This paper starts off from what seems to be a difficulty of ethics in African Business today. For several years now Transparency International has placed some African countries high on its list of most corrupt countries of the world. The conclusion one draws from this assessment is that either African culture has no regard or concern for ethics, or that there has been a gradual loss of the concept of the ethical and the moral in contemporary African society. Equally problematic (...) is the teaching and promotion of Business ethics in organizations. Western philosophical theories and systems alone have not succeeded in providing access to ethical life of people in modern Africa. This paper is an attempt to inject an orientation that takes into account African manners and customs, their religious convictions and their understanding of the world as a whole, in the teaching of Business Ethics. East and Central Africa have been selected due to their common lingua franca, Kiswahili, and the fact that the author has more teaching experience within that region. (shrink)

Forensic studies have identified fraud as a major factor that hampers Africa’s economic development. This paper first establishes a link between fraud and the ideal of the African Renaissance. It then gives an overview of the extent of fraud in Africa by discussing the findings of a recent forensic survey on fraud in Africa. Against this backdrop it is then argued that what is needed to turn the tide of fraud in Africa is a transvaluation of loyalties to include and (...) cover interests of the modern nation‐state rather than just those of the clan, tribe and race. The paper finally calls for African nations to rise up to new challenges in governance by upholding ethical values and by their determination to detect and prevent all forms of fraud as the only viable way towards the realisation of the ideal of an African Renaissance. (shrink)