South Africa and Nigeria have once again dominated the Financial Times’ ranking of Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies, accounting for more than half of the 130 businesses listed in the 2025 edition. Now in its fourth year, the ranking compiled in partnership with Statista assesses companies based on their compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2023.
With 51 companies from South Africa and 28 from Nigeria, the list reflects the relative maturity and scale of these two economies. But the concentration also highlights the structural challenges smaller economies face in scaling companies across the continent. Despite rising digitalization and entrepreneurship, building a cross-border presence in Africa remains difficult due to regulatory fragmentation, limited capital access, and infrastructure gaps.
Talenteum Recognized Among Africa’s Growth Champions
Among the 130 listed companies, Talenteum, a well-known Employer of Record (EOR) and recruitment platform, has joined the ranks of Africa’s Growth Champions in the 2025 FT-Statista report.
Founded with a mission to connect African professionals with international opportunities, Talenteum offers remote employment solutions that allow talent to work for global companies without leaving their home countries. Its inclusion in the FT ranking underscores the growing relevance of digital employment platforms in reshaping Africa’s labor market.
“Our belief is simple: remote work is a powerful lever for inclusion, performance, and long-term transformation,” said Nicolas Goldstein and John Benatouil, co-founders of Talenteum, who are also working on their next venture Breedj.com, an AI-driven platform set to further streamline global talent sourcing and onboarding.
They added: “A big thank you to our teams, partners, and clients who bring this mission to life every day. This ranking validates our vision, but the most ambitious part is still ahead.”
The Significance of the FT Ranking
The FT Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies list serves as both a barometer of economic dynamism and a lens into emerging sectors. It includes firms across diverse industries tech, logistics, finance, energy, and now increasingly, HR tech and digital outsourcing.
While larger economies naturally feature more prominently, the presence of companies like Talenteum, based in Mauritius, signals a shift. Entrepreneurs from smaller nations are proving it’s possible to build scalable, high-impact businesses despite structural disadvantages particularly when leveraging remote work, digital platforms, and pan-African networks.
Looking Ahead
As Africa moves through a period of post-pandemic recovery, the continent faces persistent challenges—ranging from infrastructure gaps to access to finance, regulatory fragmentation, and a pressing need to create millions of jobs for its growing youth population. Yet amid these constraints, a new generation of African companies is emerging with bold, borderless ambitions.
The 2025 FT Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies ranking showcases these innovators. Whether they are disrupting traditional sectors or creating entirely new markets, these businesses are redefining what it means to scale from Africa for the world. From Lagos to Cape Town, and now Port Louis with companies like Talenteum, they are building solutions with global relevance while remaining rooted in local impact.
This shift signals more than just economic growth it points to a transformation in how African entrepreneurship is perceived and executed. Leveraging digital tools, remote work models, and inclusive hiring practices, these companies are positioning Africa not just as a consumer market, but as a global supplier of talent, technology, and innovation.
As these champions lead the way, they offer a glimpse of what a more connected, resilient, and opportunity-rich African future could look like one shaped from within, but with eyes firmly set on the world.
