑development and facilitation. Further, we conducted the CAFOD Market Systems Development Study in 2024–2025, supporting the methodology and intervention design.
Financial Services and Investment Advisory Services
Ndarama Works provides investment advisory services across the capital stack—pipeline origination, due diligence, fund manager capacity, blended‑finance instrument design, and investor relations. Through the USAID Mobilizing Investment project, we have designed and supported blended‑finance models and provided transaction advice for emerging fund managers.
Environmental Sustainability Support
We integrate ESG and climate resilience into enterprise and market programming and lead technology‑to‑market pilots for passive cooling to reduce heat stress and food loss for micro‑entrepreneurs. Through the SPACES passive cooling pilots, funded by the Shell Foundation and with tech developed by Trane Technologies, we conducted pilot studies in Nigeria and Ghana tto determine uptake of passive cooling tech in the informal markets in these countries. Through VUNA – a climate smart agriculture programme funded by the FCDO, we supported climate‑smart agriculture enterprise development across Southern and East Africa.
Data Analysis and Insights
We build evidence systems—from enterprise surveys to dashboards—that inform investment theses, sector profiles, and policy guidance. For the Manufacturing Africa project, we provided supplier/enterprise surveys and collected more than 600 datapoints that supported the BDO-implemented project to identify manufacturing sector opportunities.
Tradeshows
We run end‑to‑end export programs around trade shows: selection, readiness, curated B2B, and aftercare to convert leads to orders. Further, we have supported leading global trade shows in their recruitment and financial support of African firms to exhibit at Africa-focused pavilions in a variety of trade sectors. In 2025 alone, we supported African companies to exhibit and market their uniquely African products to a global buyer base at the Americas Food and Beverages Show in Miami, the ANUGA Show in Cologne, and the Food Africa Show in Cairo.
Who are the typical clients of Ndarama Works?
Ndarama Works serves a diverse range of clients, including government agencies, development organizations, private sector companies, non-profits, and international partners seeking expertise in economic development and project management across Africa.
How can organizations partner with Ndarama Works?
Organizations can collaborate with Ndarama Works by reaching out through their official website or regional offices. Partnership opportunities include co-designing programs, research collaborations, and joint ventures in all our services and sectors.
What geographic regions does Ndarama Works focus on?
Ndarama Works is headquartered in South Africa with offices in Zambia, Nigeria, and Liberia. We have experience managing projects across the African continent.
How does Ndarama Works support women and youth in economic development?
Ndarama Works prioritizes inclusive economic growth by implementing programs that empower women and youth, particularly in agribusiness, entrepreneurship, and access to finance, fostering opportunities for marginalized groups.
Can Ndarama Works assist international companies with market entry?
Yes, Ndarama Works provides market analysis, trade facilitation, and investment advisory services to help international companies navigate African markets and establish successful operations.
What is Ndarama Works’ approach to environmental sustainability?
The firm pilots and commercializes affordable, sustainable technologies, such as passive cooling solutions, to support micro-entrepreneurs and informal traders, contributing to greener economies.
Does Ndarama Works offer training or capacity-building programs?
Yes, Ndarama Works specializes in capacity building and training, offering workshops and tailored programs to strengthen skills in market systems development, financial literacy, and innovation management.
How can I learn more about Ndarama Works’ past projects and success stories?
Details about past projects, case studies, and impact stories are available on the Ndarama Works website or can be requested from info@ndaramaworks.com
What distinguishes Ndarama Works from other consulting firms?
Ndarama Works combines local insights with global expertise, working collaboratively with all stakeholders through co-design and co-creation. The G.O.L.D. Standard used by Ndarama Works is a socio-economic solution framework designed to generate lasting impact by guiding projects through four key phases.
1. Generate Insights – Gathering data-driven insights and conducting robust research to understand challenges and opportunities.
2. Outline Solutions – Co-creating tailored strategies and solutions based on insights and stakeholder collaboration.
3. Launch Implementation – Rapidly deploying expertise and resources to execute the designed solutions effectively.
4. Demonstrate Impact – Measuring, evaluating, and showcasing the outcomes and impact of interventions to ensure sustainable growth and learning.
This approach ensures that every project phase, from inception to completion, is evidence-based, collaborative, and focused on delivering meaningful, inclusive socio-economic change.
What is Ndarama Works’ stance on safeguarding?
Ndarama Works enforces a zero-tolerance policy toward harm, abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Safeguarding applies to all employees, partners, and associates. Safeguarding is central to Ndarama Works’ mission to protect children, vulnerable adults, and all stakeholders.
Key commitments include:
- Mandatory Training: All staff complete annual safeguarding training; new hires within 3 months.
- Reporting Mechanisms: Concerns must be reported immediately via safeguarding@ndaramaworks.com or the anonymous hotline.
- Confidentiality & Action: Reports are handled promptly and confidentially, with survivor support prioritized.
- Consequences: Non-compliance can lead to suspension, contract termination, or legal action.
- Prohibited Behaviors: Exploitation, harassment, bullying, and inappropriate relationships are strictly forbidden.