When it comes to doing business in the United Arab Emirates, African entrepreneurs have often faced an uphill battle—navigating unfamiliar regulations, cultural nuances, and a lack of local support. Recognizing these challenges, Afrigate Commercial Brokers was born out of a clear and urgent need: to provide a reliable, Africa-focused gateway into the UAE and broader GCC markets. With a commitment to personalised service, deep market expertise, and a mission to reduce the high failure rate of new businesses, Afrigate is redefining what it means to create a soft landing pad for African businesses abroad.

ONGOLO interviewed the Afrigate Commercial Brokers founder, Rungano Innocent Nyaude, who has experience working in Dubai and Qatar.

What problem did you see in the UAE market that led you to start Afrigate Commercial Brokers?

Firstly, it was the noticeable lack of representation of Africa in the UAE. As I started getting more involved in the UAE and Africa conversation, it became very clear that Africa was under-represented. Africans looking to do business in the UAE did not have clear landing pads to kickstart their market entry journey. This resulted in them consulting other businesses who did not understand Africa and in turn, most outcomes were negative. 

Secondly, some of the players from Africa operating in the UAE and serving the African market were not fully committed to positive outcomes for their clients and the duty of care was not ideal. This was resulting in poor service delivery. It also resulted in financial losses for the companies looking to launch in the UAE. Examples include incorrect advice on license requirements, overpricing on company set-up, minimal to no post-registration support which left entrepreneurs stranded even after having registered a business. 

What exactly does Afrigate Commercial Brokers do, and who are your ideal clients?

Afrigate is a bespoke end-to-end consultancy and brokerage company. We engage potential clients at the point of exploring the UAE market and the GCC markets at large. We start by evaluating the market opportunity with the client, identify and define the most ideal penetration strategy, define the licensing and regulatory requirements, support with the company registration and regularisation of residency of the shareholders or managers. Post set-up, Afrigate will support in the setting up of the business and advise on the market penetration implementation as well as compliance with tax and VAT regulations. 

Our mission is to create the best possible landing pad for our client. We want to minimize the risk of our clients joining the over 50% of new businesses who fail in the first 3 years. 

Our target clients are mainly African exporters looking to explore the UAE and the GCC markets. This will contribute to the food security agenda of the region. We also support African Businesses in other sectors as we have cross-sectoral experience on company set-up, markets, and business environment. 

Can you walk us through the typical process of helping a client enter the UAE market?

The life-cycle journey is detailed below: 

• Client engages Afrigate during an initial 30-minute free consultation where the client details their requirements and request. 
• Afrigate will prepare an advisory pack for the client. This will propose a route to market as well as a recommendation on company set-up if required. 
• Upon acceptance, Afrigate will provide a quotation for the company set-up, advisory fees, as well as detailing the documentary requirements which the client must satisfy. 
• In cases, Afrigate will also prepare a Business Case Proposal. This will provide a deeper dive into the business landscape and opportunity for the client. 
• Post acceptance, Afrigate will handle the Company Registration process in the UAE in the agreed licensing authority or free zone, handle the Visa issuances of the company team and handle the opening of company bank accounts. 
• Post registration, Afrigate will support the physical office set-up of the company where needed and provide Tax and VAT support for the first three months of operations. 
• The client life cycle continues as Afrigate will be on hand to handle any ad-hoc requirements during the period and will handle the license renewal when it is time to renew. 

What are some of the most popular business activities or licenses that your clients seek?

• Holding Company License: For entities looking to consolidate their regional and global operations, a Hold-Co license in the UAE provides tax benefits. 
• General Trading: This is one of the most popular licenses, but the least favourable for Afrigate. This allows one to trade in any product with minimal restrictions. However, this is not a preferred license for banks. 
• Marketing Services: This allows the company to have their primary production happening outside the UAE. They can promote and sell their products in the country. 
• Consultancy: the UAE is a skills hub for consultants, and this is a growing sector. 

How is Afrigate different from other business setup consultancies in the UAE?

Afrigate stands out because of our specialized focus on African entrepreneurs and businesses looking to expand into the UAE. Unlike other consultancies, we provide personalized, one-on-one support throughout the entire process. We understand the unique challenges that African entrepreneurs face and have the experience and expertise to navigate these obstacles. We also bring a wealth of experience in the UAE and the GCC region.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about starting a business in the UAE?

