CIMGLOBAL expands into Africa with regional director appointment

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – CIMGLOBAL expands into Africa following the appointment of respected tourism leader Nomasonto “Sonto” Ndlovu as Regional Director, marking the organisation’s first permanent footprint on the continent.

The strategic expansion comes at a pivotal moment for Africa’s meetings and business events industry. Valued at $17.9 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $65.6 billion by 2032, Africa is among the fastest-growing global MICE markets, driven by demographic growth, expanding knowledge sectors, and new infrastructure investments.

Despite this growth potential, Africa currently accounts for just 3% of the global business tourism market, underlining opportunities for international partnerships, capacity building, and professionalisation across the sector.

“We are entering Africa with purpose, partnership, and long-term vision,” said Prasant Saha, CEO of CIMGLOBAL. “Our three decades of experience across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe have shown us that Africa is the next frontier for global associations. With the right support systems, the continent can play a defining role in shaping the future of international meetings. Sonto’s leadership will be central to this mission.”

Ndlovu brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across tourism, marketing, and the business events ecosystem. Her career includes roles with Unilever and Standard Bank, leadership positions at the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Board, South African Tourism, and the Limpopo Tourism Agency, as well as the founding of Beacon Africa Tourism Consultancy.

During her tenure as Global Manager for Business Tourism at South African Tourism, she led the repositioning of Meetings Africa into the continent’s flagship MICE platform, strengthening Africa’s global visibility and intra-African business engagement.

“It is an honour to lead CIMGLOBAL’s African expansion,” said Nomasonto “Sonto” Ndlovu. “Africa is ready to take its place on the global stage. By combining CIMGLOBAL’s international expertise with our continent’s creativity, talent, and ambition, we will build platforms that elevate African voices and attract meaningful global collaboration. This is more than a business opportunity; it is a chance to create long-lasting impact.”

Africa’s MICE landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, supported by digitalisation, innovation, and the growth of sectors such as technology, healthcare, and agriculture. At the same time, operational and technological gaps continue to challenge many local organisations.

Through its African expansion, CIMGLOBAL plans to support African associations in international growth, enhance professional standards and capacity, attract global events to African destinations, and create sustainable, knowledge-driven meeting platforms.

The company’s African headquarters will be based in Johannesburg, serving as a regional hub for operations and future expansion across the continent.

The article CIMGLOBAL expands into Africa with regional director appointment first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

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