• There is a lot of money in the UAE, and we will easily raise capital: While the UAE is awash with capital and wealth, the capital is shy and not easily accessible. It is important to build relationships and networks and leverage on those to access capital. 
• It is easy to set up a business: While true, it is also very easy to obtain the wrong license in a regulatory landscape with restrictions. This is why it is important to have the right set-up advisors from the onset. 
• You need to have a local sponsor to register a business in the UAE: This used to be true before, but there are multiple business activities that allow 100% foreign ownership both in the free zones and on the mainland. 
• You need a lot of capital to register a business: There are affordable free zones where you can set up a business at minimal cost with no requirements for capital and physical office space. 

How does the UAE compare with other global business hubs in terms of ease of doing business?

We can let the statistics speak for themselves. The UAE attracted 6,700 millionaires in 2024, ahead of Singapore and the USA. It is the second largest destination of FDI for two years in a row ahead of the USA. The UAE had a 19% growth in population between 2020 and 20224. Aliko Dangote, the richest man on the continent, has set up his family office in the UAE. 

We could go on with the above, but the reality is, the UAE is a top business hub for the world and for Africa, the UAE provides the most feasible option due to the connectivity with the ports and the airlines, the geographically convenient location where you have one third of the world population within a four-hour flight distance. This is supported by the existing challenges of intra-Africa travel and connectivity. 

Read the ONGOLO blogpost Why do expatriates love Dubai? to understand why the city is a magnet for expatriates.

Do you work primarily with African entrepreneurs or a broader audience?

Our core focus is the African entrepreneur; however, we work with a broader audience as we also provide support to other entities looking to be connected with Africa. 

What unique challenges or advantages do African entrepreneurs face when trying to enter the UAE market?

Opportunities: 

• Growth: The UAE provides one of the best ecosystems for growth as the country is a land of opportunity.
• Contribution: The UAE has set out an ambitious but strategic growth plan such as the Dubai 2033 agenda which looks to double the size of the Dubai economy by 2033. These plans create opportunities for entrepreneurs to come up with solutions and activities to contribute to the success of the UAE.

Challenges: 

• Perception: Africa as a continent is associated with corruption and informal business practices and it is more challenging to gain trust in the market. 
• Cultural Nuances: African entrepreneurs tend to struggle with settling into the UAE due to a lack of understanding of the business culture. 

What advice would you give to young Africans in the diaspora who are thinking about setting up a business in Dubai?

Start. It is that simple. Start. Preparation will be your key asset, do adequate research and work on your business plan. Remember, there is a very small chance that the plan which you have is a blue ocean, chances are, it has been done before, so be willing to reach out to others and seek advice and guidance. 

Have you seen any recent trends in the kinds of businesses being established in the UAE?

The establishment of Holding Companies is taking prevalence as entities look to consolidate their regional presence. Some companies are setting up marketing offices for Africa operations as they seek to access global clients. Family offices are being established as family businesses look to consolidate their wealth through global investments and wealth management. 

What sectors do you see as growth opportunities for new entrepreneurs in the UAE?

Fintech, Agri-tech, consultancy, and consumer goods trading. We also see an opportunity in the education sector as there is an under-representation of Africa-centric learning platforms.    

What has been the most rewarding success story you’ve seen through Afrigate?

We are currently finalising the set-up of a Holding Company plus Operating Company for a Real Estate Developer from Zimbabwe in the UAE to support their global sales of property in and around Zimbabwe. The operation will also support their global fundraising strategies, and this will be a gamechanger for the next phase of the project. The Zimbabwean Diaspora community will have access to a very innovative Real Estate Investment project. 

What drives you personally in this work? Is it the hustle, the impact, or something else?

Impact. The desire has always been to help those around me to grow, sometimes at my own expense. I believe that we need to do our part to leave the world as a better place for our kids and the future generations. I have also been driven by the desire to demystify the notion that Africa cannot collaborate. My mission is to leave a lasting impression on each interaction which I have. 

Where do you see Afrigate in the next 5 to 10 years?

Having a multiple company and project success story book and being one of the leading advisory and brokerage companies in the region. 

Ready to launch your business in the UAE the right way?

Book your free 30-minute consultation with Afrigate Commercial Brokers today and take the first step toward a successful market entry. Let us help you build the foundation for long-term growth in one of the world’s most dynamic business hubs.
👉 Check out the company website (link) OR email info@afrig8.com OR call on +971562613345